A bill pending in the Nebraska legislature would exempt equine massage therapists from licensure in that state.

Equine massage therapists use massage techniques to help improve an animal’s range of motion and relieve tension. Some states require state board licensing for these individuals to provide massage therapy to horses.

Introduced by Sen. Mike Groene, Legislative Bill 596 (LB596) would amend the state’s Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act to exempt equine massage therapists from being licensed by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Under current Nebraska law, equine massage therapists must either hold a veterinary medicine degree or complete 1,000 class hours to become a human massage therapist, as well as an additional 150-hour animal-focused class to earn a license to practice massage therapy on horses