Horses and the Five Elements

Horses and the Five Elements By Madalyn Ward, DVM

I. Metal Horses
II. Water Horses
III. Fire Horses
IV. Wood Horses
V. Earth Horses

I. METAL HORSES
Metal is related to the Lung/Large Intestine. The Lung is in charge of the outward dissipation and dissemination of Qi. The Lung controls the Wei Qi which is the defensive Qi that circulates outside the vessels. The Wei Qi resists the invasion of pathogenic Qi such as Heat, Cold, Damp and Dry into the meridians. The Lung also controls the Ying Qi which circulates within the vessels and helps drive the circulation of blood. The Lung connects with the skin and body hair, opens into the nose and the emotion associated is grief.

Personality: the Hard-Working Ranch Horse
The Metal horse is rigid. He likes order and control. He is the perfect ranch horse because his job is to control the cattle. In turn he allows himself to be controlled by his rider and follows instructions to perfection. He will not make decisions on his own and waits patiently for his rider's cues. Metal horses are tough and unlike the Wood horse, they hold up well to hard work. They also have a high pain tolerance and will keep working until injury or illness totally incapacitates them. The Metal horse can be very aloof and does not require much interaction.

Training
Repetition is the secret to the Metal horse. Be fair, consistent and clean in your instruction. If you treat a Metal horse unfairly he will shut down and become resistant. Once shut down, the Metal horse becomes even more rigid. Unless something is done to regain his cooperation, his resistance will make him useless.

Occupation
Metal horses can be found in all disciplines. They don't like excitement or crowds but because of their tolerant nature they will still perform. These are the horses you can pull up out of the pasture and go to a weekend event and put them out when you get home and forget about until the next time. Metal horses are hard to read. If your Metal horse is happy and fulfilled with his job, he will have a supple body and willing attitude.

Health Problems
The Lungs' function is to protect the body, so an out-of-balance Metal horse is susceptible to respiratory infections. The Lung is also responsible for descending the Qi down to the other organs. If the Qi does not descend or is blocked by other organ dysfunction, asthma will result. If left untreated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heaves can result. If the Wei Qi is damaged then anhydrosis can occur.

The Metal horse is negatively affected by dryness and can show a dry, lusterless coat. The Large Intestine is the paired organ and Metal horses can be prone to impaction colic. Because they are very stoic, symptoms can become advanced before the condition is recognized.

Diet
Metal horses have strong digestive systems and can eat just about anything. Metal horses under stress benefit from supplements to support their immune systems. Blue-green algae, vit-c, beta-glucan or Transfer Factors™ are all good choices.

Is your horse a Metal Horse? Help balance and moderate those Metal tendencies and predispositions with Five-Element Equine: Metal.

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II. WATER HORSES

Water is associated with the Kidney/Bladder. The Kidney stores the Jing or Essence and Jing is the source of life. Pre-natal Jing is inherited from one's parents and post-natal Jing is derived from Essence extracted from food by the Spleen. The Fire of the MingMen (gate of life) is stored between the kidneys. The kidney controls the metabolism. The emotion associated is fear and the season is Winter. Water is easily injured by Cold, and the sense organ is the ear. The Kidney controls the bones.

Personality: The Arab Park Horse
Water horses do well in events where animation and excitement are required. They tend to have beautiful, sculpted features. They are easily frightened and if their desire to escape is overcome they can be brilliant performers. Normally they prefer to avoid crowds but they can get motivated when cheered on by a crowd. This is slightly different from the Fire horse, who relishes attention and needs no motivation. The Fire horse can have emotional outbursts but the Water horse is likely to panic at the slightest provocation. Once in a panic the Water horse loses total control and can easily injure themselves or anyone in the vicinity. The Water horse would rather be left alone but will work well for someone he trusts to protect him.

Training
Water horses desperately need to feel safe and protected. They are natural athletes and very smart, but unpredictable. They do not make good horses for beginners. The Water horse must be able to draw confidence from his trainer. It is best to expose them to as many experiences as possible, under controlled circumstances. Water horses need to learn to respond rather than react.

Health Issues
Water horses have many hormonal imbalances. Cushing's Disease is a classic Kidney Yang deficiency. They tend towards weak bones and teeth. Arthritis in a Water horse will be very painful but without heat or obvious inflammation. The pain can come from the muscle or joint and motion is restricted. Pain is worse in the cold and improved by heat. Water horses make excellent broodmares if their hormones can be kept in balance. If the Kidney is weak, other organs will not be able to function normally. Poor digestion, asthma, poor circulation can all be related to the kidney. The Kidney controls the lower limbs so weakness could be improperly diagnosed as EPM or herpes neurological symptoms.

Diet
Water horses do well with whole grains and grass plus alfalfa hay. Probiotics can help the Water horse handle stress. Joint supplements help treat arthritic symptoms. Noni juice is also good for pain associated with arthritis. Bute™ and other NSAIDs are toxic to the kidneys and should be avoided. MSM is a mild, natural diuretic and helps edema associated with Kidney weakness. Blue-green algae provides needed minerals and amino acids. Often Water horses do better with the blue-green algae that has had the cell wall removed. The Concentrated amino acid in the Cell Tech brand Omega Sun™ help these horses focus.

Is your horse a Water Horse? Help balance and moderate those Water tendencies and predispositions with Five-Element Equine: Water.

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III. FIRE HORSES
Fire is related to the Heart/Small Intestine and Pericardium/Triple Heater. The Heart houses the Shen, or Spirit. The emotion associated is Joy. The season is Summer, and the Heart is easily damaged by excessive Heat. The Heart governs the blood vessels, and the related sense organ is the tongue.

Personality - The Perfect Show Horse
Fire horses love attention and to be admired. Their greatest desire is to be loved. They hate to be bored or separated from their admirers. They thrive on stimulation: the more activity around them, the better. They are very sensitive to pain and cannot be expected to tolerate it. Fire horses can be very dramatic, but unlike a Wood horse, they do not usually bite or kick. They are prone to emotional outbursts so it is good to be alert when handling them.

Training
The best way to win the heart of a Fire horse is to tell them often how much you love them and how special they are. Keep their activities stimulating and fun.

Occupation
Fire horses make great hunters and dressage horses. They can also do well in pleasure classes. They thrive on the primping and braiding because they know it makes them more beautiful. Fire horses are usually too sensitive to compete in rough-and-tumble sports like racing.

Health Challenges
Fire horses are very sensitive to emotional stress. If they do not receive the attention they crave, they can develop behavioral problems like weaving, lip flapping or tongue lolling. They are also susceptible to gastric ulcers.

If overworked and overheated, the Fire horse can burn-out. The excess build-up of Heat symptoms shows up as dry skin and anhydrosis. Because Fire can overact on Metal, symptoms such as pharyngitis and sinusitis can occur. As Water attempts to control Fire, kidney symptoms like lower back soreness, ovary dysfunction and scanty urine production can appear.

Diet
If no gastric ulcers are present, a simple, whole grain and grass hay diet is best. Barley is especially good because it is cooling and moisturizing. Make sure Fire horses have access to salt at all times, and some may benefit from electrolytes in hot weather. Apples are the best treat because they are cooling and moisturizing.

Glucosamine joint supplements can be very helpful because they help lubricate the tissues. MSM may not be a good choice because it can create more heat. Acidophilus supports the health of the small intestine which is the paired Fire organ with the Heart. This probiotic can really help a Fire horse showing symptoms of stress, especially if ulcers are a problem. CoQ10 supports the heart and circulation. Some consider blue-green algae to be cooling and some consider it neutral. Fire horses do well with it.

Is your horse a Fire Horse? Help balance and moderate those Fire tendencies and predispositions with Five-Element Equine: Fire.

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IV. WOOD HORSES
Wood is related to the Liver/Gallbladder. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Liver controls the blood and keeps the tissues resilient. The emotion associated with Wood is anger and the season of the year is Spring. Wood is easily injured by Wind. Wood controls the connective tissues and the sense organ Wood opens into is the eye.

Personality - The Ultimate Competitor
Wood horses love to be physically active and challenged. They can be difficult to train because if they do not have other horses to compete with, they will compete with the trainer. They hate confinement and will often pace or weave if left in a small stall or pen. Wood horses can become very irritable and develop bad habits such as kicking and biting, especially if overfed and underworked.

Training
It is pointless to try to subdue Wood horses. They will fight back. The best approach is to show them a reason to work with you and keep them physically active.

Occupation
These horses want to work and they want to win. They make great racehorses. Wood horses can make great barrel horses if they understand they are competing against the clock. If they think you are just trying to force them in a pattern they will rebel. I suspect most successful polo ponies are Wood. Cutting and other cow working classes definitely keep them interested. As with barrel racing, Wood horses can make great jumpers if they understand the plan is to not take down rails. Wood horses tend not to be concerned about details, so getting over the fence may be their main concern and they may not care much if the fence stays up. Be patient and help them understand the rules of the game.

Health Challenges
Wood horses will often stop eating when stressed by overwork. The out-of-balance Wood horse is susceptible to exzema, asthma, hives, rhinitis and other cutaneous and mucosal allergies. They are very susceptible to laminitis secondary to allergy or toxicity.

The arthritic symptoms of the Wood horse are caused by the invasion of Wind and have characteristics of Wind. Pain can be of rapid onset, quickly changing and moving from one joint to another. There can also be muscle soreness and stiffness. Chronic arthritis can manifest with joint deformities. The neuralgia pains of the Wood horse follow the path of the Gallbladder meridian from the eyes, temples, sides of the neck and chest and down the outside of the hind legs.

Wood horses are susceptible to hormonal imbalances and pathology in the genital organs. The Wood horse is susceptible to tendon and ligament injuries. These horses can also have brittle hair and hooves. These symptoms suggest the Liver is not evenly moving the blood to moisturize and lubricate the tissues. Almost all eye symptoms with the exception of injury can be related to Liver imbalance.

Diet
Wood horses' diets should be kept very simple. They do well on high fiber diets which support their need to be busy. Fat is a better source of energy than carbohydrates. The liver is the body's main organ of detoxification, so Wood horses have a tendency to be intolerant of toxins. They cannot handle drugs or synthetic supplements. They also have trouble with some herbal supplements. The best diet is a high fiber, low carbohydrate one with fat added as needed to meet energy needs.

Wood horses do well with probiotics, which reduce stress on the liver by keeping the intestines healthy. They also do well with high chlorophyll supplements like blue-green algae. It would be great if they could live in the pasture while competing but their competitive, energetic activities may lead to injury.

Wood horses are prone to muscle stiffness and tendon and ligament injuries. The temptation is to give NSAIDs such as Bute, but these drugs can further stress the liver. It is better to use natural antioxidants such as CoQ10, Superoxide dismutase or Noni juice.

Is your horse a Wood Horse? Help balance and moderate those Wood tendencies and predispositions with Five-Element Equine: Wood.

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V. EARTH HORSES
Earth is related to the Spleen/Stomach. In TCM the Spleen and Stomach are responsible for nourishing the body. The emotion associated is worry or pensiveness and the season is Late Summer. Earth is easily injured by Dampness. It controls the muscles, opens into the mouth and manifests in the lips.

Personality: The Dependable Lesson Horse
Earth horses are not very ambitious but they do like to please. Fire horses like to be admired and Earth horses want to be appreciated. These solid citizens will happily do their jobs if not pushed too hard. Earth horses love to eat, so food rewards go a long way to winning their good graces. Earth horses can get very grumpy if they are not treated with the respect they deserve. They may give a gentle kick or bite to make their point but they are not dangerous like an aggravated Wood horse. Training Slow and steady is the best way to approach the Earth horse. Be fair and present in the lessons in an orderly fashion. It is important for the Earth horse to get regular praise but they don't need the constant attention a Fire horse requires. A "Good Boy!" and nice pat go a long way. Once an Earth horse learns a task it is best not to constantly add new challenges. Earth horses tend to worry if their routine changes. Constant worry can drive the Earth horse to the bad habit of cribbing.
Occupation

Earth horses are very good at any job that requires steadiness. They are often not as athletic or flashy as other types, but make up for this in consistency of performance. They can be trusted with beginners and children which makes them perfect school horses. If you are looking for a horse to keep at the farm for the grandkids, an Earth horse will fit the bill.

Health Challenges
The digestive system is the weakness of the Earth individual. Earth horses love to eat but tend not to digest or assimilate well. They are often overweight due to their slow metabolism. Earth horses can also develop stomach ulcers. They are very susceptible to dampness which can manifest as stocking up in the legs and swelling of the sheath in geldings. Lymphatic drainage is often sluggish and lymph nodes may be chronically enlarged. Wood horses often show allergies to pollens, but molds are the undoing for the Earth horse. They are prone to fungal skin infections, thrush and white line disease in the hooves.

The Spleen controls the muscles and Earth horses are sometimes hard to get or keep fit. They will rarely exercise themselves and they can be very sluggish when being ridden. If not kept in a consistent training program, they will tend toward obesity with weak flabby muscles. They can develop arthritis which manifests as stiffness in a fixed area. They can develop swelling around a joint but do not usually show severe pain.

The spleen is involved in antibody production. Over-vaccination can cause chronic immune-system problems especially in Earth horses. This will often show up as chronic muscle soreness. Earth horses are susceptible to parasites. All complaints are worse in damp weather.

Diet
A high fiber, low calorie diet is best for Earth horses. Oats, barley and corn are all fine but sweet feeds should be kept to a minimum. Some alfalfa in the diet is beneficial as it is bitter and helps to dry Dampness. A small amount of oil in the diet can help curb an Earth horse's ravenous appetite, but too much can create too much Dampness.

Carrots are very beneficial and make great treats. Blue-green algae is another excellent supplement and Earth horses can handle pretty large amounts without becoming overly energetic. Extra support for the immune system may be required in times of stress. Echinacea, beta-glucan or Transfer Factors™ are good choices. For joint stiffness, yucca or yucca/devil's claw will often give better results than glucosamine. MSM may be very helpful for muscle soreness.

Is your horse an Earth Horse? Help balance and moderate those Earth tendencies and predispositions with Five-Element Equine: Earth.

Five Element Personality Analysis

Discover your horse's personality type in terms of the Five Types and Six Temperaments from Holistic Horsekeeping (Dr. Ward's website).

Within 48 hours of receiving your order, you will receive a link via email, where you can post information about your horse. After receiving your information, Dr. Ward's assessment of your horse's type should arrive within 2-3 business days.

There are many approaches to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), but the Five-Element approach is unique in that it includes the idea that each of us, animal or human, represents a "constitutional type," exhibiting certain physical and emotional traits that are specific to that type. Viewing the individual from this perspective can also be applied to horses, thus facilitating a better understanding of any given horse's nature and needs.

Click here for more info, or to order a Five Element Personality Analysis for your horse
Once you know your horse's Five Element type, you can easily balance and moderate that type's tendencies with Five Element Remedies from SpiritEssence!

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