Calming Horses Under Pressure
In this episode of The BowenBuzz, Chris sits down with Wes Russell, a highly experienced Bowen practitioner who works with both humans and horses, often in demanding, real-world environments such as endurance riding events across Queensland.
Wes shares that his pathway into Bowen began long before formal training. Growing up in country Queensland with a strong affinity for animals, he originally considered veterinary work before life took him through several careers including the corporate sector and later hands-on work on a stud cattle station. That early grounding in animal husbandry and performance animals would later shape his approach as a therapist.
A turning point came when Wes trained in Equine Muscle Release Therapy (EMRT) through Alison Goward, one of the pioneers of Bowen influenced equine bodywork in Australia. Alison’s structured, staged training model combining in-person intensives, case studies, and progressive skill development gave Wes a deep appreciation for working with the horse’s nervous system rather than imposing force. Wes later expanded his training to include the practical Bowen moves for humans, allowing him to work confidently with both humans and animals.
A central theme of the conversation is Bowen’s role in high pressure performance environments, particularly endurance riding, where horses must pass strict veterinary checkpoints and heart-rate recovery parameters to continue competing. Wes explains how he developed a practical “band-aid” protocol, selecting a small number of strategic moves that can help a horse settle and regulate under time pressure. In these environments, the therapist’s calm presence is critical, especially amid anxious riders, cooling strategies, and the intensity of vet’s gazes..
Wes also unpacks common endurance related challenges such as horses “tying up” (muscle lock up associated with metabolic stress), lameness assessments, and recovery windows. He highlights an important distinction: horses don’t cognitively analyse treatment the way humans do. As a result, changes in breathing, posture, circulation, and relaxation can be clear, rapid, and measurable.
Listeners will hear Wes describe what he looks for during a treatment: head lowering, softening through the body, yawning or licking and chewing, deeper breathing, pronounced vascular changes, and even dramatic coat pattern shifts, phenomena often associated with changes in fascial hydration and nervous system regulation. He also reflects on how owner emotion and therapist demeanour directly influence outcomes, particularly with horses as highly perceptive prey animals.
Throughout the episode, Wes shares memorable stories, from lowering heart rates under pressure, to a striking behavioural shift in a previously “hard-to-catch” horse after early training, to treating riders on rugs in the grass because Bowen is, by nature, portable and adaptable.
Wes finishes with a simple but powerful intention: helping more people understand Bowen’s capacity to support physical, emotional, and even spiritual wellbeing for both humans and animals.
“You’ve got to remain low energy—because that’s where the horse is going to be.” — Wes Russell
Key Takeaways
Equine Bowen and EMRT support nervous system regulation in high-stress performance settings.
Horses offer clear, observable signs of physiological change during treatment.
Therapist presence and calm regulation are as important as technique.
Wes completed his equine training through Alison Goward’s Equine Muscle Release Therapy (EMRT) program. A Bowen-influenced approach to working with horses through gentle, nervous-system-led manual therapy.
More information: https://www.horseandridertherapy.com.au/
Sponsored by the Business of Bowen (BoB) Supporting an engaged and passionate circle of Bowen therapists committed to learning and growth