Supernatural Horse Encounters – The glowing grins of the jack o’ lanterns remind us that Halloween has arrived at the Oak Haven Acres Horse Farm. Crisp autumn air whispers through the falling leaves as if they are sharing secrets from beyond. Our equine friends prick their ears to eavesdrop while galloping through the fall meadows.
This is the season when they say the veil between the natural and spiritual realms is the thinnest. If you’ve spent enough time around horses, you know that they seem to have a sixth sense about them. It’s almost like they can read your mind or have psychic tendencies. Most equine phenomena can be attributed to natural causes, while others just make you wonder.
Horses have always enjoyed a part in supernatural tales from around the world. Who could forget the ill-fated Ichabod Crane as he fled from the ghostly headless horseman and his specter stallion? Or how about the phantom equine in one of Rudyard Kipling’s classic ghost stories?
Maybe the reason that horses are prevalent animals in spooky stories is their supposed spiritual intuition. Could there be a grain of truth to this association, or is it a figment of imagination? Can your horse perceive signs from another realm, or are you wishfully thinking?
Ghosts of the Past
In the mid-1920s and 30s, a horse named Lady Wonder was rumored to have psychic abilities. Her trainer developed a device that would allow the horse to tap blocks that corresponded to the alphabet letters. Allegedly, Lady Wonder could spell out words and make profound predictions. These supernatural horse encounters are not rare.
Many people came to visit the supposed psychic equine, and they paid money to ask her questions about their future. A skeptic who was an experienced magician debunked the alleged supernatural abilities as a hoax. He discovered that the trainer was subtly cueing the intelligent animal when she came to the correct letter.
Other horses throughout the 20th century have been attributed to ESP and different unexplainable abilities. They reportedly could do math, write letters, and make future predictions. None of these claims have been scientifically verified and have usually been debunked as trickery.
Subjective evidence still circulates among horse lovers in America and internationally. Some people are so close to their equine friends that they “feel” like the horse knows what they’re thinking, and vice-versa. Countless reports of horses warning their human friends about hazardous weather conditions and other disasters remain. Could horses have a connection with the unknown to protect their owners?
The Science Behind the Myth
We have a close relationship with our horses at the ranch and often observe their behavior in different situations. Can horses and other animals predict the weather and natural disasters? Furthermore, folklore is load with tales that would have you believe that they can.
Biologists say that horses have evolved with heightened senses to avoid predators. They are more in tune with their surroundings and may feel changes in barometric pressure, humidity, and other natural predictors of weather changes. They may act restless, gather in a group, or return from the pastures for no reason before a storm. What may seem like a psychic warning is probably the equines’ biological observations.
Sophia
A few years back, we had the honor of caring for an unusual horse named Sophia. Her human companions boarded her with us because they knew the impeccable reputation of Oak Haven Acres. They often visited and recounted stories of her extraordinary life. She was a gentle soul and got along well with her equine friends.
She took particular interest in wayward horses, almost like a mentor. When new equine residents came, Sophia usually took them under her wing. Also, she would often herd stubborn horses back to the stalls in the evening and would stand between those in an occasional rivalry match.
One evening, the most peculiar incident happen when we were bringing the herd into the barn for the night. Sophia was unusually anxious and was trotting about with her nostrils flare, and she refuse to follow us. She pranced about close to the edge of the outermost fence and scratched her hoof against the ground to get our attention.
When our hired hands dismounted and went over to calm Sophia and get her to cooperate, they noticed what had upset her. A part of the fence had broken and was enough for one of the horses to wander out of the pasture. As some hands soothed Sophia and led her back to the barn, others quickly brought supplies to mend the broken fence.
Sensitive Horses
Was this sensitive horse merely being stubborn that evening, or was she trying to warn us about the broken fence? Even if she would have seen the fence earlier that day, what trigger her to know that it shouldn’t be there? To this day, we don’t have any rational explanations. Whether our horses are psychic or not, they will enjoy another hauntingly good Halloween season on the farm. We hope you have found
If you have retirement or boarding needs for your equine friend, we welcome you to contact Oak Haven Acres Horse Farm. Also, our residents are like family, and they receive the love and care that you would expect. During the holidays, especially Halloween, we have a spooktacular time with our equine friends.