Bare Bowen Equine Services

24/01/2026

It's the weekend!

Weekend advice:

Go hug a horse

The end.

22/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/181XCxxjvb/

Local Equine Acupuncture. Woodford and surrounds

Equi Shen offers Traditional Oriental Therapy for all animals.
- Acupuncture
- Moxibustion
- Homeop

14/01/2026

Breathe.....

It's easy, especially in this day and age, to go down rabbit holes, become hyper focused/fixated and have anxiety about all the little things that are contributing to your horse's health or lack of

One thing I would urge you to do, before going forward, is to breathe. Those big, deep down breaths. The ones that take time to do properly

Take a moment or several, take time out. Mindfully, physically and mentally relax

And then do it again. Breathe that is. If you are that person that has tied yourself up in knots, you will almost certainly need to

If it is not an emergency scenario that you and your horse are in, stand back from the situation and come at it again with fresh eyes and a fresh approach

A knee jerk reaction is just that, a reaction. It is not necessarily a solution to a perceived problem

Why am I saying this? My aim is not to downplay serious or ongoing issues, but to bring awareness as to how you have come to make those decisions regarding your horse's welfare. It has become common for horse owners to try to fix any and all issues we see, think we see or someone has pointed out to us. Only to end up overly stressed, upset or confused along the way

If the situation is none emergent, take your time and breathe

And breathe again. Relax your shoulders, your whole body and let go of that held tension. If you think you don't have any, think again. We all do

When you are ready, factor in a good dollop of commonsense and be real with what you can mentally, physically and financially absorb

If you keep on looking for issues, you can be sure you will find them. Whilst this is sometimes what is required, it can also be detrimental to our health and those of our horses. This also carries over into our daily lives...when does it not?

I'd go as far as to say make breathing exercises part of your daily routine. I love my diaphragm breathing. If I'm tense, the first couple of breaths are uncomfortable and then it feels soooo good. My body relaxes, my focus lifts and my mind feels clearer

Take time out with something that gives you a moment of joy or peace. Be it your favourite cup of tea, exercise, social time, being in nature, etc

You're not ignoring the issue. You will still be processing it in the background. But you can come back to it feeling more grounded, relaxed and with a solid plan, or the start of one

Making non-emergency decisions, when your mind and body are not in flight or fight mode, will always be the better way

29/12/2025

Ruadh modelling his filthy, dirty, banged up, big bastid digital cushions and scraped up hoof walls

(Anyone familiar with the TV character 'Gene Hunt', please go back and read the above paragraph in his voice)

The paddock bum and occasional rocky trail ride super hero's hooves after a wee trim today

If we had to do pretty, it'd be a waste of time. Mud magnet with a penchant for getting into places he shouldn't and with always a cut, graze or rub, somewhere on his person = just take the damn photo as is, where is

24/12/2025

Well, nearly through 2025 and I don't know about you, but jeez, it's flown by! Unsure why it was in such a mad rush to get there, either!

All its usual ups n downs, n downs and ups and sideways at times, that our time upon this amazing planet brings. New experiences and life lessons that bless us with new knowledge that enrich our lives or have us saying to ourselves 'well, that was interesting/unnecessary/will be funny one day/a ha, I knew I was a legend really/WTAF'

Just pick which applies 😆

So, for those that love the Christmas break, I hope you enjoy a really special one with fun and laughter and all the things that make Christmas special for you. For those that are not so much into it, I hope you enjoy the end of year break doing exactly what you want without the pressure of what's usually expected at Christmas

So buckle up people, 2026 is just round the corner. New adventures and experiences are waiting for you. Go grab them, embrace them, shake them off or just quietly enjoy

Thank you all for being so awesome. Not to just my amazing clients, but to all of you that have got through 2025 and have all done your best, survived, thrived and are in it for more in '26 🥰

18/12/2025

Some people are just super good at their job. Chrissy from SF Saddle Solutions is one of them 👍🏻

Highly recommend

12/12/2025

Having training in both Bowen and equine massage, there are often times when both skill sets and intuition come in to play

This lovely lady will usually be very protective of work on her neck and chest. She may try to bite with ears pinned if she is particularly concerned or sore. To have her move into pressure with a thank you afterwards is a very special moment

In her previous session, 4 weeks ago, she was super jammed up in the front of her scapula/lower neck. This time round, the area had maintained a softer feel and she was accepting of some deeper work

Do I always use Bowen? No. Sometimes I use classic massage moves or a combination of both and a dash of 'in the moment' intuition

I'm loving this move (and the slight variations applied depending on how things feel) on horses with a tight shoulder into the lower neck. I use it after initial gentle work to release tension under the scapula and around the sub clavicus. Did I look it up first? No. It evolved from feel and connection. However, I'm sure it is one that must already be used widely, in various incarnations, as it is very effective

These moments are a real boost to the working week

Happy Friday folks

10/12/2025

Essentials for hoof care

05/12/2025

This lovely older gentleman exhibiting some good vasodilation during and after his session

26/11/2025

Why are follow up stretches and exercises so important?

Perceived pain (actual or potential) and muscle memory!

When a horse is compensating due to discomfort and pain, the body will find a way to get about and survive to avoid the pain, or perceived pain. The mind of a horse never forgets. It's how they survive

Unlike us, horses (and other animals) do not use mindfulness as a way to relearn how to use their body more correctly

Horses react to stimulus in the now

They do not think 'Ah, I just remembered, Jane advised my owner I need to take a deep breath, relax, move into the area I think is going to hurt and start using those underworked areas of my body again'

No, Madam! The ONLY way to help a horse undo those compensatory patterns is to get out there and help them

Eventually, they will build confidence in their body's ability. More often than not, the fear of pain outweighs the reality of there no longer being any pain (or the pain may be reduced enough to start reusing those areas that once held much greater pain)

Bodies don't come with guarantees that they will be completely fixed or have zero pain. But! With persistence, commitment and a willingness to try, you WILL make improvements

Even small improvements to areas can make big improvements to other areas. For example, a sore TMJ can be improved by follow up exercises and stretches to the hind end where discomfort in the TMJ is due to compensatory patterns

Take 10 minutes a day to do those rehab stretches and strengthening exercises. It will help, on some level. And, if done daily or as required, could solve the issue

Revisits to those exercises are often necessary, as niggles can reintroduce those compensatory patterns and unwind your good work and those of your body worker

Success is rarely achieved by hope alone