Has anyone used the Bowen technique on their horses?

[Tangaroo]

Just wondered if anyone has used Bowen on their horse, if so, what for and did it make a difference?

 

[Santa_Claus]

Friend does and swears it does so due to normal physio being unavailable (pregnant) going to give this lady a try next week so I will let you know

 

[Garfield1537]

Amy07 on here uses on her horse and herself! Might be worth trying to contact her. I'm sure she would recommend.

 

[Escada2004]

my friend does it and has worked on a couple of horses for me with great results! I was at a show once and my mare was so stiff on the left rein, she treated her and the next day she jumped amazing round the 1.20m and someone tried to buy her!

I have Bowen on myself and it is amazing, i had been suffering with back pain for years at the bottom of my back and behind my shoulder blade - turns out i had a twisted pelvis! After two sessions i was pain free

 

[Amy_08]

I have regular Bowen for my back and swear by it. However I tried it for my mare and didn't notice any difference so she doesn't have it anymore.

 

[lottiepony]

I've had it on my mare who has regular back treatments and it did help her but then so does the current lady who just does more sports massage. The only weird thing was the Bowen lady insisted you didn't 'touch' your horse for quite a period of time after the treatment, up to a week, so no grooming patting etc just head collar on for turn out, bring in and change rugs.Never got they bit!

 

[seabsicuit2]

Use it all the time. My bowen therapist has sorted horses out that the physios said were in such a bad way that they couldn't help them. Swear by it.

 

[Doris68]

I had it and found it a very pleasant experience - no more! Thought it would do no harm to try it on my old horse - zero effect - 3 treatments and absolutely no difference - even the Bowen person said they couldn't see any difference. However, they did suggest that if I tried a few more treatments (£££'s), I "might" notice a difference........! Errr, I didn't bother.

 

[seabsicuit2]

I think as with any profession, there are a lot of people who aren't so talented. My Bowen therapist is one of the chief examiners, and is a walking encylopaedia. I swear she has more knowledge than a vet!

 

[EmmaB]

I was actually thinking about this the other day as the woman in the house opposite me often has a car parked outside with Bowen Therapy written on it and paw prints, so assuming its for her dog but I was wondering if I should wait til she leaves the house and run over to ask about it

I don't know much about it though, how is it any different to usual physio/massage stuff?

 

[lucemoose]

I love it on my mare, my Bowen therapist is fantastic.

 

[galaxy]

I know Tempi does and really rates it and is in a similar area so could be the same lady? May be worth pming her?

 

[Badders]

Yes, we use it regularly. For various things. We use it at the beginning of the season, to check every thing out and then for any specific problems with schooling. We've used it monthly for a gelding on box rest with a tendon problem. He was 3/5ths lame on his off hind. He's come back into full work sound. (He was off for eighteen months in total and our vets were fantastic, but I am sure the Bowen helped.) I've had it done on myself for an old shoulder injury. My daughter had it for an ankle injury. We're fans! We pay £35 for a human treatment and £30 for the horses!

 

[Tempi]

Seabiscuit and I use the same lady - she really is amazing. Bloss feels like a 4 yr old after she's had a session. All mine love it. I've used physics and
chiros and non have ever made much difference and cost a fortune.

 

[Tempi]

*physios (stupid phone!)

Stilton my lady is based near you, I'l message you her details x

 

[Tangaroo]

Thanks for that Tempi. Hes under the vet at the mo and on bute but might well give it a try in couple of weeks

 

[NaeNae87]

I have it on the very best qualified and professional authoroity that all these sorts of 'treatment' including Bowen will feel pleasant to horses but not anywhere near deep or evasive enough to 'cure' / improve equine muscle or skeletal structures.

Keep your money in your pocket's people

I am actually studying Bowen at the moment.

It is not meant to be an invasive or deep modality. Bowen works on the fascia and muscle tissue by vibrating the fibres (similar to strumming a guitar) and helping to hydrating the surrounding tissue, thus allowing said tissue to repair itself more effectively. The way the movements are done will only affect the fibres that the movement is done accross, which is why Bowen therapists do not need to use a lot of pressure, as the vibrations will go through the layers of tissue and muscle. A lot of the movements are done on or close to accupuncture points and we use merridians as well.

As with any technique, there are people who are really good at it and there are people who are not so good at it. Unfortunately the only way to figure out the good from the bad sometimes is trial by error. A good one is worth more than their weight in gold.

I first got into it because of my back. I had chronic pain in the lumbar area of my spine. I had a weekly appiontment at the physio, that if I missed I would be in agony for the next week. I had tried a few different physios and lots of mainstream medicine and nothing was working. They were even thinking about surgery.
I went to a Bowen therapist as my mum was raveing about it and I needed work on my back done pretty bad, she wouldn't shut up, so I gave in just to humor her thinking that the physio's and doctors way would be how I would end up. After the treatment, i felt a lot better. I went back the next week, like I would for the physio as it was starting to hurt again. My 3rd treatment was 3 weeks later, the 4th was 1 month after that. When the therapist went on maternity leave, I found my current therapist. It was her that figured out all my back pain was caused by a muscle spasm in my abdomen. (this was 6 month after my last physio appointment) Just to see what my doctor and physio though about it, I went and had an appointment with each. They gave me a check up and I asked them if it was possible that all my problems were caused by a muscle spasm. They both said it was, however it was unlikely and that I would probably be in needing surgery in 6 months, max... that was 3 years ago.

I have also had it done on my horse (before i started studying it). His old owners had a dogey fitting saddle on him, that I got when I bought him. Me being new to horse ownership didn't think to get it fitted... He went from being a mostly willing horse, to a bucking bronco in about a month. I had my therapist out to look at him, and she told me to get the saddle fitted, and also checked the other saddles at the yard that people had lent me until mine was fitted. She found one, but told me not to ride him for 2 days to let the treatment work properly. The next time I rode him (with the borrowed saddle... I lunged him first, then hopped on. He was a little tense to start off with, but relaxed once he realised his back wasn't sore he was better then he was the first time I rode him. That was 2 days after throwing everyone who attempted to get on him and ride.

I am not saying that Bowen is the only thing that works, or that physio's and chiro's suck or anything, but in my personal experience Bowen has worked wonders for both myself and my horses, I have also seen it do good for horses I have treated myself.

 

[TarrSteps]

I think the thing with ALL treatments - medical, alternative etc - is that they have to be viewed holistically. Even if all a treatment does is make the horse more comfortable (which is primarily what bute does ) and allow it to work more correctly, that can be a major benefit, especially when dealing with a chronic condition. Ditto improvements in things like blood flow, range of motion etc. It's so often about a collection of small improvements and opening doors.

 

[kerilli]

I think as with any profession, there are a lot of people who aren't so talented. My Bowen therapist is one of the chief examiners, and is a walking encylopaedia. I swear she has more knowledge than a vet!

This. And, as said above, it is totally impossible to tell the great ones from the not-so-great without trying.
It had no effect on me at all... by a great and a not-so-great Bowen therapist. I find shiatsu too strong for me, Bowen too weak, and McTimoney just right. Weird.
Most of my horses, Bowen didn't affect at all. One, however, done by the really great therapist, who comes down to me from Lincoln area, was profoundly affected. She lay down in the stable and dreamed and snored for hours while the others horses were treated... this is NOT like her at all. I'll have her done again, but not the others, I think.

 

[TallulahBright]

My girl has had Bowen and actively hated it- very politely but very firmly stepped away each time the woman put her hands near! Reiki, on the other hand, she loves and will snooze and sway....

 

[wench]

Like with anything, you get good and not so good in each profession.

My horse has had it, but I wasn't there to see it. However personally I have found a very good human sports massage therapist for myself and the work done has helped me greatly.

 

[the watcher]

I had one horse treated with Bowen a few years back, my friend was training and needed to build up her portfolio, I genuinely didn't expect to see any changes.

She started by making a template of his back and recording heart rate, discussing his usual water intake and feed regime. He was an ex chaser who I had taken on as a bit of a rescue, he was tense and I struggled to get any weight on to him

At the end of each session we took his heart rate again, he was so slow and relaxed it was hardly believable, and he slept after each session and became much calmer. After 4 sessions he had measureably put on weight over his spine and his water consumption nearly doubled.

She did do one session on me - I would like to tell you how it went but within 5 minutes of her starting I fell into a very relaxed state and really have no recollection of what she did!