Horse Spirit Animal: What Does a Horse Symbolize?
Although dogs are known as man’s best friend, horses also have a strong claim to this title, and they are also deeply spiritual creatures that can occupy an important place in our lives and our hearts.
As a spirit animal, the horse can also be a powerful ally and reliable guide, both in the physical world and in the spiritual realm – and in this post, we have all the information you need to know about whether the horse spirit animal is the right match for you.
Horse Symbolism
Horses have lived alongside humans for millennia, and through travel, agriculture and war, they have played a more significant role in human history than perhaps any other animal.
It is hardly surprising, then, that horses have acquired deep symbolic meaning for many people around the world, so now let’s look at some of the things they can represent.
1. Power and wealth
Horses are expensive to buy and keep, and throughout history in many parts of the world, owning horses has represented power and wealth – with more or higher quality horses being representative of higher status.
2. Strength
One of the reasons horses became so important to us is their great strength, and it is still a quality we admire.
The largest working shire horses are huge, powerful animals, but even much smaller horses can still be strong and hardy.
It is easy to picture two muscular stallions rearing up on their hind legs locked in battle, and this image epitomizes horses’ power, making them potent symbols of strength.
3. Speed
The other of horses’ great qualities that has allowed them to occupy such a significant place in the development of human civilization is their ability to run at speed over long distances, and another iconic image of the horse is one running free with its mane blowing in the wind.
For this reason, horses are also a symbol of speed, and this is one of the qualities we associate most closely with them.
4. Energy
Horses are energetic animals that love to run at full pelt, sometimes apparently galloping about for the sheer joy of it. They have irrepressible spirits, and as such, are symbolic of the energy they exude.
5. Freedom
The image of a wild horse running across the open countryside is another powerful image that can represent freedom and independence.
However, even domesticated horses represent freedom and independence because, ever since they were first tamed, they have allowed their riders to travel far greater distances in far shorter times than was previously possible.
Horse Spiritual Meaning
The horse has been vital in human history and the development of human civilization, but it is also a deeply spiritual animal with rich spiritual symbolism and meaning – so let’s look at these aspects now.
1. Exploring your spirituality
The horse is an explorer, roaming over vast territories looking for fresh food and the opportunity to mate, and it is also a noble animal that carries itself with great serenity, giving the air of a creature of great wisdom.
In a way, it can be seen as being like a person seeking spiritual growth and development through deep thought and contemplation, always pushing on to explore ever further and deeper corners of our own psyche.
Horses are also brave animals, and exploring the deepest, most hidden parts of our subconscious minds can take great courage, but the steady and unflinching temperament of the wise horse can inspire us to push through despite our fears.
2. The power of spiritual awakening
As well as their outer strength that is plain for all to see, horses have an inner power that comes from their calm demeanor and their stoic outlook.
The dignified elegance of these beautiful animals can help to teach us about the power of spiritual awakening since it is only through calm and determined spiritual exploration that you can grow and develop and eventually achieve spiritual enlightenment.
3. Seeking harmony between the physical and the spiritual
The stories of horses and humans are so inextricably intertwined that we and horses seem to exist in a sort of symbiosis, and this can be taken as a metaphor for the mixing of the physical and the spiritual realms.
It is only once we learn to balance the needs of the physical world with our exploration of the spiritual world that we can finally grow into the fulfilled beings we always strive to be, and the union of horses and people reminds us of this.
How Do You Know if the Horse Is Your Spirit Animal?
Since they have such deep spiritual significance, the horse as a spirit animal can become a powerful friend and ally that can help you traverse the more challenging passages of your life and emerge from the other side stronger and wiser than before.
But how do you know if the horse is your spirit animal? Let’s look at this now.
1. You need to be free
Horse people have an innate desire to be free, and when they feel they are being caged, trapped or oppressed, their soul fights to burst out from the unwanted confinement.
If this is the kind of feeling you can relate to, your spirit animal is almost certainly one that loves freedom, and with such strong emotions involved, there’s a good chance it could be the horse.
2. You love to explore
As well as the need to be free, people with the horse as their spirit animal love to explore, and they are never satisfied when they have to stay in the same place for too long.
Are you a person with wanderlust or who gets itchy feet if you find yourself stuck in one place? Then the powerful explorative impulses of the horse spirit animal could well be driving you to move on to your next destination.
3. You are a loyal friend and form strong bonds
People with the horse spirit animal are people who form strong bonds. They might not instantly become friends with everyone they meet, but once they accept a person into their close circle, they will be fiercely loyal to them.
Does this sound familiar to you? Are you the kind of person who has only a few close friends instead of many loose acquaintances? Then the horse spirit animal may be well suited to your character.
4. You are full of energy
Are you somebody who is always bursting with energy, enthusiasm and vigor? Do you have an irrepressibly positive personality and are always thinking of new ways to expend this positive buzz?
This is another trait of people who have the horse as their spirit animal, and if this describes you and you find you have a close affinity with this beautiful beast, the horse spirit animal could be the perfect fit for you.
Horse Totem
As we’ve already mentioned, horses are noble, wise animals, and this is coupled with their energetic yet gentle and often docile nature.
As such, there’s much we can learn from them, and the horse totem can teach us many lessons – so let’s look at some of the most important ones next.
1. Remember your inner power
While horses can remain calm when it’s time to relax, we all know how much power they have within them when the time comes to gallop or even to fight, and the horse totem can teach you to believe in your own inner power too.
You might not be aware of how strong you can be – and this is not about physical strength – but when the time comes and you are tested, you will find you can call on great reserves of inner strength to overcome the obstacles that confront you.
When this happens, you can rely on the horse totem to show you the way and release the strength that lies dormant inside you.
2. Stay true to those closest to you
Herds of horses take care of their members, and the bonds horses can form with their masters can be extremely strong too.
For this reason, the horse totem teaches us to stay true to those who are closest to us, to be loyal to them and to be ready to fight to protect them if it’s ever required.
3. Don’t be afraid to try something new
Change can sometimes be scary, but we can never fight it, and the best thing to do is embrace it since while it may be unnerving, it can also bring new opportunities.
If you have the chance to try something new or to experience something you are unaccustomed to, the horse totem can help you find the courage to face the novelty and then learn from the experience and grow stronger both mentally and spiritually.
4. Have the confidence to pursue your dreams
We all have dreams, but many people don’t chase them because of the fear of failure.
However, it is a fact that nobody who gave up chasing their dreams made their dreams come true – and the only people who reach their objectives are those who just keep on going.
At the same time, it’s only natural to sometimes feel disheartened, and when this happens, the horse totem can give you the confidence to keep pushing ahead until you reach your goals.
Horse Omens
Finally, let’s have a look at the kind of message it can bring you if you come across a horse in real life or if horses visit you in your dreams.
1. The start of a new journey or phase in your life
In days gone by, horses were the only means of transport, and saddling up horses was closely associated with starting out on journeys – and although not many people travel by horse anymore, this idea has remained in our collective consciousness.
As a result, if you dream about horses, it could tell you that you are about to embark on a new phase in your life.
The stolid horses are also there to reassure you that the journey will go smoothly and that you should face this new phase in your life with confidence rather than trepidation.
However, if the horses are jumpy in your dream, it could represent your anxiety about what you face, in which case the dream is telling you that you need to look for the confidence and courage to face the future within yourself.
2. You yearn for more freedom or independence
Dreaming of horses running in open fields – especially if you are a horse yourself in your dream – is often a dream about a desire for more freedom or independence in your life.
Spend time considering your current life situation and think about what could be causing you feelings of being caged or oppressed. Then, when you understand the root of these feelings, you will be able to take steps to improve things.
3. You have pent-up energies or desires
Horses love to be free, and they also have boundless energy, so dreaming of a horse galloping around a small enclosure – or even seeing it in real life – could tell you that you have pent-up energy or desires that you need to expend.
Again, it is up to you to spend time in deep thought, meditation and self-exploration to see what is causing these feelings, but it is important that you do so because only then will you be able to act on the dream and regain your spiritual and emotional balance.
4. You need more close relationships or stronger bonds in your life
Sometimes, you may approach a field, and a horse comes over to you and allows you to stroke and pet it. Often, this is because the horse senses that you are feeling lonely and are in need of more close relationships in your life or stronger bonds with the people you know.
Alternatively, you may dream of petting a horse, and the interpretation is similar – so you should take the time to work harder on developing your relationships and friendships to make them more enriching.
A powerful animal that can help you immensely if you can control it
The horse is a devoted creature, but it is also full of powerful energy, and if you don’t have the right personality, the horse spirit animal can be overwhelming.
However, if you have the right character traits and also have the strength of mind to control it, the horse spirit animal can help you overcome all your difficulties and urge you on to achieve great things, both in the physical world and in the spiritual realm.
