This weekend many of you will take part in “something green.” Perhaps you will enjoy one of those green shamrock shaped cookies or tip back with a drink and toast of “Sláinte!” (health)? Maybe you will just enjoy the green that returns in spring? At WHE, we love a dive into history and lore.

Most of you won’t be able to escape an image of a leprechaun. Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil that pervaded Celtic tradition. An interesting observation of the “American leprechaun” is that the physical features and clothing depicted are the same used in early cartoons to demonize Irish immigrants. Did you know that?

If you make it just beyond the commercialization of the day, you can’t help but be drawn into the myriad of myths and legends surrounding the misty isle. Oral traditions were important as no written records were kept or survived, probably due to the continued invasions and conquests. Occupations by the Romans changed much of the origins of legend and religion to suit Roman ideals. During the time of Elizabeth I, even speaking the native tongue could get you killed.

The earliest evidence of horses in Ireland dates to about 2000 B.C. from bones found in Newgrange. It is no wonder that horses played a large part in early daily life, myth, legend and religion.

Sorting through the many myths, overlapping themes and names, gets a bit tricky. But you do find horses played an important part in legend (as they do with nearly every culture on the planet). These myths and legends continue to inspire authors such as JRR Tolkein basing the horse named Shadowfax in the Lord of the Rings books on Enbarr (the magnificent horse Enbarr of the Flowing Mane associated with the great Celtic Sea god Manannán mac Lir).

When thinking of horses and Celtic mythology, the name “Epona” tends to crop up. Her name translated:  “epos” meaning “horse” and the suffix “-ona” simply means “on.” Epona is a Celtic Gaul goddess and considered the patron of horses, donkeys and mules with a particular emphasis on mares and foals. Rhiannon, in Celtic mythology, appears to be the Welsh interpretation of Epona and the Irish goddess Macha; although they are not the same deities, there is certainly much overlap. Due to the dilution of cultures through war and occupation (and lack of written records), research can be frustrating. Yet, the gaps in certainty can inspire the imagination.

No matter the source, it is clear that the Celts saw horses as good luck and bringers of good fortune.  In Irish myth the sun was sometimes called ‘Echdae’ – the horse of the heavens. Mythology also clearly demonstrates a reverence for the white horse as legends say that both Rhiannon and Epona were known to take the form of a white horse. Horses were viewed as status symbols and treasured for their importance in everyday life, survival and battle.

The skill and art of horse whispering is seen in many cultures for thousands of years. A horse whisperer is an individual who practices a unique approach to horsemanship based on building trust with horses using non-verbal communication. It is reported that the term “horse whispering” dates to nineteenth century Europe when an Irish horseman, Daniel “Horse-Whisperer” Sullivan (d. 1810), made a name for himself by rehabilitating horses that had become hard to handle due to abuse or trauma. Observers said he would stand so close to the horse that it looked like he was whispering and the term stuck to this day and is applied to people following similar techniques.

We hope you take some time to enjoy something green as spring begins and take a moment to let the poet in you stroll through Irish lore and legend.

May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead. ~ Irish proverb.

Our team is working hard this weekend as active federal court cases require attention on looming deadlines. However, we will find time to get outside and enjoy the new life and some of the green and hope you do too.

We need your help to continue to document, expose, work toward reform with lawmakers and litigate. Our wild ones deserve to live free on the range and free from abuse.

Thank you for keeping WHE on the frontline in the fight to protect and preserve our treasured wild ones.