Equestrian Bowen

20/06/2025

Some more information on the effects of glyphosate. Definitely good for you to consider whether these are risks you want to accept for you or your horse.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has been shown to affect various metabolic processes in both plants and animals, potentially leading to adverse health outcomes. It can disrupt metabolic pathways, including those related to amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleotides, and lipids, and may also contribute to oxidative stress and endocrine disruption.
Effects on Metabolic Pathways:
Amino Acid Metabolism:
Glyphosate can reduce the levels of certain amino acids, such as glycine and glutathione, and impact arginine metabolism.
Carbohydrate Metabolism:
Glyphosate can affect carbohydrate metabolism, potentially leading to changes in glucose levels and energy production.
Nucleotide Metabolism:
Glyphosate can disrupt nucleotide metabolism, particularly purine synthesis, resulting in reduced levels of deoxyguanosine and other purine-related compounds.
Lipid Metabolism:
Glyphosate has been linked to lipid metabolism disorders, potentially leading to health risks.
Effects on Energy Metabolism:
Mitochondrial Dysfunction:
Glyphosate can impair mitochondrial function, which is crucial for cellular energy production.
Oxidative Stress:
Glyphosate can induce oxidative stress, leading to cellular damage and contributing to metabolic disruptions.
Energy Metabolism Disruption:
Glyphosate can interfere with energy metabolism pathways, potentially affecting how cells generate and utilize energy.
Other Effects:
Gut Microbiota:
Glyphosate can alter the composition and function of the gut microbiota, which plays a vital role in various metabolic processes.
Endocrine Disruption:
Glyphosate exposure has been linked to endocrine disruption, potentially affecting hormone levels and impacting reproductive health.
Insulin Resistance:
Glyphosate consumption has been associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance, a condition linked to type 2 diabetes.
Potential Health Implications:
The metabolic disruptions caused by glyphosate can contribute to various health issues, including:
Liver Disease:
Glyphosate exposure has been linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorders, potentially increasing the risk of liver cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Intestinal Diseases:
Glyphosate-induced changes in the gut microbiota can lead to intestinal dysbiosis, potentially contributing to diseases like Crohn's disease.
Neuropsychiatric Conditions:
Glyphosate has been linked to neuropsychiatric conditions, potentially through its impact on gut microbes and metabolic pathways.
Further Research:
While research suggests potential adverse effects, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term health consequences of glyphosate exposure and its impact on various metabolic processes.

09/06/2025

For years I’ve been talking about the influence of the gut on the spine and pelvis and consequently the horse’s ability to move. Looks like I’ve got a friend who is on the same path!!

YES.
The hindgut tension your horse is carrying — due to everyday stress, diet, dehydration, or subtle fear — is directly connected to the tightness in the pelvis, the psoas, and the tongue.

Why does it matter?
Because:

A horse cannot step under with ease if the colon is inflamed & cannot suspend his back if the intestines are tight.

And here’s the shocking consequence:

Your horse will lose the ability to sit, to coordinate his body, to breathe & to elevate.

Your doesn’t die due to lack of muscle engagement. It dies in the gut, long before you ever ask for the first step.

This is not a metaphor. It’s anatomical fact:
🧠The vagus nerve connects the gut to the brainstem
👅 The tongue is a fascial continuation of the digestive tract
➿The pelvis shares myofascial lines with the intestinal system.

So if your horse’s gut is inflamed, the piaffe will be blocked — no matter how much you practice. Intestines are not passive tubes. They are living organs with constant peristalsis, rich in nerve endings, wrapped in layers of smooth muscle, and deeply connected to:

✔️ The psoas (hip flexor and spinal stabilizer)
✔️ The diaphragm (which regulates breath and rhythm)
✔️ The tongue and jaw (via the vagus and facial nerves)
✔️ And the entire pelvic sling (which you rely on for sit and suspension)

Most trainers will never tell you this. Because they don’t know.
But in my course From Walk to Piaffe, we begin where others don’t even look:

– Relaxation of the gut,
– Restoration of vagal tone & relaxation of the pelvis.
– Activation of tendon-based movement,
– Oscillation before steps
– Pelvic vector correction from within

If your horse shows:
– Lack of sit
– Explosive reaction to piaffe aids
– Uneven steps or diagonal loss
– Lack of forwardness
– Or chronic tension…

Then you are not dealing with a training issue.
You are dealing with a GUT-SPINE COORDINATION BREAKDOWN.

And that is where I work.

➡️ Comment GUT below and I’ll send you on Monday more information about my system.
Or DM me the word PIAFFE and I’ll make sure you get link 🔗 to an early access! 💜

Because this time… we don’t train harder.
We go deeper 📈📈📈

05/06/2025

Interesting that Jim Blurton Farrier Products has developed this glue on hybrid shoe in conjunction with Easycare

The 3D Roller offers lightweight support and excellent impact absorption, ideal for both therapeutic and performance-focused hoof care.

A collaboration between Jim Blurton, 3D Hoofcare and EasyCare Inc, this glue-on shoe is designed for durability, balance and everyday practicality.

Available for Worldwide delivery at jimblurton.co.uk
🔗 https://www.jimblurton.co.uk/product/3d-roller/

01/06/2025

This combination are doing really well this season. 😊

18/05/2025

For people not horses !

15/05/2025

So when your horse gets stressed/excited/anxious or other negative emotion it will be directly affecting the gut biome. Perhaps you should seriously consider the harmful effects of 16 hours starvation in a strange stable as required before a gastroscopy 😧

The brain directly influences the gut microbiome. And a new study shows it can change gut bacteria in just 2 hours.

In a surprising twist to the gut-brain connection, scientists have now shown that the brain can change the gut microbiome—and fast.

A new study in mice found that brain signals could alter the composition of gut bacteria within just two hours. This adds strong support to the idea that communication between the gut and brain is bidirectional, not just microbes affecting mood and cognition, but brain activity shaping the microbial ecosystem as well.

While researchers have long known that gut microbes can influence brain function and mental health, this study is one of the first to demonstrate that the brain can send rapid signals that reshape the microbiome.

The discovery could have major implications for understanding how stress, emotions, or neurological conditions might directly impact gut health. It also opens the door to new therapeutic strategies that target brain pathways to influence digestion, immunity, and overall wellness.

learn more about the gut and brain: https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2025/03/06/gut-brain-connection-long-covid-anxiety-parkinsons/

08/05/2025

This link is really interesting and contains references to the appropriate research. I wonder how long it will take for someone on the UK to pay attention?
“Shocking brain damage risk revealed in studies
Ladapo praised the decision. His office last year issued written guidance detailing the latest research showing that exposure to fluoridated water can lead to neurodevelopmental issues in children, including lower IQ.

Ashley Malin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Epidemiology, also spoke at the press conference. She authored a bombshell study of women and children in Los Angeles that found children born to women exposed during pregnancy to fluoridated drinking water were more likely to have neurobehavioural problems.

Malin warned: “With more and more studies finding associations of fluoride exposure with adverse neurological outcomes, even at levels that we commonly encounter in Florida, the findings of these studies point to an imminent need for policy change.”

Federal judge declares fluoridation an “unreasonable risk”
The scientific evidence against fluoride has reached a tipping point. A landmark National Toxicology Program report from August 2024 concluded that higher levels of fluoride exposure in drinking water are consistently linked to lower IQ in children.

In September 2024, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled that water fluoridation at current U.S. levels poses an “unreasonable risk” to children’s health, ordering the EPA to take regulatory action based on recent findings.

What to do if your water still contains fluoride
If you live in a state where fluoride is still added to public water systems, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself and your family:”

(NaturalHealth365) Florida Governor signs bill banning fluoride in public water systems, citing brain damage and neurological concerns.

08/05/2025

Nice to hear this horse is already much more comfortable less than 24hrs after his first treatment 🙂

14/04/2025

If you have sycamores in the vicinity of your horse grazing this may be useful

Atypical Myopathy, or sycamore poisoning, is a genuine concern as it can be fatal to horses. If you have sycamore trees in or around your paddocks please check them thoroughly before allowing your horses to graze. Remove any seedlings, or seemingly dead leaves promptly.

I have found a large number of seedlings in my own paddocks already this year, and with many of us being low on grazing due to the dry weather, we may find our horses are more inclined to eat these potentially fatal plants.

To help minimise risk, avoid using affected areas if at all possible. If this is not practical, you can help reduce the risks by ensuring there is ample forage available in the field. Piles of hay or haylage, buckets of soaked hay replacers such as HayCare, and compressed forage blocks / Simple System Brix, can all be useful.

Additionally, you could consider having your seedlings tested for Hypoglycin A (HGA) - the toxin that can cause atypical myopathy.

Earlier this week, I sent a sample of my seedlings to The Royal Veterinary College as a precaution. The results are back already, although they state a 2-3 week turnaround for non-expedited results. They confirmed that my seedlings have high levels of HGA, with the result being 761.1 ug/g - with 'High' being anything greater than 100 ug/g!

Whilst this isn't the news I had hoped for, it is as expected and I am in a position to manage my grazing effectively. Plus, I now know that all the time spent pulling up seedlings was actually worthwhile!

Melody @ Simple System HQ

If you'd like to test your seedlings, the information is detailed in the link below.

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/facilities-and-resources/comparative-neuromuscular-diseases-laboratory/diagnostic-services

NB. The RVC charge for this service, which is not linked to Simple System. This has been shared as this is a useful service that we feel many horse owners are unaware of.