Bowen Therapy For People, Dogs & Horses. Reiki. Forever Living

I had to share this, I sadly cannot take credit for this genius post.
But how sad that it is true, and I'm as guilty at the next horse owner of this.....I will book my own Bowen treatment soon.
For you horse riders/owners you have no excuse! Contact me asap to book your Spring Bowen treatment and get yourself fighting fit, mobile and pain free for the long summer hacks, schooling sessions, camps and shows!!

3 places available now. Please contact me if you would like to attend

😴 Rest / easy days.
Yes, it is possible with collies to have rest days! After a week in. Exmoor walking every day our first day back home has been a nice easy day for the girls.
We're very fortunate to have a large garden so they've been free to roam in/out of the house and do as they please. They've had a bone each to chomp on and now they're both flaked out.
... It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking collies need lots of exercise and walk miles and miles every day - lovely as that is, you're just making a naturally energetic dog fitter. Collies like to have their brains stimulated too and again this doesn't have to involve fast energetic work.
People often do too much with their dogs. Keep trying to find things for them to do. I was quite shocked to see someone get out of their car on Exmoor with a lab walk out onto the moor with a ball chucked! There is so much interesting stuff out there for the dogs to see, smell, hear they really don't need to be racing after a ball!
Have fun with your dogs. Research your breed. Understand what makes them tick.
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So I'm on holiday in Exmoor this week with hubby and the girls. This is Pippin the puppy's first time down here and the difference in her own self preservation and proprioception skills are very different from Tilly's. The terrain down here is challenging - one minute you can be on soft, sheep grazed grass, the next it can be rocky, uneven and covered in heather and gorse. It can be wide open and flat and within a minute perilously step. There are lots of deep ravines, shallo...w and fast running fast streams with slippery stones. All potential areas for injury for an inexperienced young pup who tends to do everything at full tilt.
Pippin has had a lucky escape as in her haste to follow Tilly, and in a spilt second before I could call her back, she lept into a stream, slipped and pulled up lame on a front leg. Thankfully after a thorough check, lead walk back to the car and a Bowen treatment including some extra work over infra & supra spinatus, biceps tendon, deep pectorals, careful work around the elbow and down the leg and into the paws and toes she has been fine since.
Watching Tilly (who is also a bit like a bull at a gate) move over this ground is totally different. She is fully aware of the ground under her feet at all times. She will slow her stride as soon as she hits uneven ground, she picks her way over stoney ground and manages to negotiate slippery rocks in the water.
What is interesting to observe is how she uses her whole body to adapt to the ground. When she is picking her way over stones in water she uses her claws to grip, her core is engaged and her tail is held rigid over her back and is clearly being used to aid her balance. She DOES have great proprioception skills and self awareness.....something Pip needs to learn!
What can we do to help our dogs become more self aware? * Walking over different surfaces from grass, concrete and gravel to mud and sand. All will have a different stimulus on the paws/soft tissue/brain * Walking them over uneven structures such as narrow boards, wobble boards/teeter totters * Walking up/down steps at varying heights * Walking up/down/across banks and hills * Weaving between poles * Walking over ladders - getting them to step in between the rungs * Walking over poles - both on ground and raised.
Ok , so most dogs do have a good sense of self preservation like Tilly does, but we all know those dogs who don't! The ones who trip and stumble because they're not thinking about what they're doing.....so this is where we can have some fun with them, take time to slow things down and get them thinking about what we are asking them to do whilst learning where their legs/body and brain is at all times!
Regular Bowen treatments for young dogs is hugely beneficial, not just for helping to ease any growing pains they may have but also trying to connect brain to body.
I always look at carrying out work on pups legs, paws, toes and tail as they grow. 🐶
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A great post by Chiltern Vet Physio

🐎 Spring has well and truly sprung! All us horse owners are restricting our horse's grass intake as we are ever cautious about the dreaded laminitis. The lighter evenings mean we can ride most days if we can.
Some of you may be simply hacking for pleasure and some will be hacking and working hard to get horses fit for competitions, rallies and camps.
Please remember that the ground is really hard at the moment as we have had very little rain. Whilst we all understand the ...dangers of too much fast work on the roads, it is easy to forget the fields and tracks are currently almost as hard.
The old ways of getting horses fit, in my opinion are still the best. Slow and steady, starting with lots of walking to help harden the feet, build up soft tissue strength and stamina and start to burn off grass bellies.
Remember to get feet, saddles, teeth and bodies (It's not just about the back!) checked as you build the work.
As an equine Bowen therapist I always carry out a thorough hands on assessment of the horse prior to treating. When I treat, I cover the whole body, not just areas that may be presenting with an issue - the site of the pain is not always the pain - so it is important to treat the whole body from head to tail and wither to fetlock.
Taking bookings from second week in June now.
PM any questions or email me - maddyfreeman-bowentherapy@hotmail.co .uk
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A really great post on the importance of sleep for our horses. If your horses stabled it is important to make sure it is large enough for him/her to be able to lie flat out to facilitate REM sleep.
Horses living out are more likely to get proper REM sleep if they have a field mate. You'll often see one horse flat out whilst the other stands to keep guard.
If your horse lives out alone, he/she may not feel safe enough to lie flat out to facilitate REM sleep so may intact be s...leep deficient. As we know ourselves, loss of or poor quality sleep can have a damaging long term effect on our health and so it can also impact on our horses health.

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I will be here with Pennie Clayton giving a talk about Canine Bowen Therapy. A great opportunity to explain what it actually is to veterinary professionals.

Horses should land heel first.

Just amazing!!

🐴 Is your horse prone to filled legs? 🐴
🐎 Over the years I have found equine Bowen therapy very beneficial to these horses, with some experiencing a significant reduction in frequency and severity of swelling to a complete disappearance of the problem.
I always show owners some nifty leg drainage moves to be carried out regularly which is a big help 🐎

🏃🏇⛳🏀🎣🎿🚣⚽🏉⚾ SPORTS INJURIES!!
Whatever your sport, whatever your level, injuries will occur. Some will be simple knocks and bruises, more commonly seen will be strains and sprains and you're a horse rider breaks will be very common!
... Some will be acute and soon settle with a few days rest but in some cases will turn into chronic long term issues - often elsewhere in the body as a result of the body's amazing natural ability to protect,adapt and compensate.
⭐ The Bowen Technique can help sports people in many ways including: * easing stiff & aching joints * releasing soft tissue tension * aiding recovery rates from injury * aiding recovery rates from events * PREVENTION & EARLY detection of potential issues / injuries.
⭐ soft tissue tension WILL cause changes to your structural integrity which will have an impact on your performance.
⭐ Want to know more? Pm me/call 07779906866. Taking bookings for June now, May is fully booked.
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Let your dog be a dog... Let it sniff and pee!

Interesting and informative post