“The horse is a mirror to your soul. Sometimes you might not like what you see. Sometimes you will.” — Buck Brannaman
Horses have long been woven into the fabric of human history—not just as companions but as partners in survival, progress, and even healing. I chose them as the judges of mankind in The Seven because I have seen firsthand the miracles they bring into people’s lives. From my years raising and training horses to witnessing the deep, unspoken bond between horse and rider, I know their wisdom runs deeper than mere instinct. They teach patience, resilience, and trust, offering lessons that extend far beyond the arena or the trail. It is only fitting that such noble creatures would hold the fate of humanity in their hooves.
Horses have thundered through history—not just across land but even in the imaginations of sailors who have spent their lives at sea. They appear in myths and legends from every culture, standing as symbols of strength, freedom, and even fate. But their presence isn’t limited to stories of kings and warriors. Out on the open ocean, where no hooves have ever touched the ground, sailors speak of white horses—the rolling whitecaps of wind-driven waves.
I first heard the term white horses six years into my journey at sea. I remember thinking, How could I have sailed this long and never heard that before? But, when I thought hard about it, I understood. Just like a herd of galloping horses racing across the land, the sea comes alive in strong winds, its whitecaps cresting and breaking like manes tossed in the wind. It’s a poetic, almost mythical way to see the ocean—a reminder that nature, whether on land or sea, is full of wild and untamed beauty.
Mythical Horses: Symbols of Power and Freedom
Just as sailors saw horses in the sea, ancient storytellers saw them in the skies, on battlefields, and even in the underworld. Some of the most legendary horses in history include:
Pegasus: The Winged Wonder
In Greek mythology, Pegasus was born from the blood of Medusa and became a symbol of inspiration and divine power. He carried heroes to victory and soared through the heavens, much like the wind-driven waves that sailors navigate.
Sleipnir: The Eight-Legged Steed of the Gods
The Norse god Odin rode Sleipnir, a supernatural eight-legged horse that could travel between worlds. Like the relentless power of the ocean, Sleipnir was unstoppable, swift, and deeply tied to the forces of nature.
The Kelpie: A Creature of Water and Warning
Not all mythical horses were noble. In Scottish folklore, Kelpies were shape-shifting water spirits that took the form of beautiful black horses to lure travelers into deep waters, where they would drag them to their doom. Perhaps the early sailors who saw white horses on stormy seas thought of these dangerous creatures, knowing that the ocean, like the mythical kelpie, could turn from inviting to deadly in an instant.
The Sky Dogs: Native American Spirit Horses
In some Native American traditions, particularly among the Lakota, horses were considered sacred gifts from the Great Spirit. According to legend, they were “Sky Dogs” that came from the heavens to guide and aid their people. The arrival of horses changed their way of life, making travel, hunting, and warfare easier, but the bond between horse and rider remained deeply spiritual. Native American warriors often painted their horses with sacred symbols, believing it gave them protection and strength in battle.
Uchchaihshravas: The Seven-Headed Celestial Horse
In Hindu mythology, Uchchaihshravas was a magnificent white horse with seven heads, said to be the king of all horses. He emerged from the churning ocean during the creation of the world, making him an eternal connection between water, divinity, and power. Much like the white horses of the sea, Uchchaihshravas represent speed, strength, and the mystical forces that shape the universe.
White Horses and The Seven
It’s fitting that horses, both real and imagined, carry such weight in our stories. In The Seven, the horses aren’t just animals—they are the keepers of fate, just as the white horses of the ocean can signal an oncoming storm. They watch, they judge, and they remind us that the natural world holds mysteries we may never fully understand.
Our sailboat is named Equus, Latin for horse. At first, I had to think about it when Dan suggested the name. We did have a horse farm for 30 years but I wasn’t sure how horses tied to the sea. Little did I know how faithful and resilient our sea pony would be. Little did I know I would be inspired to write an epic saga about horses and the fate of humanity. And I certainly didn’t know about the epic roles horses had in mythology regarding them and the sea.
Next time you look out at the waves and see whitecaps cresting in the wind, imagine them as a herd of galloping horses racing across the ocean’s surface. The legends of horses—whether they soar in the sky, cross into other worlds, or run wild over the sea—live on in our stories, waiting to be discovered.
Have You Ever Seen White Horses on the Water?
Whether you’re a sailor or a lover of myths, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment below—have you ever spotted “white horses” at sea? Do you have a favorite mythical horse from history or legend? Let’s keep the stories alive.
#WhiteHorses #HorsesInMythology #TheSeven #SailingAndStories
