Equine Bowen Therapy
Horse Issues that Bowen may help with

MUSCULOSKELETAL

Sore or ‘cold’ backs

Hollow backs

Sore ribs

Sore withers

Muscle wastage or uneven muscle development

Muscle sensitivity

Neck problems

Jaw or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems

Rotated pelvis

Pelvis asymmetry

Sacroiliac joint issues

Shoulder tightness or asymmetry

Elbow range of motion

Knee (carpal joint) problems

Sore stifles

Hock problems

Fetlock issues

Foot balance not attributable to the trim or shoe

Pidgeon toed

Hindfoot pointing outwards

Tail held to one side

Lameness

MOVEMENT – SCHOOLING ISSUES OR IN GENERAL

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High or low head carriage

Stretching down through the neck and working long & low

Difficulty collecting

Stiffness on one rein and bending difficulties

Asymmetrical barrel swing

Short strides

Asymmetrical strides

Forelimbs moving too close together - ‘brushing’

Forelimbs swinging out or landing on the outside track – ‘plating’

Hindlimbs moving too close

Hindlimbs moving too wide behind 

Limb picked up quicker than others in movement

Canter lead difficulties

Disunited canter

Lateral work - difficulty in abducting or adducting any limb

Stumbling

Toe stabbing or dragging

Crab walking

Saddle slipping issues

PERFORMANCE

An unexplained deterioration in performance

Reluctance to jump not attributable to fear

Sluggishness or ‘lazy’

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GENERAL HEALTH

Abcesses 

Allergies

Colic

Coughing 

Cushings

Dental problems & unbalanced teeth & mouth

Diarhhoea

Digestion issues

Eye discharge

Faecal water syndrome

Foaling – for the mare & baby

Filled legs & lymphoedema

Hives

Hormonal problems – ‘mareish’ behaviour

Immunity issues

Infection

Lactation problems in the mare

Relaxation 

Respiratory issues

Scars

BEHAVIOUR

Anxiety

Stress

Sudden ‘naughty’ behaviour – biting, kicking, bucking or rearing

Girthiness or cinchyness

Reluctance to pick up feet

OR MAYBE YOUR HORSE DOESN’T HAVE AN ISSUE BUT YOU WANT TO ENSURE HIS BODY IS IN THE BEST SHAPE FOR INJURY PREVENTION & LONGEVITY:

• Any time!!

• Foal, yearling or youngster body balance to address any issues from foaling that can set in for life.

• Long toe, low heel compensation – many horses are on a trimming or shoeing cycle and when they are becoming due their toes are becoming longer than ideal.  This sets up compensations in the body.

• Shod to barefoot/barefoot to shod transitions - Rebalancing the feet can set up or bring to light compensations.

• Change of saddle or rider – Your horse’s body may have laid down fascia to support the shape of a saddle or typical weight distribution of a rider and changing them may bring that stiffness to light.

• Major dental work – good dentists will give your horse a break from having their mouths jacked open by the speculum but it is still a good idea to rebalance the hugely important TMJ joint after dentistry.

• Surgeries – Bowen may help pre & post surgery with healing.

• General Anaesthetic – The horse is general strung from his feet upside down whilst being manoeuvred under GA which puts a huge strain on his body.  This is generally not noticed as the issue needing the GA is the priority.