Horse - Sovereignty, Guidance

The horse is associated with many Celtic deities as an emblem of power, sovereignty, abundance, and guidance. Epona and Macha are Celtic horse Goddesses who watch over the land, protecting its abundance and insuring a good harvest. As protectors of nature, they both grant sovereignty over the land and are the goddesses of the stable, protecting all who work with horse. As goddesses of maternity, prophecy, and prosperity, they guide and protect mortals on their journeys through life.

INVERURIE HORSES

Horses were highly valued by the Celts. A man might well have been judged by the quality of the horses he kept and by how well he treated them. Evidence exists that shows a good horse was sometimes treated with the same respect and reverence due a chieftan. They were symbols of virility, strength, and stamina. "Inverurie Horses" is a copy of a design created by George Bain, which was inspired by a Pictish image of a horse he found carved into a stone in Inverurie, Scotland. It is also commonly thought to represent the three "Great Horse" goddesses of Celtic mythology: "Epona" (Gaulish), "Macha" (Irish), and "Rhiannon" (Welsh).