Horses Make A Landscape More Beautiful

The title of the book comes from the words of Lakotasingle toe or hoof, longer legs, and eyes with almost
holy man Lame Deer:360˚ vision to detect predators. The ability to
We had no word for the strange animal we got fromchange food as tall grasses replaced the swamp
the white man--the horse. So we called it sunkahabitat further enabled the horse to survive. Other
waken, "holy dog." For bringing us the horse we couldlarge animals surviving the Ice Age and drastic climate
almost forgive you for bringing us whiskey. Horseschanges died out because they were only able to eat
make a landscape look more beautiful.certain foods that became unavailable.
Horses Make a Landscape More Beautiful is a slimEvidence suggests that descendants of Eohippus
volume of poetry written by the remarkable writercrossed the land bridge from the Great Plains to
activist Alice Walker. The work is a powerful collectionEurope and Asia. By 10,000 years ago, horses had
of poems that are raw, honest, and celebrate thedisappeared from the United States. Ironically, the
capacity to celebrate life and stand up against injusticedescendant of the horse that died out in the Americas
and abuse.was returned to the home of its ancestors by the
Horses do indeed make the landscape more beautiful.conquistadors and European invasions.
It is a joy just to watch them grazing and inSacred Companion
communion with the land--and with their herd.ThisThe Lakota use of "Holy Dog" to refer to horses is an
quote is poignant because of course alcoholism hasinteresting one, especially since its ancestor Eohippus
wreaked so much long-lasting devastation on thewas similar in size to a dog. Holy captures the
Native American people. European settlers, includingother-worldly or spiritual nature of the horse, while dog
my own ancestors, also brought other diseases,confers the special relationship of companion. The
violence, and the forced removal of native peopleswords "Holy" and "Dog," when put together become a
from their tribal lands. Yet, amidst this devastation,sacred companion.
Lame Deer honors the return of the horse to theIs Beauty Enough?
Americas, saying that it was almost worth it.Lame Deer speaks of the beauty of horses and how
"Holy Dog" Comes Homethey enhance the landscape. Approximately fifty years
Curiously, we know that Eohippus, or Dawn Horse, theago, horses lost their jobs in transportation, agriculture,
ancestor of the modern horse, lived some 58 millionand the military in the western world. Today it is
years ago. The horse is one of the few Ice Ageexpensive and time-consuming to care for horses that
animals still surviving today, and originated in the forestsare no longer of "practical" use on the farm, for
and swamplands of North America. Especiallytransportation, or in making warfare. Yet, more and
prevalent in the Great Plains, Eohippus was only aboutmore women are becoming owners and riders of
14 inches tall. More dog-like than horse-like, E.M.horses. Is the beauty of the horses enough to ensure
Ensminger describes Eohippus as "a small gracefultheir care and survival, in a culture that values youth,
animal, scarcely more than a foot high with a slenderproductivity, and usefulness?
face, an arched back, short neck, slender legs and aHundreds of thousands of women are voting "yes"
long tail, adapted for living in swamps."with their dollars, their time and their love of horses.
Amazing AdaptationPerhaps they are seeking a Holy Dog, a sacred
As swamplands dried up 18 million years ago, Eohippuscompanion to accompany then on life's journeys.
adapted by developing a longer neck for grasslands, a