A fully qualified human and equine Bowen Practitioner and a full member of the Bowen Therapists’ European Register, Lynne Barrett took the time to answer some questions regarding this therapy and her profession.

Have you always been interested in horses?
I have loved horses (and all animals) since a child. My parents thought I would grow out of it, but I never did – although it wasn’t until I was 23 that I finally got my own horse – a dream come true. I had the six year old mare (Sky) for twenty years and she was a star (and a friend), although I wish I could have the time again knowing what I know now.

When did you come to discover the benefits of Bowen Therapy?
Not until I started the “human” course – having been led there by a sequence of coincidences all pointing to Bowen. I hadn’t even had a Bowen treatment myself at that point. I was quite prepared to walk away if it was all nonsense (the idea that a treatment with such gentle moves can have such a profound effect, rebalancing and realigning the body, and treating a vast array of ailments was quite a challenge to my logical mind). When my case studies started to get better, many with long term problems, I realised it was Bowen that was making the difference.

How much of your day/week is hands on with horses?
I do a three day a week part time “day job”, I do Bowen the other two days and supplement with evenings/weekends as necessary. Sometimes I have more horses than people, and vice versa. The horses tend to be more time consuming as they involve travelling time, I could treat two people in the time it takes me to do one horse!

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
Without a doubt, my “day job” subsidises the Bowen, however, if I wasn’t working I could be out doing talks to “spread the word” and expand my business. There is plenty of work out there! How well the profession is paid, depends on the treatment charge. A Bowen appointment will take about an hour, and for the horses there is travel time and fuel costs to factor in. There are then advertising costs, insurance, membership fees for professional bodies etc.

What are the general steps taken to be able to carry out this therapy on your own horses and others?
The European School of Equine Bowen Therapy (ESEBT) insists that equine practitioners are trained as human practitioners first and foremost (which is a year of training), and then it takes a year to do the Equine Training (with a minimum of 20 case studies for both courses). The ESEBT certificate enables you to carry out Bowen on other people’s horses with veterinary consent and appropriate insurance.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing Bowen Therapy?
Locate a therapist in their area and talk to them about the courses available. Those interested in the horse course could start with the suggested reading list on the Equine Bowen Therapy website. And go and experience a treatment for them and their horse!

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
Anything and everything that promotes their wellbeing and that is “for the good of the horse” . My equine reading pile is always stacked high!
I am currently implementing the concept of “natural boarding” for my 2 horses, to keep them healthy and happy, and they have responded brilliantly. We take so much for granted with our horses – Bowen has really made me open my eyes (and my heart) and re-evaluate everything.

Favourite horse memory?
All the cross country rounds I did with Sky whilst BHS eventing (and one round which I’d rather forget!).

Future goals?
Just to keep learning and growing as a therapist. The more you learn, the more you realise there is to learn! There is a big difference between 10 years of experience and 1 year of experience repeated 10 times.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
To be allowed to work on horses in the first place. To be able to help them is an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience.

“Live long, ride well and win to your hearts content.”

tag: course, travel, bowen therapy, equine massage, horse business, qualification

Amazed by horses since the age of 12, Barbara Rush is a horse lover, artist and equestrian. Her latest series the Tao of Equus encases the “movements performed within the framework of dressage” showcasing “the elegance of the horse to its full advantage.” You can check out Barbara’s website and wonderful artwork at http://www.barbararush.com/. Barbara kindly took the time to answer some questions in relation to her profession with horses.

Have you always been interested in horses and when did you start out making them a part of your art?
I fell in love with horses when I was 12. My Mom was a Girl Scout leader and she sent me to the Girl Scouts mounted unit at Camp Matoaka. It was fabulous!

How much of your day/week is based around horses?
Never enough! Right now I am only riding once a week. But that takes up about half a day which includes driving out to the farm, grooming the horse, tacking him up, my lesson, and cleaning him up. J Jack’s favorite treats are carrots.

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
There has never been a better time on the planet than right now to be an artist! I have not “quit my day job” yet but that day is coming. As a self-published artist there are so many options available now. One of my favorites is Cafepress which allows you to upload images to be printed on t-shirts, mugs, hats, tote bags, and more. You can see mine on my website www.barbararush.com.

If marketed properly this can be an excellent stream of income. Other people are selling artwork straight from their websites and blogs, and even on ebay. I plan to test all of these out in the near future.

What are the general steps taken to become a recognised artist?
Paint…or draw…or sculpt. Find your niche style. Show it to your friends. Build up your body of work. Enter art contests and festivals. Don’t be afraid to ask for art shows at restaurants or bookstores. Decide where you want to go with your art and then figure out what steps you need to take to get there. A great resource for me has been www.artbizcoach.com.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing this profession?
Be strong and don’t give up. Be bold and stretch your comfort zone. Read books about a variety of artists. Find a positive, supportive group of people to hang out with ; )

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
I would love to ride Freestyle Dressage and create my own dance with horses.

Favourite horse memory?
I really enjoyed leasing a horse named Cracker Jack at a riding academy when I was 14 or 15 years old. Spending almost everyday of the summer with each other we really developed a bond which allowed us both to trust the other more.

Future goals?
I’d love to own a horse farm with an art studio on it. Then I could paint and ride all day long!

Best thing about your sport/profession?
I love being a contemporary equine artist. It really allows me to be me. My blank canvas is mine alone. A place where I express myself in bold colors and dynamic geometric shapes. I love to explore the shape of the horse which to me is one of the most beautiful animals on the planet. How the horse’s muscles move as it changes gaits, the curvature of its neck, and the way in which it balances its body in each gait.

I also really enjoy connecting with my clients who own horses. Last year I met a woman at an art festival and she asked me to come out to her house to talk about a commission. She and her daughter owned a little Arabian that they enjoyed taking on endurance rides. I looked at her color palette and we talked about her likes and dislikes about horse paintings. She loved my light cubist style but wanted an arabian and she wanted it to be coming out of the side of the painting. So I went home and we talked further about the commission and then her horse had to be put down. Since the commission had not yet been started we cancelled it. I knew she couldn’t bare to think about her horse at this time so I didn’t bother her.

I was so inspired with the situation that I painted “the Spirit of Equus” http://www.barbararush.com/theSpiritofEquus.html in memory of her horse. The light rays moving from the upper left to the horse are meant to suggest that the horse is in spirit. The horse is based on the structure of an Arabian and runs to greet the viewer from the right side of the canvas. It is painted in the colors that she wanted…purples and mustard tones.

The story has a happy ending in that she came to the festival this year (April 08), saw the painting, and decided to take it and The Passion of Equus http://www.barbararush.com/thePassionofEquus.html home with her. She emailed me the next day to say how much she loved the paintings and how perfect they were for her home. That made me very happy that the person the painting was created for now has it in her home as a constant reminder of the wonderful times she and her daughter had with their horse.

“This most noble beast is the most beautiful, the swiftest and of the highest courage of domesticated animals. His long mane and tail adorn and beautify him. He is of a fiery temperament, but good tempered, obedient, docile and well-mannered.” – Pedro Garcia Conde

tag: contemporary art, equine art, horse business, career

Have you always been interested in horses and when did your interest in racehorses start and the creation of Iain Holmes Racing Partnerships?
I was riding horses off the lead rein before I got the training wheels off my bicycle. Over the years my equine experience has been diverse; I have played polo around the world, travel to the UK to go Fox Hunting, worked for an equine hospital, drove horse and carriages on tours of Boston, and just tried to experience as many different disciplines as possible.

Ever since I was a child I loved horse racing, and after completing my degree I was able to join US trainer Michael Matz in Saratoga, Fairhill and for a brief period in Florida. Michael had recently gained fame as the trainer of US Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who went on to sustain a serious injury in his next start.

The time I spent with Michael allowed me to care for the horse, watch them develop and succeed on the track. The feeling you get from cheering your horse down the final stretch, and greeting them in the winners circle is incomparable – scoring the winning goal in a polo tournament, chasing a fox, or watching a broodmare foal – nothing comes close.

I gained a lot of experience, had a fabulous time and made numerous contacts while working for Michael, however making a living on the back stretch is really unrealistic – moving every couple of months, earning peanuts, etc. During college I had volunteered at a hospital and thoroughly enjoyed it. Upon departing the track I enrolled in nursing school, and having seen how other partnerships operate, I wanted to make boutique partnerships that allowed partners a true sense of belonging in the sport of kings, rather than mere guests of the managing partner.

I worked hard to create a business plan that had a number of competitive advantages, and lined up an excellent team that would allow our partners the best experience in horse racing partnerships.

How much of your day/week is hands on with horses?
My job with the racehorses is not hands on at all – I rarely do much beyond give them mints, or a pat. The trainer and his/her staff are the ones that are really hands on with the horses, and although I am eager to learn exactly what is going on, there is no need for me to jump in or watch over their shoulder.

I really don’t mind the hands off role, I trust my trainers, and have 4 pet horses at home, whom I get to fuss over, and take care of.

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
As with any business, it really depends on what you want to do. There are some partnerships that have 80 horses (well over 500 partners), and have a number of full time employees, while others are a weekend venture between friends and are not profitable.

The goal for Iain Holmes Racing Partnership is not to acquire a huge number of horses, but provide our partners a great experience with three or four horses. The schedule of a full time nurse in the US is three 12-hour days, which will allow plenty of time to manage a small stable. As much as I love racing, I love nursing just as much – I am just lucky I am able to blend the two so nicely.

What are the general steps taken to be qualified in the field of purchasing racehorses as an investment for others?
There really are no set ways to becoming a managing partner – some are fans who got a few friends together claimed a horse, and then went from there, others include horsemen with years of racing experience.

This role is quite unique – I look at my main responsibility as customer service, and my second putting all the pieces of the puzzle together; choosing trainers, bloodstock agents. Working on the track I have been able to surround myself with great people, who have many great champions listed on their resume.

Lastly and the area where most people go wrong – is once you have a team you like – take their advice. I always tell my prospective customers that if I started making decisions, you loose 20+ years experience.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing this horse related service?
I would strongly suggest working in the racing industry at the top level – even if you are just mucking stalls the people you meet, and the introductions you will get will serve you well for your future goals. Beyond making connections you need business knowledge – racing partnership companies are highly competitive, you have to understand the market, and how you can fit in.

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
I have been really lucky over the years and have had many great horse related opportunities. The one thing I would like though is a miniature Donkey – I will call him Dinky. We once had one in the equine hospital I worked at, and he was by far the coolest equine I have been around.

Favourite horse memory?
I have many great memories, from completing my first cross-country course when I was a kid, to going out with the hounds for my first time, to playing on the Harvard Polo Team where we beat Yale for the first time in 30 years.

However my favourite horse memory was going to my first race when I was working for Michael Matz. Crusader Rabbit went off at 60:1, and along the backstretch fell back to last place. I am not sure what happened around the final turn, however as he came down the stretch he was third, and gaining. He ended up winning by a neck, and not only did I experience watching a horse I knew gallop to victory, I got to make my first trip to the winner’s circle – there is no better place than the winner’s circle!!

Future goals?
The partnership’s goals are to get up to 3 horses with a good group of owners. Once we are at that size, the emphasis will be on improving our bloodstock. I would like to start buying horses at two-year-old sales, which will not only perform nicely at the track, but also have some breeding potential. I think by doing this we can provide our small group of owners with a premier horse ownership experience, some fantastic racing and as sound of an investment as you can get in horse racing.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
There is nothing like racing – to me it is just in a class of it’s own! I also like the champagne when we win (don’t let anyone know, but we have it when we lose too!).

A Judge about a stallion during a grading session – “This horse would make a mighty fine gelding”

tag: iain holmes, racing partnership, america, networking, racing, racehorses, thoroughbreds

The first South Australian to be qualified by the Victorian National College of Traditional Medicine and the SA representative of the Australian Myofunctional Therapy Association, Mary answered some questions kindly for Equus Blog.

Mary is also the first South Australian to gain certification in the courses run by American pioneer of Equine CranioSacral Therapy, Maureen Rogers. You can find out about Mary and her work at http://www.healthyhorsesnaturally.com.au/about-mary.asp.

Have you always been interested in horses and when did you come to discover the benefits of CranioSacral and Myofunctional Therapy?
I have always had an interest in horses, started riding at age 5, now 60. Was studying to be a coach but found that not my ideal and the myofunctional course came up in 2003. I had been treating horses with TTEAM stuff and massage for some time but without qualifications and felt I needed the qualifications.

How much of your day/week is hands on with horses?
I work/treat my horses every day, and clients when required.

In this field is it possible for someone to be a full time professional, earning a livable income?
Not possible in South Australia, elsewhere in the world maybe. I have chosen not to work in the racing industry

What are the general steps taken to be able to carry out these therapies on your own horses and others?
I have completed a certificate course in Myofunctional therapy and levels 1-3 in equine craniosacral therapy, and Universal Energetic Bodywork. I do energy hands on work, chakra balancing, what ever the horse requires at the time.

Any advice for those interested in pursuing these types of massage?
A love of horses, time and the ability to feel energy levels.

Is there anything else with horses you’d love to learn about or try?
Always learning more about energy healing.

Favourite horse memory?
Too many to list.

Future goals?
Heal more horses.

Best thing about your sport/profession?
The response of such a big animal as a horse to the work that I do which is so gentle, and so effective.

“A hot horse and a hot head don’t mix.”

tag: australia, self education, equine massage, craniosacral massage