24 Dec 2020 Christmas Eve magic equine style

This year, we all need a little bit of magic or a glimmer of hope as 2020 unwinds months of apprehension about our health, safety, and economic stability.

The holiday season presents stress. It highlights past and present sadness, too. Your horse might give you a magical surprise, however.

A legend that may or may not is connected to religious belief circulates in many horse barns on Christmas Eve. After midnight, horses acquire the ability to speak like their humans.

Be honest. How many of you steal away to your barn on Christmas Eve, straining to eavesdrop on your horse’s conversations. Snorts and knickers transform into our languages.

In the moonlight, what would your horses say?

“Note to Management: This hay is particularly flavorful, no twigs but lots of crunchy leaves. Buy more.”

“Clean up in Stall Five. Grandpa is dribbling his grain, again!”

“I swear if my human asks me to do another twenty-meter circle, I’m going to poop in my bucket!”

“Did you hear that Scooter’s human wrapped a diaper on his hoof because of the stone bruise? If that were me, I wouldn’t be able to show my nose in the field!”

Horses talking on Christmas Eve is akin to Santa Clau1s and his flying reindeer. The myth reminds us of childhood or at least a time when we were more grounded in our creative senses. Many horse owners do strive to become fluent in their horse’s language. We follow ear signals. We listen for nickers and note body tension. Horses communicate in their own tongue around the clock. Our job is to translate.

If you had an hour to talk to your horse in your language, what would you both say over a carrot appetizer? Would your beloved be a foodie? Would you be your companion’s therapist advising on herd dynamics? Would you compare notes on aches and pains? Would you talk about how well you saw the Christmas Star in the night sky?

Your Christmas Eve trip to the barn may not make you both fluent in each other’s languages, but there will undoubtedly be a magical conversation!

Stay well. Stay hopeful. Stay magical.

Anna