It has been said that the Horse was the first animal medicine given to civilization. And if you think about it all humans owe a great deal of gratitude to the gifts and medicine that Horse as a totem and animal has given us. In Native American traditions, the Horse totem is a lesson in power. At one time many tribal traditions had a saying that was in the order of “Stealing horses is stealing power.”
The horse has given a physical power to humans since the first adventurous soul mounted the back of one and domesticated it. Suddenly the burden of carrying heavy loads became lighter. A trip to see a relative that might take several days on foot, became easier to make on the back of a horse. If we think about it, Horse decided to let that human on its back to give the human a power like he or she had never known before.
There is a story of a medicine man who was traveling a far distance to visit a particular band of his tribe. He was on foot, carrying only his pipe and what few belongings he possessed. The feather in his hair pointed down to the earth which marked him as a man of peace.
He was greeted by a herd of mustangs as he walked. A black stallion approached him and told him, “I am from the Void where Answer lives. Ride on my back and know the power of entering the Darkness and finding the Light.” The man thanked the stallion and agreed to visit him when his medicine was need in the his Dreamtime.
Yellow Stallion approached the man, next. This horse offered to take the man to the East where he would find that illumination lives. The man would learn what to teach and illuminate his people with. Again, the man humbly thanked the horse and promised to use these gifts while on his journey.
The man was playfully approached by the Red Stallion who explained the importance of balancing work with joyful experiences. Humor could be used to hold the attention of those he wanted to teach. The man thanked the Red Stallion for his gifts.
The man was then approached by the White Stallion who was the message carrier. Instinctively the man mounted the White horse as he represented the wisdom in power. “No abuse of power will ever lead to true wisdom, ” the horse shared with the man. “Power is not given lightly but awarded to those who are willing to carry a balanced responsibility.”
The medicine of Horse teaches us that true power is the wisdom found in remembering our total journey. You might be interested in reading my thoughts of the horse and it’s part in the Old West.
~Mitakuye Oyasin~ We are all related
Thank you for this. Im trying to understand different meaning of horses.. as my totem is a horse.. but I’ve been feeling a spiritual disconnection to it, like I lost a bit of myself and can’t seem to gain back.. i had recently answered to my shamanic call, I have a blood line of spiritual healer.. and spirit animals had shown its self but through other people I’ve have come across on my spiritual journey.. i told them what my totem is and they was shock and things started to make sense to them why a horse was showing it self to them, in a spiritual way.. so it still is with me but I can’t seem to connect with it like I did when I was younger.. before my life gotten complicated..
As you know Bev, I have a huge affinity with horses and I was also born in the Chinese Year of the Horse. However, I had no idea of the meaning of the Horse Totem so I really enjoyed this post.
I was also fascinated by what Amala had to say. What an amazing gift and what an amazing lady.
HI Bev. I have been horse crazy since I was born , they called me horse crazy and now I find myself following the crazy horse prophecy . I partner with a medicine horse to help clients children Adults and special needs. I had a horse 30 years ago an amazing gelding called Justine . He sure was sad and so was I when I had to part with him and rasie a family , we could not afford both. So sad that is as if I had my own place I would have kept him forever . He came in my dreams when he passed on and every so often, up until a year ago and now I partner with an elderly Mare and powerful healing horse she called for me to come and save here and another stable mate from being put down. That was last October and Her health has imprroved and so has her stablemate plus I adopted her herd. I like to thave a place of my own still. So I teamed up with a very spiritual women who also has 17 medicine horses in the states. One of which came into my meditation when I first met her and this experiece told her three of these sane horsess will com to the Medicine /Wind horse Lodge I hold space for . I await for the dontaed land and building a dharma like center. The horses also are our teachers they are here to help humanity to have sane and healthy relationships as being in balance wiith Nature. I am so very excited about this . The animals speak to me . The horses quite strongly . So now I am saving funds ( $7,000) to take a course that will help me to expand upon the healing horse and helping children and adults and specail needs kids as well. LOL I am busy making and teaching Moccasins, Drum Making and selling also the ones I make. Moose antler Found in the woods, feather and crystal wands and wooden journals and wooden love flutes and much more…My Mentor said I am able to draw the animals so well because they talk to me. I am 61 this year and feel I am finally doing my life purpose for being here. Helping the kids and animals. I had an out of body experiecne 10 years ago and recieved that same message . However didnot know how I would be doing that, and here I am with the beloved Horses and children coming. The challenge is raising the funds for my equine course. I am Gallery ready , so now to do what I can, to sell my Art , painitng, woodcarving, Antler Carving and so much more, and I do not have everything represented on my website, yet. You can see more on my Life is soul song art page on face book and Souls song art group. My facebook name I use this long version becasue I have two facebooks and could not rid the other so I use Sheilag Margaret Mercer. I do spirit drawings from the other side , they can be totems of guides or family members that come to visit . I see those who cross over or rather when they need some help to cross over. it does not happen often , yet it does happen. I am Highly visual and found this out when I had three degrees in Rieki and can see into the body where there is illness or disease. I love when people ask me to come to their farm and help with thier horses strory or health as a medical Intuitive for peole it was no hard to switch to animals . Even Long distance and on the phone I can help with what ever I can., I love life my family and animals and blessed Mother Nature. I am part Mohawk . And the animals walk with me. I have even been contacted by someones pet grizzly bears they have two. I felt him as if he where there right beside me. Tigers and unicorns and a yaks they have come in my Living room as I meditate to be with me. So I draw the totam animals I see in peoples aura. THe thought forms are all there. And when I ask to see the then, I do. I really love what you wrote about the horses. They are also capable of helping people discharge the trauma from thier nerology and that is what I see happening , as you know we just do not rid Trauma by talking about it. The Medicine/Wind Horse Community and Lodge is the reason I took the name Amala Love and Blessings Amala Sheilagh
Mitakuye Oyasin– Iwill read your stories
I met and recognized Crazy Horse in this life time
I met white buffalo Calf women and in a body this life tiem.
I know I was Black Buffalo Woman It just sees a sif Crazy Horse gifted me the Medicine Horse. I know White Buffalo Calf Woman did , she has three horse waiting for me when the community is built. THe horse I do not own thery are gret beings they are teachers. The animals truly are my Brothers and sisters. Wen de way ho.
Thank you so much for leaving your lovely message and sharing your relationship with Horse. I will see if I can find you on Facebook. I would love to see your totem paintings.