THE HORSE:This animal was known to the Babylonians as far back as 2300 B.C.E. and was used by them to draw war chariots beginning in about 1700 B.C.E. The horse was used for riding by the Greeks, Alaric, Attila, and Genghis Khan among others. This creature symbolized the Sun and the Moon, the sky and the Underworld, according to its color and the deity with which it appeared. The white horse was connected to the Moon; red, white, or golden ones with the Sun. Black horses, such as the one ridden by the Wild Huntsman, accompanied deities of death and the Underworld. The horse in general symbolized power, swiftness, wisdom, prophetic abilities, magickal powers. The Chinese Cosmic Cloud Horse, an avatar of Kuan Yin, was white, as was the horse of the Japanese deity Kwannon.The Celestial Charger, the Horse King Ma-wang of China, was considered to be the ancestor of all horses. The Chinese Ancestral Horse was always accompanied by a dragon, a phoenix, and a crane. The Romans had an annual horse sacrifice called the October Horse, or Cut Horse. The Muslims call the horse a "god-sent" animal, believing it can prophecy, foresee danger, and see the dead. Among the Norse and northern Germans, the horse was sacred to Odhinn; he had an eight-legged gray horse called Sleipnir that could run on land, sea, or in the air. Gray cloud-horses were said to be an alternative method of travel for the Valkyries. Sacred to the goddess Epona and Rhiannon, the horse was thought by the Celts to be a guide to the Otherworlds. SuperstitionsSome of the older houses in Jutland still bear a double-headed horse carved into the rafters for luck.In Wales, a gray horse is considered to be a death omen, as is dreaming of a white horse in England and Germany. It is a general superstition that horses will tremble and refuse to go on if they come near a dead body, even though they can't see it. The herb moonwort is suppose to cause horseshoes to fall off the horse's feet. A holed stone (known as a hogstone in England) was hung over the stable door to protect horses against witches and faeries riding them to exhaustion at night. Originally, the tail was plaited with ribbons to keep the horse safe from witches. Horse brasses were considered to be magickal in such far-apart places as China and Scandanavia. They were used to protect horses from witches and the evil eye. The deeper a horse dips his nostrils while drinking, the better sire he will be. When its master dies, a horse will shed tears. At one time there were groups of horsemen who passed along secret words. It was believed that if these words were whispered in a horse's ear it gave the person immediate command over the animal. Magickal AttributesStamina, endurance, faithfulness.It symbolizes freedom when it runs free; when it works with humans, it represents friendship and cooperation. Travel, journey, swiftness, friends, loyalty. Astral traveling. Companion and guardian when taking a trip. Guide to evercoming obstacles. Checking a situation for possible danger. ChantPounding hooves, tossing mane,Take me swiftly on my life's journey. Loyal friend, carry me to a place of safety. Lift me over the obstacles in my path. |