Meet the Graduate: Dee Hawkesworth

Dee Hawkesworth is mum to a tiny human and the lucky owner of event horse, Zara. Based in Bedfordshire, she is a practising equine sports massage therapist.

Read our Q&A below!

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Q. DEE, WHEN DID YOU TRAIN WITH TCAP?

A: I trained with TCAP back in 2016 and studied Equine Sports Massage.

Q. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE COURSE?

A: Initially my plan was to become a vet: my interests lie in sports medicine and after spending a year on placement at an equine hospital in the diagnostics centre and theatre, I came away wanting to be a surgeon. Unfortunately due to family matters I was unable to pursue this path, so I had to search for another route where I could help horses the way I wanted to and still work at the same time. Having been on the other side at a clinic, I could see there was a huge hole in the industry where we could be helping horses better from a bodywork perspective. I am a big believer that prevention is better than cure, and if we can prevent those injuries occurring through good body work practices and better training, our horses will be better off in the long run.

Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES OF YOUR TIME TRAINING?

A. I absolutely loved my time training at TCAP. I had a fantastic tutor who made me feel very relaxed and able to complete the course with confidence. I really enjoyed training and meeting like-minded people from all over the equine industry.

Q. POST QUALIFICATION – WHAT WERE YOUR NEXT STEPS?

A. After qualifying, I set up my business straight away and it has grown organically from there. I have completed many CPD’s over the years, including myofascial release, straightness training, additional mobilisation techniques and more.
My ideal would be to continue to study. I would like to complete a Level 6 animal physiotherapy course to take my learning to the next level. I would like to be working on more rehab cases and working alongside vets to help those in need. I also really enjoy teaching others, so maybe one day I might get the opportunity.

Q. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL CLIENT AND/OR A TYPICAL DAY?

A. I am lucky to have a wide range of clients from happy hackers through to top level competition horses. I am out on the road most of the day hoping from one yard to the other. I also offer ridden and in-hand work services too, so I get to see a large variety of horses and ponies alongside working on a private family stud yard two days a week.

Q. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

A. Seeing the benefits of what I do is what I love about my job. Seeing those tiny changes that can make the world of difference to a horse and the peace of mind of the owner.

Q. WHY DID YOU SELECT TCAP AS YOUR TRAINING PROVIDER?

A. I chose TCAP firstly for the location of the college: it was very close to me, although I did have to travel for my practical course. The course was more than accessible for the qualifications I already had.