The Metal horse temperament is the prototypical hard-working ranch horse. He enjoys order and control, and can stand up to some of the toughest working conditions. Metal horses do their jobs perfectly but otherwise desire very little interaction. Unlike the Earth horse, the Metal horse assimilates nutrients very easily. And unlike the Fire horse, the Metal horse is not a picky eater, and doesn’t mind eating different kinds of foods.

Metal Horse Nutritional Support
The Metal horse temperament is balanced in his Qi energy, balanced in his Yin and Yang energy which means he is not overly affected by heat or cold. He is affected by dryness and benefits from small amounts of the pungent(spicy) flavor. Because of his balanced nature the Metal horse can handle and wide variety of foods and has few digestive issues. The organs associated with the Metal type are the Lung and Large intestine and these are the organs that need the most support.

The Metal horse assimilates foods very well so overfeeding is a problem if the horse is not in hard work. The goal in feeding a Metal horse is simply to maintain his body weight, while at the same time offering foods that are mucilaginous, moisturizing, and pungent. Mucilaginous and moisturizing foods and herbs help combat the Metal horse’s tendency toward dryness, while pungent foods, fed in small quantities, support healthy fiber digestion in the large intestine.

The ideal diet for the average Metal horse temperament contains whole grains plus grass or grass hay to maintain body weight. Bitter foods such as alfalfa and blue green algae can be too stimulating, and if overfed will create nervousness and unpredictable behavior. Good quality fat is important in the diet of the Metal horse. Rice bran is a good fat source and feeding it will help keep the coat from getting dry and dull.

Additional supplements to the Metal horse’s diet include moisturizing foods and small amounts of pungent foods.

Examples of moisturizing or mucilaginous herbs include:
• aloe vera (1 to 2 ounces/day)
• burdock (usually in combination formulas with other herbs)
• dandelion (5 to 10 cc/day of tincture or in combination formulas with other herbs)
• Echinacea (10 to 20 cc/day short term for immune support or as directed in the form of Equinacea )
• fenugreek (up to 2 tsp/day of the seeds)
• kelp (1 to 2 TBS/day)
• psyllium (1 to 2 TBS/day)
• slippery elm (1 to 4 tsp/day)
• Irish moss (1 to 2 TBS/day)
• mullein (1 to 2 TBS/day or in Bleeders Blend )

Pungent herbs are also beneficial to the Metal horse, and include:
• capsicum
• fennel
• garlic
• ginger
• peppermint
• sage
• thyme
All spices are strong and should not be given in large amounts. 1/4 to 1/2 tsp in most cases or a few drops of peppermint oil will provide adequate pungent flavor to support the Metal element.

Enzymes with added fennel, ginger, and cayenne are the perfect addition to the Metal horse’s diet to support a healthy large intestine function. Citrus C/Q is a natural source of vitamin C and bioflavanoids which gives support the other paired Metal organ, the lung. Madalyn

For more information about Five Element Horse Temperaments check out Horse Harmony

We also have some Five Element Audios of actual case histories and discussion of each horse temperament type. Real life cases are a great way to gain understanding of Five Element typing.