Meet Ashley Currie | Equine Sports Massage Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Currie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I had been an actress and a stand up comedienne for a long time, and in the past few years the increasing toxicity of the institution had really started to get to me. People and places that I had put faith in and looked to for support had disappointed me in big ways. And I was tired of waiting on other people to acknowledge my abilities, to give me a job. I grew up working with horses. They had always been a place of solace for me. And honestly, if it wasn’t for my relationship with a horse (weird sentence, I know), I probably wouldn’t have been able to get myself out of an abusive relationship. So I started doing some research into how I could make horses my life. I sort of stumbled onto massage and bodywork for horses. I never looked back.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart is my genuine passion for what I do. I feel a huge connection with these animals, and the ability to be a supportive force in their lives is so rewarding. What is possible with patience and non-invasive therapy is extraordinary. I always make sure to tell people when I am working with their animals that I can talk about this stuff all day, so if they have something else to do, always let me know. I can edit. But I want to talk about this stuff. I found incredible passion in helping these animals. That was easy. Finding the passion to pursue this was easy. All the stuff around creating a business I found very frustrating. At first anyway. But I sought out people to help me. I didn’t realize that when I was starting my own business that I was also signing up to be an accountant, a social media manager/creator, a publicist, an office manager … It goes on and on! So I learned as I went. Except the accountant stuff, I invested in a great one of those.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, definitely go see a show at Largo. One of the best theaters in the city for comedy. Exploring Griffith Park is always fun, but some of the lesser traveled hikes, like Bronson Canyon is often better. I like to go to the different farmer’s markets too, many of the vendors are my friends and are such a different example of what life is like in LA. Honestly, because I work a lot, I would probably just end up bringing people with me on my appointments. You get to play with horses and see some beautiful spots in LA you normally wouldn’t have access to.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Jeff. He has always been at my back, no matter what.

Website: www.wildshapemassage.com

Instagram: @wildshapemassage

Image Credits
For the first three pictures with the red horse – Liz Corkett with Equine Clicks Photography