What is Equine Bowen Therapy
Bowen Therapy for horses and ponies is just as gentle and effective as it is with humans. This holistic and remedial treatment aims to alleviate pain and physiological conditions by restoring the structural integrity of the horses body. Bowen treats the body as a whole, without reference to named disease. There are virtually no contra-indications to treatment.
Gentle and Non-invasive
Like Human Bowen the system used is a series of moves rolling over muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia stimulating the whole central nervous system. Combinations of Bowen ‘moves’ are interspersed with short breaks during the treatment allow the horses body to absorb and process the information and make fine adjustments. You don’t need a precise or specific diagnosis because the therapy effects the body as a whole, assisting the body to identify and target the dysfunction. Bowen enables the body to rebalance and realign itself, and stimulates the body’s inner ability to heal itself to be activated. This hands on therapy is gentle and non-invasive; there is no manipulation of hard tissue, there is no pulling or cracking of joints and no insertion of needles. No force is used or needed. Most horses find Bowen therapy deeply relaxing, falling into a sedated state during treatment as endorphins are released. Bowen Therapy prompts the body to switch from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic state, which is the state during which resting, digesting and repairing takes place. Horses often display many forms of ‘releases’, examples of which can include licking and chewing, head shaking, yawning, stretching and audible gut noises.
The moves both disturb the underlying fascia and stimulates the nervous system, initiating the bodies own ability to re-align and heal itself. A Bowen session involves one or more ‘procedures’, each of which consists of several sets of moves. During the treatment there are a series of short breaks of around 2 minutes or more, and in this time the practitioner leaves the stable leaving the horse to fully relax. These pauses allow the body to make subtle and fine adjustments, helping reduce pain, relieve tension and re-balance.
History of Equine Bowen
It is believed that Tom Bowen initially worked on greyhounds and racehorses, having a remarkable result with one horse who came second in the Melbourne Cup. Many people in and around Geelong, Victoria, Australia, tell stories of how Tom Bowen saved the life (or racing career) of their dogs and horses. This hands on treatment is not entirely new; many similar techniques have been used on animals in different countries and cultures; Accupressure; Shiatsu; Stress Point Therapy; Myofacial release Therapy; Equine Touch Therapy, to name a few.
Equine Bowen Therapy is an amalgamation of elements from established practices whose roots go back thousands of years. It is primarily based on Tom Bowen’s work and the position of the moves on the horse’s anatomy correlate to the position of the moves in the Bowen Technique on human anatomy.
How Bowen can help
Bowen therapy effects soft tissues affecting skeletal, fascia, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and also energy by treating restricted or painful areas. This reorganisation of the musculature of the body can bring increased energy levels and pain relief. It can release muscle spasm and tension, assist in recovery from injury, help to maintain soundness and improve suppleness. A major response to Bowen Therapy is re-hydration of the tissues and the removal of toxins as the lymphatic system is stimulated. It also stimulates the circulatory system providing benefits in injury recovery to improve performance and well being.
Time Line
By dealing with imbalances before they become serious, Bowen can prevent injury, promoting health and vitality.
It is recommended that the horse is well hydrated beforehand and receives a few days recovery (days off or light work) after treatment for an optimum results.
It is a very powerful technique, with changes in behaviour and comfort sometimes observed from the first treatment.
Treatment duration: 40 minutes up 1 hour + depending on circumstance.
Specialist training
Before commencing training as an Equine Bowen Therapist it was essential to be a fully qualified human Bowen Therapist first. This ensured I had a complete understanding of the technique and prior experience of implementing it.
Balance between rider and horse
Equine Bowen Therapy allows the horse to perform his best for his rider. Likewise, by addressing any muscular stiffness in the rider with the Bowen Technique, the horse will appreciate a balanced weight on his back! Any correction of a horse’s problem may not hold unless the rider is also in complete structural balance.
The Science behind Bowen
For examples of scientific research studies on the effectiveness of Bowen Therapy, please refer to this link: