Q&A With Natalie Gregg Of The Equine Collaborative
- Diana Bezdedeanu
- Aug 30
- 5 min read
DIANA: What inspired you to pursue a career in equine bodywork?
NATALIE: I’m a second generation equine bodyworker, and my mom is who I have to give credit to for my education and career. I was only 10 years old when she began her journey as an equine massage therapist, and I was lucky to spend hours watching and learning from her at a very young age. I was able to comfortably work on my own horses by the time I was 14, and to this day I can’t imagine not having bodywork as an integral part of their routine. It was always a special and valuable skill to me, but turning it into a career was the cherry on top!
DIANA: What certifications/training do you have and how did you choose?
NATALIE: I am certified by Equissage California - which is the program my mother founded, developed, and has grown since 2007. I formally went through the program when I was 16, and never really stopped working on horses since then. That was 14 years ago, and at this point aside from the more formal program, I’ve spent thousands of hours learning from the best teachers there are (the horses). Nowadays, there are a lot of different programs out there with different pros and cons, but at the end of the day there is no better way to gain that feel that you need than just getting out there and doing the work. Since 2016, I have been one of the instructors at Equissage California, and in 2023, I went on to start my own school, The Equine Collaborative, in my current home of Bozeman, Montana.
DIANA: What services do you offer?
NATALIE: My main focus is sports massage and trigger point therapy. I also practice a lighter Swedish style massage when needed, as well as Myofascial release techniques. For a little bit, I was a saddle fitter, which created a new awareness about how tack affects the horses’ body. I have focused my efforts the past few years on not only massaging horses, but teaching owners the importance of massage. A huge part of my business is my clinics, certifications, and online academy for horse owners. I’ve done my absolute best to have resources that anyone can use because massage therapy should be in every barn.
DIANA: What are some of the most common issues you see in your client horses and how might you address them?
NATALIE: This is a hard question because every horse is so different, but I see a lot of consistency within disciplines. At the beginning of my career, I primarily worked on 3-Day Eventing horses. They are incredible athletes, but their bodies take a huge hit from the sport. Nearly all of them had TMJ issues, neck asymmetry, and major pain and atrophy in the topline. Unfortunately, a lot of this had to do with tack and training techniques. Eventing consumed most of my life until I was 26, so I’ll always have a love for the sport and a respect for the horses and riders. However, every discipline has its norms and practices that are widely used and never questioned even when the horse's body is screaming for help. Now living in Montana and primarily working with quarter horses, I see a lot of overdeveloped shoulders (common in horses with big bodies and small feet), and I see a lot of tight, restricted hindlimbs, primarily hamstrings, which often presents as hock stiffness. Those go hand in hand! Horses are a puzzle and I could talk all day about my findings throughout my career. As far as what I do to treat these issues, I will always do a full body session, and end by going back to the most reactive areas to do additional work, and stretch each area. Treating muscular issues longterm also takes a deep understanding of riding biomechanics, lifestyle, diet, tack, feet, and everything else that goes into maintaining a horse properly.
DIANA: What advice would you give to a horse owner who is considering bodywork for the first time?
NATALIE: Find someone that people in your area trust that is patient with your horse and that you feel like you can openly and honestly communicate with. Don’t be scared if your horse is nervous, dances around, or has a hard time relaxing the first few sessions. It is not always sunshine and rainbows when you are truly getting to the root of pain and tension. There are too many videos online of horses just yawning and falling asleep (I get it, I post them too). The reality is that working through real trauma in the body can be physically and emotionally difficult for some horses. I also always recommend that owners learn some techniques themselves! There are so many resources to learn safe and super effective techniques that you can use at home.
DIANA: How has equine bodywork evolved since you began your business?
NATALIE: It has evolved a lot over the past 20 years of being in this industry. I remember back when my mom first started, people were so skeptical and sometimes downright disrespectful. I think massage is a “see for yourself” type of modality. We don't show up with any machines, you don’t hear any cracking like during a chiro adjustment, and sometimes people assume we're doing nothing because they simply don’t understand it. Now, there is a lot more respect and understanding. I think that is largely because of social media bringing awareness and showing results to people that otherwise would've never seen it. Overall, we are much more respected now and there are a lot of people getting into it as a career or side hustle!
DIANA: What has been the biggest challenge in building your business? The biggest reward?
NATALIE: The biggest challenge for me has been showing up consistently online. I give 100% to my students who come for live sessions and courses, and to my members, however if you're running a business these days you have to be tech savvy and know how to use social media! I struggle with wanting to run away into the forest and go offline, but that's not practical in this digital age. I know that the more I show up online, the more horses and people I am helping. Even having conversations in the comments of my posts has changed people's perspectives in a positive way for horses.
DIANA: Is there anything that horse owners can do in-between appointments to keep their horse more comfortable?
NATALIE: Yes! Learn some massage! I have an online library full of videos, anatomy downloads, and a community for questions and support. There has been an accessibility issue in this industry and I wanted to break that barrier. Unlimited access to my courses is only $29/month. Some other simple tips would be: give them as much turnout as possible, make sure your saddle fits, feed off the ground in a natural grazing position, and make sure your horse's diet is balanced. These are some things that make a huge difference in their bodies!
DIANA: Any mentors you want to give a shoutout to?
NATALIE: First, my mom. I really wouldn't be 10 years into a successful and fulfilling career, if it wasn't for her. Second, I was privileged enough to spend 5 days with the saddle fitter, Amanda Anderson (@saddlefitting.us) in 2024, and she blew my mind. She brought up so many gaps in the horse industry, specifically saddles and tack designs that were causing real health issues in horses worldwide. I’ve always had a confident understanding of anatomy and biomechanics, but she connected dots that I didn't know could connect.
Website: theequinecollab.com
Written by Diana Bezdedeanu
A native of Westwood, Massachusetts, Diana Bezdedeanu is the founder and lead practitioner at Horses Offering People Education (HOPE in MA), an unmounted equine-assisted learning program. She has written for Sidelines Magazine, Community Horse, and Westwood Living. Diana is the proud owner of two retired bay off-the-track Thoroughbred mares, Coffee and London.
This article is from the August 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine
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