About Me

Before I get too deep into massage and horses (which I’m known to go on about into oblivion), I probably should introduce myself. Being a well-raised southern woman, my parents taught me better manners than to just jump in to a conversation without an introduction.

Hello! I am Courtney Clarke. I am 29 years old and I am an equine massage/muscle therapist certified through Mike Scott’s program in Camden SC. I am starting my business north of Fayetteville, NC in Linden. I like to consider myself a jack-of-all-trades. I have many interests: cooking, gardening, reading, writing, and biology; to name just a few. One of the biggest interests that has stuck with me throughout the years is horses. I guess you could say I am as horse crazy as they come.

I have been around horses since I was 5 years old. I grew up watching epic movies like Lonesome Dove, The Golden Stallion, and Chisum; seeing cowboys on the screen like John Wayne, Gregory Peck, and Gene Autry. I read books like The Black Stallion, Misty of Chincoteague, and The Saddle Club. I aspired to live those epic fantasies.  The first horse I rode was my mother’s Arabian mare, Chablis, who was 3 at the time. Many a time did she take off towards the barn in the exact opposite direction that I wanted her to go, bucking and swerving. Of course, I went flying off to roll to a stop in the grass.  Then came the chase. I had to catch her to get back on and continue riding (we were in the front pasture which was about 2 acres). She taught me how to stay on. My mother always said if you fall or are bucked off you have to get back on or you’ll be too afraid to ride again. I guess I was determined because I kept getting back on.

Since then, I have been trail riding and horse camping. I have taken lessons in basic English, hunter/jumper, dressage, and western pleasure. I have ridden many horses from Arabians, Quarter horses, and Thoroughbreds, to Tennessee Walkers, Paso Finos, and Drafts. I have learned training from reading and watching natural horsemen like Clinton Anderson, and am learning traditional training from reading books by horsemen like Ingrid and Riener Klimke and taking dressage lessons with a local trainer. I am learning to care for my own horses’ hooves from reading Jaime Jackson, Lydia Nevzorova, Pete Ramey, and online videos. And now, most recently, I have learned equine massage and basic anatomy from Mike Scott.

It is my hope that this blog will be informative and helpful for anyone who owns or loves horses.