Jasmine Coates ’22 has started her own business in equine massage therapy after receiving her bachelor’s in wildlife conservation and management and a certificate in equine massage therapy from Delaware Valley University.

Coates joined the western team as an undergrad, and equine has always been a part of her undergraduate life at Delaware Valley University. In the summer of 2022, Coates worked at a ranch in Colorado, where she enjoyed mountain views and led horse trail rides.

Equine massage therapy is a new venture for her, but she grew a passion for it at Delaware Valley University and decided to start her own equine massage therapy business called Mane Kneads, LLC.

Coates enjoyed several parts of the equine massage therapy certificate program including being able to meet students and experienced professionals from several disciplines with different backgrounds.

From the basics to holistic therapy, to hands-on instruction, and business guidance, Coates describes her equine massage certificate as an expansion of her degree in conservation and wildlife management.

“DelVal instructors look for why that animal is feeling a certain way, how to treat it, and then how to prevent it in the future as well,” said Coates. “We also learned how to get a business started which included advertising, marketing ourselves, and several other business aspects.”

Coates designed her own website, business cards, and social media brand, and she manages all of these by herself. The hardest part for her was coming up with the name, and the rest was a step-by-step process she learned by networking, researching, and learning the world of small business.

“I’m a learn it as you do it type of person, and DelVal definitely had that,” I think that if you are doing it as you’re learning it, you can also ask questions and make adjustments while you’re still learning it.”

Learn more about Jasmine Coates and Mane Kneads, the equine massage therapy business she started after graduating from Delaware Valley University. 

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