Fire Horse

NEWSLETTER Volume 2, Number 10, October 2005

Savannah is a fire horse! Yes, she has frequently been called a “little red rocket,” a “hot little chili pepper” and other terms that denote her energetic physical and emotional disposition and her bright chesnut color. But as I was reading some notes on traditional Chinese medicine, I got to thinking about the personality of my horses in a more systematic way and realized that her nicknames are right on target.

The Five Elements, or Wu Xing, provide an explanation of how Chi (life force energy)operates to balance and support all life forms. The Five-Elements are referred to metaphorically as Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. They represent five distinct physical attributes and also personality types. In other words, horses can be thought of as an expression of a certain element. As I read Nancy Zidonis, Amy Snow, and Marie Soderberg’s Equine Acupressure, their description of a fire horse struck me as particularly apt for Savannah:

A horse with a balanced Fire constitution exhibits a joyful and vibrant personality. She is charismatic, playful, and an overall friendly mount… Her warm personality endears her to both people and other animals. She wins friends effortlessly (p. 14).


This is a perfect description of Savannah. She charms people and seems to get along with every horse she encounters. Even when she is being, for her, difficult (like when she won’t stand still for the farrier), she manages to make him laugh and has earned herself yet another nickname “Miss Scarlet.” On a recent trip to the Washington State University vet hospital, Savannah endeared herself so much to the vets and students who examined her that they send me a special letter saying what a pleasure she was to work with. And, as my husband often reminds me, we were going to have no Arabian horses and no mares in our herd, but Savannah has converted us both to the point that we can’t imagine not having at least one! Yes, Savannah is a fire horse!

Update:

Our “rescue gelding” is still here. The children at a former home called him Cowboy Bob, but given his recent history we have taken to calling him Desperado Bob, or just Bob for short. A week ago he developed symptoms of “pigeon fever,” which has hit the North Idaho region hard this fall, and for a couple of days it was touch and go. Bob’s blood work revealed that he is anemic and we were concerned that he wouldn’t have either the strength or the will to fight his infection, but he appears to have rallied. He has been a model patient and seems appreciative of all the care he has received. He has a long way to go in his rehabilitation, but he is making progress every day.

Anna Banks, Editor womentalkhorses.com
editor@womentalkhorses.com
Moon Hill Ranch, Idaho