Does Equine Massage Therapy seem like a good career choice?

I'm going into my senior year of highschool and I'm sort of freaking out about what to do with my life after highschool. I've always loved horses, but owning my own riding stables or training horses for a living just doesn't seem like my thing. I'd love to train my own horses as a hobby, but I don't want to be breaking colts the rest of my life or teaching people how to ride. Anyways, I was thinking Equine Rehabilitation, but then I learned that you have to either become a Vet or a Physical Therapist first, and I am not really interested in becoming either of those.

Massage Therapy seems like another good option to me. I'm aware that they don't make a ton of money, but that's really not my top priority. I'd rather be happy in my profession than make a 6 figure salary doing something I hate. What I'm wondering, though, is whether or not you guys think this would be a good idea? There's no standard for Equine Massage therapists at the moment, but there's lots of companies that have training courses where you get a certification in the end. I don't really know who's reputable or not, though.

I was looking into going to William Woods University in Fulton, MO. But they don't have any sort of Equine Massage Therapy degree(no college does). Since I don't want to run my own stables or show or train for a living, would it be a waste of my time to go for the Equine Studies degree or Equine Administration? I don't want to get into student loan debt working for a degree that I won't really utilize.

I'm really grateful for any input that you guys could offer on this topic. Thanks. :]

A good friend of mine owns an Equissage Unit and makes her living by offering Equissage services. She is doing very well out of it and is always busy!

Personally, I would not go for straight massage therapy. You are better off to look into equine physiotherapy, which has higher demand and is more credible, plus will earn you more money.
Its great that you want to do something that you enjoy, and you're not worried about the money - but you have to remember that you can't live at home with mum and dad forever so you need to find a career that will make you enough money to get a place of your own. Plus if you still want horses, they are VERY expensive to keep. I don't know if you pay for everything to do with horses on your own if you have them, but hell, I got a rude awakening when I was 16 and my parents made me pay for EVERYTHING. Makes you realise how expensive they are. So you'll want an occupation that will support this hobby.

A graduated Equine Scholar from Georgetown College in central Kentucky has a successful business as an equine massage therapist. She got her undergrad degree at Georgetown College, got her massage certification before she graduated, and by the time she graduated had a business going. She travels to work on several equine clients.