Horses as Healers: The Story of Our Logo

It is often stated that the domestication of the horse was the single most pivotal moment in humankind’s history, which occurred around 3,000 B.C. One could argue that ancient civilizations were founded upon the backs of horses, and through out humankind history one can find the horse moving alongside them.

Across divisions of time, space, and cultures, we can find horses as messengers of the Divine, healers, and magical beings in myths and stories. Horses are seen commonly as the link between man and the Divine. There are countless examples of this across many different cultures. From the winged horse Pegasus, to the Four Horseman, to the messenger horses of Vishnu, to the Wounded Healer Chiron, we find that the horse and their archetypes inexplicably bound to humankind.

Our logo might look familiar to some.  It is based off the stone carving the White Horse of Uffington. The White Horse of Uffington, one of the oldest hill figures in Britain, is believed (by some) to be a tribute to the Celtic Goddess Epona.

Epona was the Celtic, Gaulish, and Roman Horse Goddess. While she was specifically believed to be associated with mares and foals, she was also considered to be the protector of all horses, mules, stables, equine caregivers and cavalrymen.

Epona was believed to have the ability to shape-shift between the form of a woman and a white mare. While a white mare, Epona was believed to have carried druids upon her back so that they could travel to and from the spirit world.

She was also known as the Gaulish people as the Moon Goddess and the Goddess of Abundance, since she was believed to represent fertility, freedom and creativity.

Because of her ability to carry humans to the other worlds, she can be associated with the afterlife and transitions. Her strengths of independence, vitality, and intuitive understanding, all strong characteristics of horses, also associate her with the Divine Feminine.

It was these attributes of Epona and that spoke to us and caused us to found Body N Soul with this in mind. Here, we believe that horses are more than simple beasts of burden. They are not tools to be used, or creatures that we ride for the sake of pleasure. They are partners who can offer us great insight to ourselves. They can literally, and figuratively, carry us down into the depths of our own souls, into our own dark night. And they can bring us out of our own despair and depths, as our guides and healers. They have been associated with this since humankind and Equus have started their journeys together.

We posit that this is part of why horses can be such phenomenal and powerful healers for humans.

Here at Body N Soul we seek to provide holistic equine instruction, training, boarding, and equine therapy; allowing for the client’s personal growth, development, and technical skills in a safe environment based within relationship and partnership between horse and human.