AM practitioner networking issue...

[When The Sun Goes Down]

Do any of you belong to an organized, professional animal massage group...where you can network locally (not national associations)? Do you know any other animal massage professionals that you can exchange ideas with, supporting each others work and the profession?

I have been doing this work professionally for about 6 years, and have not had much luck networking with other animal massage practitioners. It seems to be very competitive and not much willingness to collaborate. When I was first looking into the profession’s laws and regulations, no one would return my calls or emails (with the exception of a couple schools…but no practitioners). I’ve also come across a few practitioners over the years, and they clam up faster than a door being slammed in my face.

There is more than enough work and variety of disciplines within animal massage to keep everybody busy…I just don’t get what seems to me as a very defensive, secretive, fear-based vibe. I am very willing to share whatever knowledge I have, so this frustrates me some. There are a few practitioners in my area that I would love to make contact with but I am a smidge hesitant.

Is it just me, or are other practitioners finding the same difficulty? :?

 

[coopersj2002]

Difficulty connecting with and getting information from other animal/equine MT's... yes. We are still new in our area, and I have called a few equine MT's I have found on the web to see if I could get some general info about how they managed their practices with the laws in Texas (which have since been "clarified", so there isn't the concern that I had before). These folks were not even in our area of Texas, but I still could not get anyone to talk to me!

On the other hand, once when barn-scouting, we did come upon a gal who had come up from south Texas; she apparently had standing appointments on a rather frequent basis for traveling to this particular barn (and, I think, a few others in the area, but I'm not sure about that). She knew these folks from a discipline she used to ride in, so was kind of "in" with them.

This lady did spend some time talking with us, and gave us some good ideas/information. We haven't seen nor heard of her since- then again, we have stayed away from "her barn" out of respect for her "territory".

Overall, though, I do agree- animal MT's do seem rather territorial. Perhaps it is because there is a sort of underlying sense of insecurity due to the lack of regulation in the field. And, too, with said lack of regulation, it is very difficult to know at first glance whether someone is a "quack" who will end up giving you/the field as a whole a bad name, or someone who would indeed prove worth investing the time to get to know. I have a feeling that if the states would reasonably regulate (key word: REASONABLY, which is hard to come by!!!) the field of animal massage, those who legitimately practice would eventually warm up to each other and to newcomers. Just my own opinion, which may not be worth much....

 

[gibson.samantha23]

i am not an am practitioner, however i've found the same to be true. in particular: i met up with a woman who worked on the pet of a client of mine, when we were introduced we recognized each other's names - she didn't .... it was weird. she completely shut down, she didn't walk away and it was almost like she was trying to be intimidating.

but i find that throughout the field anyway. especially with the spa/wellness/t & r differences.

good topic - very interesting read and reminds me the need to reach out more. surely there are mts who will respond in a positive manner!