Bardley Bowen

23/07/2025

Just taken delivery of some gorgeous new clothes!
Thank you Mikki at Spotty Stitches

08/07/2025

I have a new helper !
This little guy just turned up in a yard I was at and kept following me around ! What a cutie

02/06/2025

I was caught out recently when someone asked me ‘why would i get you to treat my horse?’ I have thought about that a lot recently and today I understood the answer.

I was asked to treat a 20 year old Arab who had been rescued. ‘Others on the yard had insisted I got X###xx instead’ the owner said - no pressure then !

First thing to say is that I was told ‘his back is out’. It is a common description but rather inaccurate. If a horse’s back was out, it would not be able to weight bear. Mostly what is being observed is atrophy- muscle wastage. That is the domain of Bowen!

This dear soul had its eyes on stalks and was desperate to get out of the stable. He had an unbelievably tight back with significant atrophy, meaning that he walked like his nappy was full. We got him settled and slowly, I managed to very gently unravel his tensions and get him looking much much more comfy. The soft eye and the persistent yawning told me that he was also feeling much more comfortable too - result ! There were no high velocity moves, no cracks or clicks, just very gentle Bowen moves, in the right place and at a pressure that this horse could deal with. He was happy, I was happy and his owner was delighted.

Don’t get me wrong, Every therapy has its benefits - but sometimes, as a therapist, you have to be emotionally intelligent enough to work with the horse and not impose your therapy on it.

26/05/2025

Just finished work for the day - 10:45pm finish on Saturday and 9:30pm finish on a bank holiday!! Two great days of treatments - Some fabulous results and all booked in again!!

It is really manic at the moment so I will fit you in as soon as I can - please bear with me while I juggle everything !!

13/05/2025

Think it’s safe to say that this gorgeous little Shetland, one of my sponsored ponies, absolutely loved his session today! If he could have, I’m sure he’d have climbed onto my lap, curled up and gone to sleep!!

13/04/2025

Where has time gone ?! Seemed like yesterday but it was actually 2 weeks ago that I did a talk for the U3A group in Tenbury.

It was all about 'Maintaining Flexibility' and when I was invited, it was pitched as chatting to 'a few' people. The room was packed, they stayed engaged throughout and the feedback has been fabulous !

I introduced some natural remedies that can be very easily made at home, which I will pop up on my web page shortly and if you've been following my FB page, we also went through some of the basic 'kettle' exercises !

If you or your organisation (WI / U3A etc) group would like me to come and talk to you - it takes around an hour depending on questions, but please get in touch ! Happy to help

27/03/2025

A body is a body
They come in all shapes and sizes for treatment - this absolutely delightful triplet had been jumped on by his sisters……

Update, from a delighted owner
'Thank you so much for sorting 'Curly' out - he is putting more weight on his leg already'.
Just adding 'week old lamb' to the long list of things 'with a pulse' that I've helped !! I have to say, he very nearly stayed with me, he was so very cute !!!

19/02/2025

Just about to kick off my lecture with East Shropshire Riding Club !
‘Horse & Rider Awareness - how you affect your horse’s way of going’

Really chuffed to be invited - looking forward to it !!!

28/11/2024

So, it's been an interesting time ! Friday November 8th - a bit of a momentous day for me, as I had my left hip replaced. I'm not your usual candidate having been consistently told that I am 'too young' for a new hip, but once the consultant saw the X-rays, that was it, the damage was too great and it 'had to be done'....

So, it’s been an interesting time ! Friday November 8th – a bit of a momentous day for me, as I had my left hip replaced. I’m not your usual candidate having been consistently tol…

26/11/2024

November 8th was the date that I sashayed into Coleman Hill private hospital, terrified beyond belief.

The whole thing has been a whirlwind - from being told that it would take 5 years to get my hip replaced, to sitting in a very warm hospital bed 8 weeks later. No time to prepare - but given that I was relatively muscularly fit and strong, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Apparently you can see this new fangled hip replacement op on You Tube. Not mine, I hasten to add - just a generic video, posted 'for interest'. I hadn't realised that actually they dislocate the old hip to gain access, and it is the result of the dislocation that now hurts. As a great friend pointed out, 'your muscles will feel incredibly insulted' and yes, that resonates !

Had my first formal physio appointment yesterday - there were 4 of us and I was the only one who rarely used the one crutch. Apparently I was causing consternation as I shouldn't be able to walk so normally 2 weeks post op. Described as being 'very advanced' in my movement, they watched me move and 'dance' at the barre with that 'how on earth?' look.

It wouldn't surprise you to know that pre-op I was doing daily Bowen on myself, the theory being that I could optimise my physical condition so that I would coast through surgery. Post op I have been doing a little less Bowen as there is muscular sensitivity / pain throughout the thigh, but I have been doing all of the exercises that I have posted on here, and more. According to the Physios, I am going too far and too fast, but I know my stuff and I know that without challenging muscles they don't grow and strengthen, so that is exactly what I am doing. I also know my limitations and as well as exercising I am keeping up with rest.

I am now also working on minimising the compensation factors in my right shoulder, caused by using the crutch in the '3 point walk' insisted on by my physio. I will be back on board Archie as soon as it is sensible to do so and I cannot wait.

So take this as a very personal testimonial ! This is really another arrow in Bowen's quiver. It really isn't just for acute injuries.

Call now to connect with business.

30/10/2024

more self care exercises !!

This stretch has really helped my hips, my hamstrings, calves, and back ache so it is well worth trying.

I love exercises that you do just before getting out of bed. You are highly likely to be warm and relaxed, which is a perfect condition for doing stretches.

So - lying comfortably on your back, start a full on 'superman' stretch, BUT you use your heels to push your legs away from your body. Most people will start the stretch with your toes - and all this will do is to arch your back and shorten your back line (achilles, calves, hamstrings, back etc). Count for 15 and relax. Repeat - this stretch will keep your back flatter and is actually more comfy. Why not try it !

27/10/2024

Ok - I need to ‘announce’ that finally, I am having a week off. I am currently planning to take Monday 11th to Friday 15th as a non working week. That actually depends on NHS, but let’s go with that week off to start with.

If you were thinking of having this wonderful treatment for you or your animals, I have some spaces in the coming two weeks, so please get them booked.
W/c 18th I will be able to walk so I can treat at home and fingers crossed I should be able to drive and be back to normal the following week.
Please bear with me - thankfully my new hip is being fast tracked, but things may change………