Nayana's bio is amazing - she makes her home in Portugal where she lives what she teaches every day. She has created a dream environment for her herd of 9 horses, 3 dogs and 3 cats, where they can roam freely and select their medicine every day. She learns something new every day through observing their interactions with nature and the aromatic plants that abound at Over the Edge Farm.

It's probably easier to say what Nayana doesn't she do, as she's the full package - a complete holistic animal wellness therapist, trained in kinesiology, post-grad 5 Element Theory and Aromatic Energetics, Equine Acupressure and natural nutrition. She has been teaching about essential oils for animals since 2000, lecturing worldwide to vets, trainers and animal lovers of all kinds, combining her varied skills and the understanding that reducing stress is essential for health. Just to name a few ...

Introduce yourself

I live in Portugal at Over the Edge Farm, 30-hectares of wild land where my horses roam while I harvest and distill essential oils. I always dreamed of having a horse farm when I was growing up, and after decades of travelling the world, living and working with horses on four continents, here I am. Unbelievably.

(Of course I wanted to know how Nayana had ended up in Portugal, so we’re digressing a bit here …)

I met my husband on horseback while in USA working as cowboys – we’ve been together since 1985! We lived in various countries in our time together, but I never lost my longing for a horse farm. And once I had learned about self-selection I just wanted to live with horses in a natural setting so I could really understand what they choose.

In 2012 it was finally time to find my horse farm. I originally started looking in Spain, then a friend suggested Portugal. Meanwhile, other friends/clients also wanted to move. We looked at Portugal and liked what we saw. They had four horses, my two lived with theirs, so we moved with them. I flew with the horses from Israel to Belgium, picked up my English horse at the airport and travelled down to Portugal overland!

We stayed with those friends for a year or so, then we continued looking for our own place. I found Over the Edge Farm on the internet on a random ’sell everything’ site, and despite it being completely impractical and the worst property investment ever (!), we bought it in 2015.

There was nothing on it but trees, land, a water well, and a ruin; we had no idea about the cork oak woodland eco system or how to care for it. It just looked like a great place for the horses to roam free. And here we still are!

How did it all start?

This is a really hard question for me to answer, because one thing led to another and then there it was! Also, I have two businesses. But lets see.
 
In 1997 I returned to the UK after living abroad for 20 years. I was working in equine rehab as a freelancer, when a friend said, “You need to check out Caroline Ingraham’s work with essential oils.” So I did. After reading an article by her, I experimented with offering an oil to a client’s horse and was blown away by the response.

I trained with Caroline, thinking essential oils would be a useful tool with the ’problem’ horses, but found myself training in more and more healing modalities. My focus shifted and I found myself working with behaviour problems with horses, dogs, cats, llamas - anyone that needed my help.

In 2000 I built my first website and the name ‘Essential Animals’ became official. I was working with oils and animals, based in the UK, teaching on the certification course run by Guild of Essential Oil Therapy for Animals (now defunct), visiting clients of course, and also travelling around giving talks and teaching in the UK and America. Also doing a bit of racehorse rehab and still helping the horses and people get along better. I continued learning - kinesiology, acupressure, TCM and oils, nutrition, and so on.
 
In 2006 I developed my own certificate course,  combining all my skills, and Animal PsychAromatica was born. The same year we moved to Israel to care for my father-in-law. It was supposed to be for 6 months to a year max, but we ended up staying till 2012, when we moved to Portugal.

Now to your business, and the part you play in it

I have two businesses, Essential Animals and Over the Edge Farm. I call myself creative director, slightly tongue in cheek, at both places. Everyone else calls me Boss. 😉
 
Over the Edge is based in Portugal, hosting people so they can learn here, or just enjoy the atmosphere of empowered horses and aromatics at their leisure. We also distill and sell hydrosols as a way of supporting regeneration of the Cork Oak woodlands where we live.

How did you want to change the world?

A prime motivator for me is to see people being more aware of each animal’s right to self-determination. I would like to help humans recognise that all beings are intelligent, with their own unique expression and preferences and importantly, the right to choose. This basic principle reduces stress and allows health and happiness to grow for all species. I would also like humans to be more self-aware and kind to themselves so we can grow a more compassionate world together.

What’s unique about your businesses?

Pretty much everything!

Who and where are your customers?

Animal lovers worldwide, who want to see their animals live a healthy natural life.

The future - any plans?

We are always flowing and changing with life. This year I am launching an exciting new course called “Let Her Speak!”, focusing on healing the blocks that inhibit our intuitive senses. This is online through Essential Animals. At Over the Edge we’re also opening up to more visitors this year, for the first time since the pandemic. I am also working on a line of tree essences channeled from the OtE herd, super-powerful healing potions for the horse world and beyond.

The essences started when I made some tree essences from particular trees, rather than just a species. Then a friend came to visit and asked, ‘Why not essences from horses?’ Hence it started.

We’ve trialled them around the world and have amazing feedback. It seems to really help stabled horses get out of depression, and horses who are having trouble in their herd. They generally relax them and make them more connective with people too. The essences can be used with horses, humans, dogs or cats; the animals select them, and can also select for their people. I’m now working to get them out worldwide now, hopefully before the end of year.

Tell us about your horses

I live with nine beautiful horses - two Quarter horses who came with me from Israel, four Lusitanos who were on the way to slaughter when they were miraculously diverted; a mother and son of Iberian mix type rescued from the local gypsy camps, and one Arab from France left here by a friend. They live in a herd and are free to roam over 30 hectares of rough land in South Portugal. I endeavour to give them as natural a lifestyle as possible, and they in return teach me about what horses really need, what they choose to eat and how they choose to interact with humans.

(Hang on – four Lusitanos on their way to the kill-pen?)

There was a huge herd that had lived on 500-hectares for several generations; a few stallions, lots of mares and offspring. The land was sold to become a golf course, and while the horses’ owner sold what he could, there were about twenty-five left who were going to slaughter when some non-locals heard the news and mounted a rescue operation - https://www.facebook.com/groups/612856625469332

Why do you buy from EquiNatural? 

I love that your minerals are just that, no fillers or anything else. Your herb blends are great quality and effective, and Carol is extremely helpful.

Is organic/provenance important to you?

Yes, very. Our home, Over the Edge Farm, is built around sustainability and chemical free living, so this fits with our ethos.

How have you seen the horse world change? 

Oh my gosh! On one hand it hasn’t changed nearly enough (why do people still ask me “So what do you do with your horses?” as a standard normal question, and look at me like a madwoman when I say “Nothing, I just enjoy them”?). Why does racing still exist? Or other horse sport for money? I can also get annoyed when I see ponies in rugs and all the other massive over-pampering that goes on with horses as pets. And the massive rise in metabolic diseases.

On the other hand, many people are more considerate of a horse’s needs and aware of the need for forage and freedom. And the fact that using natural supplements is now commonplace. When I first entered the world of health for horses in 1995, and importing herbs to the USA, we were the first people selling herbs. Now they are easily available. I think that’s a good thing.

Who’s your favourite equine guru, and why?

My horse herd. They teach me something every day.

What’s your favourite drink – a cuppa or something long and cool?

It depends on the time of day. Tea in the morning, organic red wine in the evening.

Who knew?! Tell us one unusual fact about you 😉

I have only ever bought one horse in this lifetime.

Final word?

Thank you for being such a great shining light in the world of horse wellbeing. 😀

Follow the herd

Website - https://essentialanimals.com/ and https://otefarm.eu/

FB - https://www.facebook.com/essentialanimals and https://www.facebook.com/overtheedgefarm

Trust me when I say you'll be lost for hours in blissful browsing 😉