Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelbie Engle.
Hi Chelbie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I got started in equine massage completely by accident actually. I was on a pre-veterinary course in school when my best friend called and said she was going to massage school for horses. I thought about it, thought it sounded like fun and went too! I got my first certification at Equissage in Roundhill, Virginia in 2010 and I started out in south Mississippi, but quickly realized there wasn’t really a market for equine bodywork there yet. I contemplated several cities to move to, but honestly picked Nashville because I love the Predators and there was a great equine community here. In the summer of 2014 I made the move. For several years I worked full time in the veterinary world while building up my clientele for bodywork finally going full time right after COVID. I honestly didn’t know if I’d be able to make it full time, but knew I needed to give it fighting chance if I wanted to make it work. What I didn’t know was that my name had circulated around middle Tennessee and when I announced full time availability I wasn’t able to keep up with the messages for people to schedule! Since that time I’ve expanded clientele into both Kentucky and Alabama, also traveling to other states for work when requested. I’ve also added PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency) to my business for both horse and rider, but also find myself doing dogs, sheep, etc as well. My personal animals (especially my dog) LOVES it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the biggest struggle I had was getting in my own way. For years I doubted myself and my abilities on being able to make it full time. It’s scary to leave the known for the unknown financially! It was also a hurdle to learn the ebbs and flows of the market and adjust my schedule and time accordingly also. Overall, it hasn’t been a bumpy road. Which I give God all the credit for!
We’ve been impressed with Southern Comfort Equine Massage, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business specializes in bodywork and PEMF for horses. Horses are athletes just like their riders! From dressage, to barrel racing and eventing. To watch these horses do their jobs, you learn to look at the body just like an athlete’s. Take your favorite sports team and look at what they do in physio to stay at the top of their game. Ice baths, massage, PEMF, chiropractic work, workouts, equine athletes get the same treatment! What I specialize in is a specific style of bodywork that works with the horse allowing them to be able to release tension and relieve pain that they’ve held onto for a long time. By doing so, they are able to move and stretch more to better accomplish their jobs across all disciplines. Massage not only helps to increase flexibility and relieve pain, it also helps increase circulation and lymphatic flow, It helps to enhance muscle tone and speed up recovery.
I also offer PEMF to horse and rider. PEMF treatments are not just for athletes either! Any person can benefit from a session. It aids in total body recover and helps the body to heal from the workload it’s been under. In my clients alone, I’ve seen it help with sciatic pain, cutting the healing time of a fracture in half, injuries take half the time to heal, swelling goes down within 12 hours after a session usually, among so many others! I’ve been amazed at seeing the human aspect of PEMF, but the horse side is just as impressive especially when paired with bodywork.
What I’m most proud of my brand for is the hard work it took to get to the place I am today and being able to adapt to the constantly changing equine industry. It takes a lot of work to be self employed, you really have to be self motivated and see things that need to be done. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s so worth it.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The equine industry is a very funny thing. It constantly changes with the season, but more importantly with the economy. There has been a lot of new attention put into horses and the various disciplines with some of the recent addition of TV shows the last few years that’s brought a LOT of new people to the market. I don’t foresee that changing any time soon and there are always horses can benefit from bodywork, but I have noticed a lot of people come and go from my field over the years. Whether they underestimate the time it takes to build a business or find this isn’t the field for them, I’m not sure.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.southerncomfortequinemassage.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scequinemassage?igsh=MWppNW1kMjBkNjU1Mg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17EPZeBK28/?mibextid=wwXIfr
