Today we’d like to introduce you to Geary Whiting.
Hi Geary, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey really started back in 1963 when I began as a personal trainer. Growing up with horses — chasing cattle, hauling hay, driving tractors, plowing fields, showing animals at the local fair — somehow wasn’t enough to keep me in the agriculture world. Sports and athletics seemed more up my alley, but little did I know what adventures were ahead.
My timeline looks something like this: 1963, personal trainer; 1982, Touch for Health instructor; 1985, Certified Personal Trainer; 1986, graduate of the Shiatsu Massage School of Southern California — and I was even on the cover of Massage Magazine in 1989.
The pivot to horses happened almost by accident. While rehabbing a client who had been injured in a horse-related accident, I was asked if I had ever massaged a horse. In 1995, a time when few had ever heard of massaging horses, I had to pioneer my way into the world of Equine Athletes. People were seeing wonderful results with their horses and wanted me to teach them. I bought the Walking W. Ranch in Atascadero, started my first school, and the rest is history.
In 2003 I received an Honorary Doctorate in Original Research in Holistic Studies and the Outstanding Achievement Award in Oriental Medicine. Then in 2015 I was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the World Massage Festival and received the Pioneer of Massage award. Most recently, in 2023, I rebranded the school to Geary Whiting Academy for Horse and Rider.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely wasn’t always smooth. In 1995, when I first stepped into the equine world, few people had ever heard of massaging horses. I had to pioneer my way in — there was no roadmap, no industry to lean on. I was essentially building something from scratch and convincing skeptics that horses could benefit from Shiatsu massage the same way human athletes do.
Even working with the horses themselves presented real challenges early on. My first session with Free House, a champion thoroughbred racehorse, was interesting, to say the least. He was in so much pain that he did not want to be touched. He had to be sedated and, even with sedation, he did his level best to avoid the treatment and remained aggressive for a time. I was not surprised — this type of behavior is not uncommon for racehorses because they are worked hard, under a lot of stress, and massage is not usually incorporated into their training regimen. Overcoming that resistance — in the horses and in the industry — took persistence and patience.
One thing I’ve also learned is that many horses’ physical issues actually manifest as behavioral problems or severe debilitating pain that keeps them from performing or completely changes their personality. Helping people understand that required a lot of education and earning trust over many years.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Geary Whiting’s Equine Massage Academy
The only NCBTMB Nationally Approved Horse and Rider Equine Massage Academy in the United States.
I’d love to hear from you! You can reach me with any questions about equine massage, the academy, speaking engagements, or information on how to bring my program to a hometown location in your area. I also work on other animals such as dogs, cats, sheep, cattle and pigs, I get ’em all. The best way to get in touch is by calling 530.410.5270 or emailing me directly at info@gearywhiting.com. You can also explore everything I offer — from in-person certification at my academy in Paso Robles to online programs you can do from your own home and barn — at www.howtomassageahorse.com. I encourage you to go to my website to learn more about my life time achievements. I look forward to connecting!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I believe in being ready when opportunity knocks, and some of those knocks came at just the right time. Some wonderful doors opened for me, and I was given the green flag to go — and go I did.
Working with world-class athletes like Bob Wieland is a great example. Bob had been a promising sports star before being drafted to Vietnam in 1969, where he lost both legs. He went on to do his famous Walk Across America — on his arms — in three years, eight months, and six days. I had the privilege of working with him, and together we improved his marathon times dramatically, finishing 17 to 18 hours ahead of his previous year’s times. That relationship opened doors and validated what I was doing in ways I couldn’t have planned for. With my background of working with world-class athletes, it seemed like a perfect fit to translate that knowledge to horses and riders as a competitive team. I don’t think it was pure luck — but I was in the right place, doing the right work, at the right time. I’ve always believed there are three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. I’ve always tried to be in the first group.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.howtomassageahorse.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GearyWhiting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/equinemassagetherapyschools
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gearywhiting4483
