“Epona” by Joanna Barnum
“Epona’s themes are protection of animals; especially those who serve humankind. Her symbol is the horse. Epona protects the creatures who faithfully keep humans company. This pre-Roman Gaulish Goddess is nearly always shown riding or lovingly feeding a horse and accompanied by a dog – these are Her two sacred animals. Also, sometimes depicted with corn in Her lap and carrying a goblet, Epona inspires love, fertility and providence in your life. In some myths, Epona appeared to acknowledge a king’s sovereignty, giving Her leadership qualities that can help you when you need more authority in a situation.
To generate a little more providence in your life, eat corn today. Say a silent prayer to Epona, asking Her to saturate your food with power, then consume it to internalize the energy.
If you have a pet, consider blessing it today. To do this, find a small silver charm or a horse or a dog (like those from charm bracelets). This image invokes Epona’s protection. Alternatively, use a little bell and draw the image of a horse or dog on it.
Hold the token cupped in your hands. Visualize it filled with glittery white light and say,
‘Epona, watch over_____________ [fill in with the of the animal]. Keep them safe and healthy no matter where they may be.’
Put the charm on the animal’s collar or cage or in it’s bedding.”
(Patricia Telesco, “365 Goddess: a daily guide to the magic and inspiration of the goddess”.)
“Epona (pronounced Ey-PONE-ah) was the ancient Horse Goddess of the pre-Christian Pagan people, known as the Gauls, or Celtic French. She was worshipped for many hundreds of years as a Horse Goddess, who not only protected horses, but also their owners. Epona is also one of the most well known of all the Goddesses within the Celtic Pantheon, and She was granted such titles as ‘The Great Mare,’ the ‘Divine Mare,’ and the ‘Mare Goddess.’
Epona was worshipped throughout the entire Celtic world in a variety of other, different aspects. In Ireland she was known as Macha, the Goddess of War, while in Wales She became Rhiannon, the Goddess of the Underworld. It was in the aspect of Rhiannon that Epona appears in the Welsh collection of tales known as The Mabinogion. She has also been identified with the Celtic Goddess Edain, or Etain, whose full name, when translated, is Etain Echraidhe, which means ‘Etain, the horse rider,’ or ‘Etain, the rider of horses.’
Epona was worshipped widely throughout the entire Celtic and Roman worlds, and Her worship was exceptionally strong in both Rhineland and Gaul. In fact, Epona’s worship became so strong that it spread as far away as the Danube River, Yugoslavia, North Africa and Rome. The Roman army was so impressed by Her that it eventually adopted Her cult, and the Roman soldiers introduced Epona’s worship to the many people that they encountered in their travels.
The British worshipped Epona in the form of a cult, and they gave Her the title ‘Rigantona‘ or ‘Rig Antonia,’ which means ‘Great Queen.’ The Goddess Rhiannon, whose worship occurred at a much later point in time, was strongly associated with Epona, and She was known by that title as well.
“Epona the Horse Goddess” by Gene Avery North
Epona was also known by a variety of other names, which changed according to the various languages and myths that were indigenous to each particular region. It actually matters little whether She was known as Rhiannon, Macha or Epona, because no matter which aspect She happened to appear in, Her image always remained the same. She appeared as a woman with very long hair who was riding side saddle upon a white mare. When She appeared in the aspect of Epona, however, She was depicted as a woman with very long hair, lying half-naked on a white mare.
Stories about Epona [are] lost to the world forever, although one story regarding Her origin remains. During the decline of the Roman Empire, a Greek writer named Agesilaos wrote a story in which he claimed that Epona was the product of a man named Phoulonios Stellos, who had no interest whatsoever in women. Instead of mating with a woman he preferred to mate with a mare, and when that mare gave birth, it was to a beautiful human-looking daughter. Interestingly, it was actually the mare, herself, who named her daughter Epona, and by her doing so, she deified Epona as the Goddess of Horses.” [1]
Patricia Monaghan tells us that “Epona could take the tangible forms of both parents. Sometimes, too, She appeared as a rushing river, which suggests that Epona was a fertility Goddess, often seen in Celtic culture as a water spirit. Similarly, the connection among Celtic peoples of the horse and the sun suggests a solar nature to Epona, supported as well by the patera or round sunlike plate that She carries in many sculptures.
The sacred mare Epona appeared as the bestower of sovereignty in the ancient Celtic rituals of kingship, which may have included a rite of marriage with the mare Goddess. Among Indo-European peoples in India, a rite of mare-marriage, which solidified a man’s claim on the rulership of a geographical area, is attested and has been connected by scholars to the figure of Epona.
Aerial view of the Uffington White Horse
Recent excavations of the magnificent British monument, the White Horse of Uffington, strongly suggests that the 360-foot-long horse represents Epona. Using a new technique, archaeologists have been studying the rate at which the hillside, upon which the White Horse is carved into the chalky soil, has descended towards the deep valley (the Vale of the White Horse) beneath. The White Horse has puzzled researchers for many years, some maintaining that it was a late medieval creation, others that it derived from the post-Celtic era. Even before the recent attempt to date the monument itself, it has been noted that the horse’s design echoed that of coins issued by the Celtic warrior Queen Boudicca. The identification of the White Horse with the Celts is now virtually certain – and as the Celts had only one horse-divinity, the likelihood is that the horse on the hill was Epona. Vestiges of Her are also found in the figure of Lady Godiva and the mysterious white-horse-riding woman of Banbury Cross” (p. 114).
On an Etsy.com page selling a replica of an Epona statue found in Alesia, France, I found a piece of information especially inspiring:
Epona in our everyday lives
“Although Epona was and still is traditionally seen as a horse Goddess, She can fit into so many aspects of our lives. She is the Goddess of dreams not only of the sleeping kind but the dreams of hope and ambition. She can be helpful in manifesting dreams and is a good protector to have when venturing on a new path in life. A prayer or invocation can be offered to Her if one is having trouble sleeping or wishes to have insightful or peaceful dreams. She is a nurturing caregiver and can be called upon as a protector of families, children and women who are about to give birth.
Epona is also good to turn to when seeking positive blessings and prosperity. She is good to call upon during dark, difficult times in life such as grief and loss and can offer guidance that is gentle and loving in nature. Roses are a wonderful offering to leave on your altar for the Goddess Epona as are rose petals or rose incense. Sandalwood incense can also be used as an offering. When burning a candle for Epona, the most common color associated with Her is white.” [2]
ASSOCIATIONS:
Pantheon: Celtic
Element: Earth
Sphere of Influence: Horse and Motherhood
Preferred Colors: Brown, black and white
Associated Symbol: Horse, cornucopia, keys
Animals Associated with: Horse, mares and foals, dog, birds.
Suitable Offerings: Fruits, mare’s milk, apples, hay, sweet grass, oats, fresh water, a thick stout that you can practically chew on. Roses, rosebuds, rose garlands.
Scents/Incense: Rose, sandalwood.
Gemstones: Cat’s eye, ruby, azurite, obsidian, and moonstone
Astrology: Aries
Tarot: Queen of Wands
Chakra: The sexual and heart chakras
Feast Days: The Autumn Equinox, when night and day are of equal length, occurs during the month of the Vine Moon; December 18 (based on the Roman calendar).
Sources:
Etsy.com/shop/Harmonycraft, “Epona – Celtic Horse Goddess“.
A Journal of a Poet – The Goddess As My Muse, “Epona, The Gaulish Horse Goddess“.
Monaghan, Patricia. The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines, “Epona”.
PaganNews.com, “Epona“.
Revel, Anita. igoddess.com, “Epona“.
Tribeofthesun.com, “Epona“.
Suggested Links:
EPONA.net (An in-depth Epona site with historical facts about Epona)
Firewolf, Dawn. Realmagick.com, “Epona“.
Held, Catherine Anne. Dreamhorsewomen.wordpress.com, “Women and Horses in Mythology: Epona“.
Lady Zephyr. Order of the White Moon, “Epona“.
Myst, Willow. Order of the White Moon, “Epona“.
Nemeton, The Sacred Grove: Home of the Celtic gods, “Epona: A Gaulish and Brythonic Goddess: Divine Horse“.
Readtiger.com, “Epona“.
Took, Thalia. The Obscure Goddess Online Directory, “Epona“.
Wikipedia, “Epona“.
Journeying to the Goddess 
I love Epona’s imagery. I had a horse for years and I still am not really content in life without my thousand pound fuzzy brother. I gave him the best life and the most gentle death I could provide. I like to think that Epona, Rhiannon, Horse Woman, whatever her name would have been pleased to see the connection he and I had. I know I was protected and guided a few times while around the horse- perhaps that was her hand over a horse and his human? Who can say.
Girl, me too! I’ve ALWAYS loved horses, ever since I can remember. My first major in college was Equine Science, but the commute to the school was too far for me and I had gotten into a bad accident one icy winter morning, and that ended that venture
I had a friend, Al, who was half Sioux who had grown up in South Dakota if I remember correctly. He owned a few horses and taught me how to ride. He always said that Pony Medicine was good medicine, healing medicine. Someday, I want to have a horse when we settle down and buy a house.
I’ll agree wholeheartedly that Pony Medicine is good medicine- and I have absolutely no provable connection to any Native tribe. I just feel it to be true. My pony (he technically was a pony because he was so short) always made me feel… better. I could ground better and fly further at the same time.