Denise Bean-Raymond grew up in Danvers near the only two farms left in that town, and was "obsessed" with horses from an early age.

Bean-Raymond trained for two years starting in 2003 to become an equine massage therapist. She founded her company, Exclusive Equestrian Services, in 2005. Last year, she published a book, "The Illustrated Guide to Holistic Care for Horses," with a Beverly publisher.

With a client list of more than 100 horses, Bean-Raymond works frequently in Hamilton and Wenham. Her husband, Tom Raymond, is a lieutenant for the Wenham Fire Department.

On a recent day at Gathering Farm in Hamilton, Bean-Raymond worked on a pony named Erin, who is owned by a 13-year-old girl from Beverly who uses him for show jumping and eventing.

A horse like Erin needs some relief from muscle pains and joint aches just like any human athlete, she said.

She said she is passionate about her work, which can be physically demanding.

"It's a positive job, but it's also a very physical job," Bean-Raymond said. "You have to really keep up your health and endurance if you want to do this job all day, every day."