Karen Perry Animal Therapy

06/05/2026

As animal guardians, we become experts at investigating pooh! The faeces of our pets and horses give us so many clues to their state of health, sometimes it becomes a bit of an obsession that non horse owners just don’t understand!

If your horse’s pooh looks like this one pictured, then you should be concerned.

It is possible, that now we have had some rain, the grass growth has had a sudden boost, and your horse is delivering cow pats.

Of course, lush grass is not the only cause of loose droppings- excessive concentrates, haylage, sudden changes in diet and physical or environmental stress can cause soft, unformed, even watery droppings.

But be aware that this is not normal, and is a sign of hind gut dysfunction. The microbiome is out of balance, the unfriendly bacteria outnumber the friendly bacteria and acidic conditions in the hind gut are the result.

If your horse is already acidic, due to stress, or a poor diet, then it wont take much sugar from the grass to tip it over the edge. It will be very sensitive to changes.

If your horse is producing droppings like these, chances are he will be uncomfortable both in his guts, and all over his body.

The hind gut is positioned on the right flank and will influence the right hind, the right sacro illiac and lumbars. Your horse may well show behaviours such as
- right hind lameness
- sensitivity around right flank
- bloated tummy- gas
- girthiness
- change in temperament/performance.

If you are concerned about your horse’s hind gut biome balance, do consider booking a herbal consultation, there is so much we can do to help, to restore, balance, and make your horse more comfortable.

05/05/2026

Some fascial release for my special girl, no introductions or faff, just straight into relaxation and release. We know each other so well, she loves her treatment, but when she has had enough, she walks away, and Im cool with that 🥰
# horses

04/05/2026

The lovely Chief, 23 years old, a lifetime of pony club activities under his belt, still active and enjoying his outings, but needing some maintenance to help him stay mobile.

There are a lot of horses in a similar position. The joints are degenerating, the muscles are over compensating, the body thus becomes stiff and wooden to enable him to cope with his lack of stability.

Left on their own in the paddock, lots of horses of this age could easily deteriorate and become less mobile. But keeping them mobile is a balance. Doing some hacking and groundwork will arguably keep them more supple, but tip the balance the other way, with too much jumping or work in an arena, and the body cannot cope, so the musculature becomes more guarded and defensive.

It is important to treat each case as an individual, and support with veterinary intervention when necessary, good farrier attention, herbs for circulation, inflammation and gut balance, and regular bodywork or physiotherapy.

He couldn’t have been more appreciative 🥰

04/05/2026

The Summer Forage walk will be held on Saturday 25th July from 10am LE14.

Lots and lots of beneficial herbs and weeds to identify, all of which will benefit your horse’s hind gut biome balance.

A little education in Natures Pharmacy means you can save lots of money! Why buy synthetic supplements when you can pick the real thing for free !!!!

Horses are herbivores- they are literally designed to eat this stuff!!!

Please e mail karenwperry@yahoo.co.uk to book on.

02/05/2026

🌱 No Mow May is here!

Letting grass and wildflowers grow long boosts nectar for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths, all crucial for a thriving countryside.

Here are a few ways you can help:

🍃 Leave grass verges unmown where safe to do so
🍃 Let paddock corners grow wild or set up designated 'wild' zones around your yard
🍃 Go the extra mile and reseed fields with a horse-friendly wildflower mix

🌾 Allowing grass and horse-safe wildflowers to grow longer benefits more than just wildlife. It can add valuable fibre and nutrients to your horse’s grazing too.

🌼 Every patch of wild growth helps!

Find out more and get involved: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/

01/05/2026

It was a stand off over the Spirulina….!

30/04/2026

******Essential Oils- a user guide. ******

I am aware that there are now quite a few of you using essential oils, having had a herbal session, and this is brilliant and i hope you are reaping the benefits!

I do just feel the need to run through a couple of safety items to make sure there are no contraindications to use.

Essential Oils are highly concentrated versions of herbs, however, within every plant there is a system of checks and balances to buffer harsh chemicals. When we separate the essential oil from the plant, we remove it from any natural buffers.

Therefore, treat with caution, and ideally, dilute in a good quality base oil to be safe. Do not offer to cats and be cautious with dogs, with their advanced sense of smell you are better off using a hydrosol.

Horses love essential oils and respond well to their use but remember the basic rules below.

Never force an oil on a horse. They must have freedom to choose, and to be able to move away from the aroma at will. Inhalation is powerful and necessary for emotional and behavioural issues including past trauma. If your horse shows interest in wanting to ingest the oil, the safest way is to dilute in an oil or put drops in a bucket of water and allow them to self medicate.

When offering, always hold the bottle so only the top is showing. Some horses can act quickly and enthusiastically, and it is no fun trying to wrestle a small glass bottle out of their mouth! 🙈

Do not use on pregnant animals, or allow pregnant women to offer the oils.

Educate yourself on the safety issues with each oil. For example, Garlic can burn the mucous membranes. Angelica is photosensitive and can cause problems in the sun especially for pink noses.

Never attach an oil to an animal ( such as on a dogs collar or applying as a roll on to the nose). I will repeat, the animal must always be able to move away from the aroma.

If working with nervous, shut down horses, it can be enough to have the oil bottle in your pocket. They will be able to smell it. As they get used to the aroma’s, you can dab a drop on the back of your hand, or a rag in your pocket.

Aromatherapy with animals is the ultimate in observation. Reactions can be obvious but they can also be very subtle. It is easy to misread a “no” or “i might be interested but Im not sure.” This is where training, or just good old horsemanship comes in. Time and patience are vital.

The FEI banned list is getting longer. If you are using the oils with competition horses, familiarise yourself with the list. If your horse responds really well to Valarian, but you cannot use it in competition, there may be viable options. I can help.

If you are interested in learning more about this amazing, in depth subject, I run half day training sessions. Or book a herbal consult for your horse.

29/04/2026

A useful herbal session for this little Thoroughbred who has only been out of racing for 5 months. It takes a long time to adjust to life as a ridden horse, and his body is slowly going through positive changes.
His owner was concerned that his weight gain was slow and he looked poor in his coat and had no energy.
Having a herbal consultation is a great way to fill in the gaps, particularly concentrating on vitamins and minerals he might need.
The right balance of herbs will provide him with all the essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins that his body needs, encouraging a healthy and balanced microbiome, which will then ultimately boost his immunity and allow all of the bodily systems to work optimally.

All of these changes take time, but getting him on the right path is crucial, and he made some important choices, such as wheatgrass powder, kale, bladderwrack, meadowsweet and chamomile.

Horses who have been fed a performance diet, lots of grain, molasses, additives, often find the transition to a clean diet quite alarming! It is like switching from fast food and take aways and coffee to salad and lean protein, but the innate ability to self select is still there, we just have to be patient and allow their taste buds time to convert.
After all, horses are herbivores, they are designed to eat this stuff!

28/04/2026

Im looking forwards to seeing everyone on Saturday for the Spring Forage Walk!
We meet at the Dove Cottage Hospice charity shop where there is a car park- LE14 4EX. You approach over a narrow and steep hump back bridge over the canal- approach slowly and beep loudly!

I believe they serve cups of tea in the charity shop, and its certainly worth popping in for a rummage, they have some quality stuff for sale!

Bring scissors and a bag if you want to take any herbs/weeds home to try!

I think there are 9 of us at the last count, room for a couple more if anyone wants to join us!

There will be a summer walk in July and an autumn walk in October.

27/04/2026

My best boy Tubber this morning, lying down on the job! ❤️
I have been treating him for a few years with herbs and oils and bodywork. He is the most perfect customer, he is open to trying anything, always enthusiastic about what I have to offer, and he connects with me the minute I put my hands on him.
I never need to put a head-collar on, or restrain him in anyway, as he adores being part of the process.
When I learnt the amazing somatic therapy, Tubber was the first horse to give me an impressive pandiculation.
I was so happy that he felt comfortable enough to lie down with me today, thank fully I had just about completed his session!
Love your pony Jenny Scott 🥰

26/04/2026

26/04/2026

Baileys was keen to eat this spear thistle, but they are incredibly angry and spiky! Destroying the spikes with a well placed front hoof helps to reveal the softer part of the herb, which makes ingestion less tricky!