To view the previous 12 months issues please use the links above or
use the Backcopies link to view ALL previous issues

The GREEN HORSE - sustainable horsekeeping

AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2011
Vol 33 No 2

In the August September 2011 issue of The Green Horse you will find the following articles:

The GREEN HORSE
sustainable horsekeeping
Information Exchange
Reader’s Tips, Views and Questions  
Weed Watch - Prunus by Nicola Field
Being a Good Rural Neighbour by Andrea Carmody
Permaculture Pt 5 - Improving Soil Carbon and Water Harvesting
by Mariette Van den Berg and Nick Huggins
Conscious Horse Health - Green Lipped Muscles by Amanda White                
Growing Equine Herbs: Fenugreek by Jackie Rive               
Top Ten Tips for Successful Silage by Australian Fodder Industry Association

Growing Equine Herbs: Fenugreek by Jackie Rive

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a common ingredient in curries, but the leaves and seeds have many medicinal properties that can provide a range of benefits to horses.

Horses enjoy the aroma of fenugreek, hence it is widely used as an appetite stimulant. It is a great tonic for both the liver and digestive system and is also used for cleansing the lymphatic system.

This herb can help a horse put on muscle and soothe digestion. It is used to tempt horses that have poor appetites and for gastric problems. Fenugreek contains Calcium, vitamins A, B, C and E and is ideal for horses that suffer ‘poor condition’.
A nutritious all round body conditioner, fenugreek will help increase milk flow for nursing mares but should be avoided in mares with hormonal imbalances, due to the oestrogen content. Fenugreek seeds will stimulate the uterus however, so do not use during pregnancy.

While the plant has a strong, sweetish-spicy aroma, the seeds taste slightly salty and when chewed have a mildly bitter taste. With their emollient effects, fenugreek seeds ground into a paste help heal boils, abscesses, swollen lymph nodes and skin inflammations.

Fenugreek powder makes an appetite-stimulating tonic. The seeds contain a good proportion of mucilage and protein, as well as fatty oils, amino acids, alkaloids, sterols, flavonoids and vitamins A and B. Steroidal saponins account for the bitter taste; they are also thought to chemically resemble human sex hormones, which may be why fenugreek was once considered an aphrodisiac and why it is still used to stimulate the uterus and milk flow.

Because of its mucilage content, fenugreek can protect the mucous membrane of the stomach and relieve gastric irritations. Similarly, it soothes inflamed respiratory membranes and quiets coughs. Also known to be an anti-diabetic, lowering blood sugar as well as cholesterol levels, so it should not be used during hypoglycemic therapy.

Eighty species of fenugreek are grown from the Mediterranean to southern Africa and Australia. It is grown as a fodder crop in south and central Europe, and as a spice in most Mediterranean countries, the Middle East, Russia, the Balkans and China.

Plant a small patch of Fenugreek in
the herb garden for the horses.

Fenugreek  was first mentioned in Chinese medicine in the 11th century and has a long tradition as a tonic herb in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The Romans preferred it as an aid in childbirth, while the Chinese employed it in cases of weakness and swelling of the legs.

Charred fenugreek seeds have been recovered from Iraq (carbon dated to 4000 BC) and fenugreek was used by the ancient Egyptians for incense and embalming. Desiccated seeds were recovered from Tutankhamen’s tomb.

Western interest in the herb centres on one of its constituent alkaloids, trigonelline, which is still used in human treatments for ailments such as arthritis and diabetes.

For those who would like to increase the variety in a horse’s diet and help boost its immune system and hoof health, consider supplementing with fenugreek.