Sarah Linton
Background & training
I was put on a horse before I could walk by horse mad parents. At the time my father was a stud manager and my mother was an instructor at the local riding school. When we came to NZ I went to pony club and competed in show jumping and eventing in my early to mid teens.
Dad had his owner trainer licence so I used to ride the race horses and do track work for him as well. We had heaps of horses around at the time and sometimes I would ride several in a day even when I was at school.
I then went off to work in horse studs in the Waikato where I did yearling preparation, handled and looked after the stallions, helped break in young horses and exercise them. From there I went to the UK to work in hunting and eventing stables where I exercised the horses there.
I trained in human massage over 15 years ago and in my early twenties also taught herbal and aromatherapy workshops. I first experimented on with massaging Dad's horses well over 20 years ago with great results but it wasn't until I returned to NZ that I started my training in Equine Therapies.
I am also NZ course co-coordinator for Equinology - the largest complimentary equine and canine therapy school in the world. I regularly attend the Bomac Lectures and I am continuing my studies in Equine Health and Therapies with other courses that are coming up here and overseas to further my career.
Courses attended
• NZCM Certificate of Massage (1994)
• BSY Diploma in Nutrition (1995)
• BSY Diploma in Massage (1996)
• Statement of Attainments College of Australia in Aromatherapy for Pets, and Aromatherapy for Business (2001)
• Diploma with Health and Harmony College from Australia in Medicinal Herbs (2001)
• Equine massage with Rachel Phillips from the Waikato (July & August 02)
• Energy Healing workshop with Barbara Clearbridge from the USA (2003)
• Equine Aromatherapy Certificate from Catherine Bird from Australia (January 2003)
• Natural Hoof Trimming with Paul Chapman from the U.S.A (February 2003)
• Equine Massage with Catherine Bird from Australia (May 2003)
• Equine Touch course with Jock and Ivana Ruddock (July 2003)
• Equine Sports Training with Kathy Duncan from the USA (November 2003)
• Tallgrass Introduction to Equine Acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Equine: 5-Element Theory, Meridians and Specific Conditions 1 & 2 with Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis from the USA (November 2003)
• EQ100 Equinology Equine Sports Massage with Debranne Pattillo from the USA (February 2004)
• Anatomy, Conformation and Movement seminar with Dr Deb Bennett from the USA (May 2004)
• Hoof Trimming Cinic with Peter Laidley from Australia (September 2005)
• EQ1100 Equinology Myofascial Release course with Ruth Mitchell - Golladay from the USA (November 2005)
• EQ700 Equinology Saddle Fitting and Farrier Science with Dr Kerry Ridgway from the USA (February 2006)
• Equine Anatomy and Dissection with Dr Deb Bennett from the USA (April 2006)
• NZCM Human Sports Massage refresher (June 2007)
• Equine Orthopedics with Dr Deb Bennett from the USA (2007)
• Equine Nutrition 2 day Course with Dr Lucy Tucker (July 2008)
• EQ103 Equinology Advanced Equine Massage (Level 1) with Debranne Pattillo USA (2009)
• EQ900 Equinology Progressive Anatomy Discovery Course (clay & hands on) with Debranne Pattillo USA (January 2011)