Once a month, Rebecca Thomas stops by the Piedmont Stables on Redwood Road in the Oakland hills to give back to the animals that inspire her.

Thomas, a 40-year-old mother and horse lover, dedicates her life to making horses feel good.

Whether a horse is worth $250,000 or $125 (like Sweetpea, a mustang that carries disabled children in a therapeutic riding program), the Oakland resident said massaging horses fulfills her lifelong dream of working with the animals.

"I didn't know who I was until I had a horse. They've given me so much."

Thomas wasn't a good enough rider to become a riding instructor, and she didn't have the money to attend veterinary school. She turned to a six-week course in equine body work at an Northern California equinology school.

"It's really magical when you can make a difference in another species' life." said Thomas, who has been offering the $80 an hour service for three years. "You cannot beat the emotional reward."

Thomas begins each session by sweeping her hands lightly over the horse's body. This, she said, is like lighting candles and setting a mood between her and the horse.

"I want to see how the horse responds."

Although carefully restrained, the horse can still move his body to kick Thomas or bite her if she isn't careful.

She has worked with 11-year-old Suitor for two years. Starting at his head, Thomas caresses his temples and strokes his forelock. Suitor sticks out his tongue and shows his teeth.

Thomas massages his temples and cheeks and slowly moves along the side of his body. As if kneading dough, she digs her fingers into his shoulders, where, she said, horses hold tension, just as people do. Suitor moves against her hands when he wants deeper pressure.

"I was never comfortable with who I was as individual, but working with horses, they saw who I was inside."

Thomas presses her fingers and hands into each muscle, moving in the direction of Suitor's hair and muscle groupings. The horse lifts his leg and head, stretching his neck. Periodically, he chews and yawns. These are signs that he likes the deep rubdown.

"If they could roll over so we could rub their bellies, they would," said Suitor's owner, Charles Delvalle, a stage technician with the San Francisco Opera and Ballet. The Oak Knoll resident and his wife ride the chestnut-colored Arabian and their other horse, 4-year-old Californio, on trails under redwoods near their home.

The massages are important, Delvalle said.

"I was a doubter, but I always knew massages help me," he said.

"The horse will have off days, but they can't tell us what it is, if it's a pulled muscle or something. It's his treat and relaxes him."

More than 1,000 students have studied subjects such as gait analysis, acupressure and saddle fittings at Equinology in Gualala, Mendocino County, said Paul Hougard, the school's vice president.

Such treatment for a horse should be considered carefully, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

It recommends horse owners discuss the needs of their animal with veterinarians before pursuing alternative therapies such as body work and acupressure. Only people with proven skills should undertake therapeutic work, said association spokeswoman Sharon Curtis Granskog.

Aurie Bradley of Kensington received her veterinarian's approval before giving body work to Shiloh, her 31-year-old horse. The massages have extended his riding life, she said.

A year ago, Bradley said she thought of putting Shiloh down.

Last year, Shiloh, who has arthritis, fell off the edge of a trail, landing on his back in a creek. Bruised and cut, he lay in the creek's cold water for hours before rescuers arrived, Bradley said.

"If they hadn't gotten there when they did, I would have lost him."

Bradley decided to do what she could to help Shiloh recover. He began receiving massages twice a week.

"The more massages he got, the stronger and more limber he got."

Before the accident, she could only ride Shiloh twice a week, but now looks forward to riding him up to four times a week.

Thomas said she doesn't diagnose a horse's problems nor does she work on its psychology. She focuses physical and muscular needs.

"I get more out of it than the horses, but people pay me for it."