Not many 22-year-olds are registered equine massage therapists, and even fewer operate their own business, but Jenna Arbuckle, through a passion for equine welfare and innovative therapeutic techniques, is not the average 22-year-old.
After graduating from TriOS College — specifically the D'Arcy Lane School of Equine Massage Therapy — Arbuckle launched Equine Equilibrium to provide racehorses with a non-invasive, all-natural, AGCO-approved treatment.
The regimen, which combines her expertise in equine massage with salt therapy, is designed to treat horses with respiratory and skin-related ailments.
When she’s not providing treatments from her double-horse trailer, the versatile horseperson spends her mornings working as a groom.
Arbuckle talks about her path to equine massage therapy, how her unique approach helps the animals she loves, and more.
Q: Where did the interest in equine massage therapy/salt therapy come from?
A: “Growing up, I rode horses a little bit, but I was into other sports, so I didn't really have the opportunity to further that path. Then, my sister got me into Standardbreds. At the time, I was in university, and I did not like the program I was in, so I dropped out. I was looking for a different program because my parents wanted me to get a degree, and I thought, ‘I have to do something with horses.’
“After that, I found salt therapy online, and we started talking, and they liked that I was in the massage program. I have quite the background of the respiratory system, because we do take those courses, and the horse in general. They decided that I was a good fit for them, and we went forward with that.
“Right now, I mainly focus on salt therapy because there are a lot of other massage therapists out there, but there's not many trailers around for horses, specifically.”
Q: Talk about your business Equine Equilibrium and some of your goals for it.
A: “Not a lot of people know about it, but it's a holistic way to really help the horses. We want to expand the knowledge of salt and its benefits to the equine community to help them be more open to the idea of these holistic treatments that may not be used as much.
“It offers a real opportunity to change the future of veterinary medicine as well. The World Equestrian Center in Ocala [Florida] has a salt therapy room alongside their veterinary practices to help with wound healing and various other ailments.
“We want to take ideas from the centre down there, bring them up here, and hopefully be able to implement it into other veterinary practices – even at Woodbine. We do have the mobile trailer, and we'll be able to come out every Sunday or whatever day is best for most of the trainers and if there is a consistent market for it, and people really like it, maybe implement a permanent stall.”
Q: Why is enhancing the quality of life for racehorses important for you?
“I had a little bit of asthma growing up and exercise induced that. I played basketball, and I'll be honest, it's hard to breathe sometimes, especially in cold weather. I know Thoroughbreds don't often race during cold weather, but a lot of Standardbreds do. I've been working with a lot of Standardbreds, especially down in this area (Campbellville, Ont.) and the treatments help clear out the extra mucus in their lungs, especially in this weather, the springtime, and even the summer.
“Some horses have lots of mucus. I could only imagine how difficult it would be to breathe, especially if a horse, or racehorse specifically, has asthma. You can't run a good race if you've got difficulty breathing.
“These horses are training almost every day of their lives. Yes, their legs and their muscles are very important, as we know, but so is their lungs. They carry gallons of air, and they can expand to the full thorax of their body. It's quite astronomical how big these animals are and how much we need to take care of them in every aspect.
“We do lots of that with their legs and their bodies, but internally, we don't have much for the respiratory system, and salt is pretty much the same as saline solution. It's just in a different form. It's dry instead of wet. It does the same job as a nebulizer, which a lot of Thoroughbred horses and trainers use.”
Q: You also work as a Standardbred groom. What is the most rewarding part of doing that?
A: “Seeing how happy the horses are. It's so rewarding to see these horses happy, especially working on them. I love being able to make a connection with a horse. They're so different in many ways, and no horse is the same. You get one, and you kind of fall in love with it, and then, because you don't own it, unfortunately, that horse leaves and you get another one, but that's the business.
“I just love seeing them come in and being able to help break them and bring them along their way to being the best that they can be. It's rewarding to watch them win if they do, and even if they don't, it's still nice to see them get to the track.”
Q: What makes racehorses so unique and special to work with?
A: “There are so many things. They learn to love you as well, because they know that you're taking care of them and you're making them happy. You can tell that you're making them happy a lot of the time. If you come in and a horse is sour, you know that something's going on. Racehorses are so expressive. They're not very stoic – some can be, usually the older ones – but they keep you on your toes.
“You're with them for five to 10 hours of the day, depending on how long you're at the barn, and a lot of the time, some grooms only have five horses. You're spending a lot of quality time with that animal. They get to know you, they trust you, and it really helps them bring out that unique personality.
“Everything about horses makes my life go around.”
(Woodbine)