The Wind Horse
/The wind horse carries my soul.
We go together,
As one we seek the heavens.
Haiku by Emily Knitter
As a lifelong equestrian I try and honor all horses, but I have a confession to make, I am attracted to a certain type and shape of equine. They are the type I seek out and am called to own. They can be different breeds, but they share a bunch of characteristics such as a tidy stockier build, wide expressive nostrils, a slightly concave facial profile, and refined pointy ears. They are usually grey (but not always, as I know with Khaliel), and their most defining characteristic is their eyes. They are large, almond shaped eyes that express a certain infinite peace. Conformationally they might not achieve the highest levels of equestrian sport, but they have a sturdiness, and a high set tail that they flag when excited.
It's the eyes that have it though, their eyes hold a soft peace, an awareness that pulls you into their world and looks into your soul. This is the gaze of gurus, of sages and temple priests and priestesses from long ago who can sense your spirit and teach you wonderous things.
If you have been to Laurelin Farm you no doubt have met some of these cherished friends, Niner, Glory, Leah, Ms. Poppy the mini horse. They are all different breeds, and yet I am often asked if they are all related.
I call these ‘type’ of horses Wind Horses, after the Tibetan Buddhist archetype. This horse symbol is often found on prayer flags for healing and is a symbol dealing with spirit and medicine for the mind. In many places you will often see these prayer flags fluttering in the wind, the monks who print them believing that the wind carries the prayers to the heavens. The Wind Horse is a symbol of how the soul/spirit can travel to enlightenment or embodiment. The image is of a white horse carrying the fire of the spirit at a brisk gait, with prayers of Sanskrit surrounding it.
It does not escape me that Niner’s health problems originate in her lungs, and her allergies are triggered by the winds of spring. It has been an interesting study of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory as well, that this type of horse is often plagued by respiratory ailments.
All horses have the ability to channel the Wind Horse, but some seem to hold the peace and grace of the Heavens more fully, more gracefully than others. They also fully expect peace and grace from their riders. Niner is extraordinary at being a wise mothering teacher, who takes care of young children and non-confident adults during her lessons as her sacred duty. Then gradually, as her riders gain confidence and control, usually after about 6 – 8 lessons, she very carefully starts to up her expectations. She gently pushes her riders to develop more self-control, more sensitivity, and seems to encourage them to reach for more, to go a little faster and be a little braver. She does this so calmly and steadily, I tell her riders that I am just an interpreter instead of the instructor, it is the horses that are doing the real teaching here.
My other ‘Wind Horses’ are much the same and seem to always and ever deepen the experience of riding (or driving in the case of Ms. Poppy) into way more than a physical practice. Glory and I have adventured depths of the soul that are too intense and ethereal to put into words. Little Ms. Poppy and I have had wonderful sessions just grooming each other, learning the fine art of rest and recovery, and she also lets me know that it’s okay to just cry. Soul Wisdom is sometimes achieved by just listening to your Wind Horse.
If you ever recognize and get to interact with a Wind Horse, take the time to honor them, and in turn be honored by their guidance in mind, body and spirit.