by P Vandegrift

Created on: April 12, 2010

The beauty, power, and spiritual mirror that horses represent have all been depicted on cave walls, in medieval art, sculptures, and of course, in the written word. In mythology, sometimes a hero couldn't be a hero without a trusty steed to help him, or her, on their journey. From Perseus' Pegasus to Cuchulain's Liath Macha and Sigurd's (aka Sigfried) Grani, horses are an integral link in mythological tales around the world. As in everything mythological, some horses are revered and some are reviled. And in some cases, one horse was blamed for bringing down an entire kingdom; that horse being the Trojan horse.

Unicorns and Faery Horses

     In mythology, there are some horses you would love to meet, like the elusive and magical unicorn. The unicorn has long been used as a symbol of innocence and purity. Many myths and early religious organizations began reinforcing that use by suggesting that unicorns could therefore only be tamed by virgins. Whether real nor not, there is no doubt that meeting one would be quite a spectacular experience. Though there are no grandiose myths attached to any one unicorn, it seems it has become more of an honorary adoptee by mythology itself. The Chinese have a version of it called the 'qilin', which is comprised of a deer's body, a lion's head, covered in green scales and a long curved horn. The Japanese call their version a 'kirin', and in the list of the most powerful creatures, they have given it the top spot. For them, it is a creature of good omen symbolizing fair rule and could punish those who reigned by wicked means by goring them with its horn. The Vietnamese call theirs the 'Que Ly', which they use to represent wealth and prosperity.

     The Fey often use faery horses to travel between their mystical world and the mortal world. Most mortal eyewitnesses say that when the Fey appear, they are usually upon horseback. Such is the case of Tam Lin. He found himself captivated by the faerie queen who appeared to him upon a beautiful white horse. For the most part, faery horses are benign, such as in Brittany, where the Ar Gazek Klanv, a white faery horse, regulates the tides. Ar Gazek C'hlaz, is a blue horse who is in charge of the fish, and Ar Marc'h Hep Vestr, is a rider-less horse who is responsible for creating the rambunctious white-tipped waves. But sometimes…

Kelpies and Cannibalistic Mares:

     On the other hand, some mythological horses you might

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