The Celtic goddess Epona was protectress of horses, asses, and mules, as well as their human caretakers.
Epona’s feast day on the Roman calendar was December 18. The Romans embraced her as protectress of the Roman cavalry, invoked her on behalf of the Emperor, and worshipped her as Epona Augusta or Epona Regina. She even had a shrine in the barracks of the Imperial Bodyguard.
The worship of Epona in stables is described in The Golden Ass by Marcus Apuleius.
Apuleius writes of shrines that were built for Epona, not just in temples but also in stables, presumably to protect the horses and asses in them. ♥
Morning Bray Farm 
December 18, 2010 at 5:16 am
Gosh, I feel so scholarly already, and I’m not even done with my coffee.
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December 18, 2010 at 11:48 am
Leah,
I hope you’re feeling much better!
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December 18, 2010 at 5:30 am
You share some of the most interesing stuff!
Who knew there was a goddess for horses and asses? (Although, I guess I should have known somehow…)
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December 18, 2010 at 11:46 am
C,
Thanks! Another interesting tidbit… Epona is almost always depicted sidesaddle on a mare, or seated between two horses or foals.
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December 18, 2010 at 8:00 am
I’m impressed! But if I go out and tell the boys that it’s Epona’s feast day…they will insist on more hay! 🙂
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December 18, 2010 at 11:43 am
Rosanne,
You know Russ would love it! 😀 Have a great day.
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December 18, 2010 at 11:27 am
That first piece is beautiful.
What will you and the boys do in celebration?
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December 18, 2010 at 11:42 am
CeeCee,
I thought so too.
In celebration, the boys got their feet done this morning and I just came in from giving them two shiny new Jolly Balls – one red and one green. 😀
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December 18, 2010 at 11:51 am
Awww. I find that very sweet. The Celts had an attunement with the spiritual in nature and the world. I love it.
Happy Epona feast day! And bless the burros and donkeys – funny, loving, mischievous angels that they are.
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December 18, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Suzanne,
Extremely well said. (I love it too.) Thanks. 🙂
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December 19, 2010 at 2:44 am
Very interesting, Justina!
Beautiful the image of Epona in stable protecting the horses and asses.
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December 20, 2010 at 7:03 am
I bet she was the happiest of all the Goddesses.
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September 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm
[…] is goddess of not just horses, but asses and mules too, as you can read on Morning Bray Farm’s post. There you will also see a very pretty image depicting the Inverurie […]
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