Horse, Magick, and Macha

 

The horse is one of my favorite animals, ok... the horse is my favorite animal and if I had a choice and could come back in my next life as any creature I wanted… I would choose to be a horse…

Bubba

I am a horsey person... I have always had horses in my life; from even before I was born I was imprinted with the energy of the equine. This was quite literal…

When my mother was pregnant with me, she often helped my dad at the boarding stable they operated and many times went with him as his ferrier hand.  While at the farm of one of my dad’s clients mom was helping dad hold several unruly Shetland ponies. It was usually mom’s job to hold the horses, or in this case the ponies, while dad trimmed or shod their hooves.  

In this particular instance the ponies got the best of mom and one of them managed to knock her down… now this wouldn’t be so bad except she was 8 months pregnant, and the pony proceeded to run right up mom’s belly, leaving hoof prints up and over her pregnant belly… Literally imprinting me with the energy of Horse….

I spent the better part of my childhood pretending to be a horse. I was raised around them and have been riding with mom or dad right from the time I came home from the hospital. I have never been without a horse or for that matter many horses in my life.

Throughout history Horses have been an important part of the human experience. Originally horses were a source of food for humans. We can see that humans revered them and often depicted them on the walls of caves and other rock formations. It is thought that the depictions of the horses in these places by the people of the time were meant to insure the fertility of the herds or possibly to call the animals to the feeding grounds so the people could have a successful hunt and ensure the continuation of their tribes or family groups.

Later in history we find that humans still revere the horse and yet the relationship between horse and humans was changing. We find that humans and horses had become partners. The horse had become domesticated. Horse had allowed humans to begin to ride on its back and carry or pull the stuff of humans from one camp to another.

If you know anything about animals and humans you know that humans are the predators and horses are the prey. One of the traits we can still look at to make this determination is the placement of the eyes. Predator eye placement is at the front of the face allowing for greater depth perception, and the prey animal’s eye placement is on the side of the head allowing for a greater range of vision.

The simple fact that a prey animal is domesticated implies to me there is some sort of agreement to this on a deeper or more magickal/Spiritual level. 

This level of spiritual/magickal connection can be seen in the number of gods and goddesses associated with the energy of Horse. Almost every spiritual practice has stories associated with the power of horse. In some cases this is expressed as a goddess that takes on the role of horse or is associated with mares and the continuing fertility of horses and women. Other times the horse is revered as a male energy and is thought of as a viral stallion or the faithful carrier of a viral and strong warrior.

My daughter (Jolene), Bubba, and me

I often work with Horse directly in my magickal work. I have a wonderful Horse partner, his name is Bubba and besides being my friend and companion he is also a member of my family and a very magickal being.

Other times I work with the goddess Macha. Macha is associated with horses, especially mares and birth. She is also associated with battle and death. I find that she is strongest when I work with her as a battle horse. She comes on as the bravest swiftest and often ruthless as well as compassionate. She is my patroness as well as the ultimate expression of horse energy for me. I do experience her in the form of Raven also. Please be reminded.... there are several traditional stories associated with Macha, but my experiences, as I've described them... are my own personal experiences.

I believe the greatest turning point in the history of civilization and society came when the kingdoms of humankind and horse embarked on a relationship together. Horse offered to carry humans and their belongings, swiftly to anyplace they wanted to go, and humankind agreed to protect and make safe the breeding and feeding grounds of horse.

To this day we still describe the power produced by engines in terms of horse power, or how many horses it would take to produce the same amount of power as the engine.  This is a testament to the continuing energy horse represents for us as modern humans.

 

Have a Wicked Good Day!

Molly