During his rodeo career, Todd Bowman was able to observe horsemen across the country communicate with their horses while they competed in a variety of equine disciplines. Todd’s rodeo career slowed in 1998, when a near death skydiving accident crushed his legs, pelvis, arm and face. His “no excuses” philosophy, coupled with being able to get back to riding horses as part of his rehabilitation, allowed him to return to saving cowboys from bulls and skydiving. He retired from the rodeo business in 2003.

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Todd’s college interest in reining horses resurfaced and by 2000, he was showing at a competitive level. Showing and training his own horses was a challenge, especially considering his physical limits from the skydiving accident. To compensate for one leg being shorter than the other, he started tinkering and building different kinds of spurs, simply because the tools he needed were not available on the shelf at the local western stores. Soon after, 'non-pro reiners' requested him to create spurs that allowed them to better communicate with their own horses. The need for better tools led to the founding of Bowman Custom Spurs. Todd’s spurs are influenced by the advice and knowledge of reining, cutting, pleasure, and rope horse trainers from across the United States.

 

In the fall of 2010 Todd's work as a Bit and Spur Maker was juried into the prestigious International Guild of Bit and Spur Makers.  All of his work is stamped with the approved Guild Stamp.  The International Guild of Bit and Spur Makers membership elected Todd to the Board of Directors in March 2012.

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Today, Todd lives in Crossville, TN where he enjoys the challenges of raising, training and showing their Futurity and Derby Reining horses.