Horses-Their Gifts   

by Joy Michael

  Okanagan, B.C & Alberta

I have had the privilege of being a horse owner most of my life. I have had different kinds of horses - not just different breeds, but personalities. Each has come to teach me something about myself. Sometimes these lessons are painful and sometimes joyful but always interesting!

The horse has been honoured as a spiritual being for centuries. The following is a quotation from the book "King of the Wind" by Marguerite Henry.

When Allah created the horse

He said to the Wind

I will that a creature proceed from thee

Condense Thyself.

And the Wind condensed itself

And the result was the horse.

Why do horses catch the imagination of all people? Why do children, especially girls, begin and maintain a life-long relationship with horses? What is there about a horse that lodges itself into one's heart? Even people who have never had the honor of being a horse owner will collect art, models of horses, watch movies about horses, go to horse shows etc. How many parents of horse-crazy kids indulge the children, even when they have no interest (and at considerable expense) when they see how the horse eases "growing pains."

I have taught riding lessons and helped people find horses "just right" for them. This honor has allowed me to witness the magic which occurs when the right combination horse-rider is made. What is this magic??

There is a belief that the horse represents POWER. If we equate "feeling powerful" and "good about" ourselves as a positive emotion, and our relationship with a horse supports these feelings - could this be part of it? If we feel LOVE flowing back and forth between us and our horse, could this be part of it?

I believe that our relationship with horses is a complementary and evolutionary one. It does not exclude any emotions. We learn to accept and "handle" FEAR (riding through our fear). We experience great JOY when we successfully accomplish a new skill (riding for the first time - or if we are more accomplished, achieving a higher level of expertise). We can ride our whole lives and still improve our communication with our horse, forming bonds that continue for life times.

In the new movie, "King Arthur," a legend is mentioned. When great knights die, they come back as great war horses so they know how to look after their riders. Perhaps not only great knights come back as great war horses. Would our ancestors come back to look after us??

Have a talk to your horse. Ask him/her to share, with you, your history together. I assure you that it will be a very interesting visit.