Epona was believed to be the Celtic goddess and protector of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. She was also a fertility goddess. It was believed that Epona and her horses would guide souls in their after-life ride. Her name is derived from the Gaulish language and means "great mare".
The Roman Cavalry also adopted the practice of worshipping Epona to protect their mounts. They would erect shrines within their stables,in her honor, and carry amulets in their saddle bags in the belief that this would carry them and their horses safely through battle.
Invocation to Epona
Hail, Mother of horses!
Hail, Lady whose children
Are the embodiment of the wind
And come like fire and thunder
Across field and plain.
Carry us, Lady,
As you carried our ancestors
Across rivers and continents,
As you carry our dreams
And nightmares,
Carry our wishes and hopes,
Bear us to adventure
And safely back home again,
And may we never stop running
Toward the far horizon
Of possibility.
2 comments:
Epona's mount looks like a Welsh pony. These are wonderful equines, with a history dating a long ways back. I recently bred my Arab mare to a section B Welsh pony and am eagerly awaiting the results in the spring!
Thank-you for sharing Celtic Goddess Epona and her beautiful white pony!
Best of luck to you!
I love Welsh ponies, and the Section B's can make awesome crosses with Arabs. So refined and pretty, but with substance and bone. The Welshs have some Arab in them anyhow, so not that much of an outcross!
Please post pics on your blog when the little one arrives!
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