Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Blackford.
Chelsea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was about 16 years old, I had a horseback riding injury. That very day I went to the Chiropractor.
Fast forward to newly married, 22 years old and I was still seeing the Chiropractor multiple times a week as well as doing physical strength training to try to help my original injury area. I felt that it was getting worse, not better.
After a friend convinced me to see a different chiropractor who looked at my situation holistically, everything changed.
I learned how to read ingredient labels, how to reduce inflammation in my body, and was told to see a Massage Therapist to help my tight muscles and tissues surrounding my joints.
It wasn’t until I incorporated Massage and changed these things in my life that my body began to hold my adjustments, stop aching and truly feel better. I began to see the Chiropractor less, which was our goal.
In that moment I thought, “There has to be Massage Therapy for Horses”!
Having wanted to be a veterinarian in my younger years or work with animals in general, this quickly became a fit for my newfound passion in wellness. For the first time in many years I finally knew what I was supposed to do.
I became Certified as an Equine Sports Massage and Rehabilitation Therapist in 2016.
I’ve since added on Certifications in Muscle Taping, Raindrop Therapy and have a Master Herbalist Diploma as well as an Aromatherapy Diploma.
I’ve taken over 650 hours of coursework tailored towards learning of the hoof and trimming my own horses to better understand the hoof to body connection and balance.
My passion for Whole Foods and how they can heal the body, stems from my horse being healed of severe bleeding ulcers with the use of herbs back in 2018. She is still ulcer free today! I created my own herbal blends which I mix fresh and ship weekly to horse owners across the United States.
After years of horse owners asking me to massage them and seeing the great need for this in my community, I went back to school. I graduated from Cumberland Institute of Holistic Therapies in 2023 and gained my License as a Massage Therapist for Humans.
After a decade of hands on tissues, I have learned to observe the Horse and Human body Holistically. The connection between mental, physical, emotional and spiritual is always considered when it comes to how our bodies are in the moment and how they respond in therapy sessions. It has been such an honor to hold space for all of my Horse and Human Clients. I never want to continue learning and I truly do LOVE what I do.
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?
Is any road ever completely smooth? There’s always a bump, tree root, pebble or boulder, not to mention the traffic can get busy sometimes!
With the change of time as well as my physical location of my practice, there have definitely been challenges. Like, starting over!
I originally began my equine practice in Illinois in 2016, then my husband and I moved to Tennessee in December of 2018.
I was faced with learning a new area, marketing to a new crowd and gaining trust within the equine community around me, which isn’t as easy as it may sound.
This business isn’t guaranteed and there is no set salary each week. I am the boss as well as the employee, the motivator and the encourager. If I don’t have clients or don’t work, I don’t make money.
Until becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist, I always had a job on the side to supplement the slow times or times of rebuilding clients.
Over the years I have worked as a Real Estate Agent, Gymnastics Coach, Retail Sales Specialist, Dunkin Donuts employee as well as worked at a Chiropractic office to supplement income.
It wasn’t always what I wanted or dreamed of or hoped for, but I certainly learned what I needed to along the way. It has made me extremely grateful for where I am now and for what is to come.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
There is no one set approach or cookie cutter that every body fits into.
What sets me apart is that my Human Sessions are customized to what a person needs in that moment, that day.
I integrate Therapies like Myofascial, Cranio-Sacral, Acupressure, Swedish, Stretching, Range of Motion and sometimes muscle taping into a session. The Raindrop Therapy is a wonderful standalone Therapy session that I also provide, as well as Prenatal Massage.
For Horses, I specialize in and provide the Raindrop Therapy.
At this time, it is not something that anyone else is doing in the surrounding areas for Horses.
It is a privilege for me to teach owners about the power of essential oils as well as the safety of them, to dispel any fear they may have in using them with their pets.
For owners to see the results with their horses as well as experience in their own bodies when they receive this therapy is incredible!
My favorite thing is to receive personal testimonies and messages!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
My first job that I moved out of the house for was to be a Flight Attendant!
I did that for almost three years before I got married and we moved states.
I am from and grew up in Upstate New York, lived in Houston, Texas for a couple years when flying, lived in Springfield, Illinois for 5 years and have at the time of writing this been in Manchester, Tennessee for 7 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://essentialequinetherapies.com
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/essentialequinetherapies
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@essentialequinetherapies
