Poseidon as god of horses

Another feature of Poseidon that is singled out for mention in the Homeric Hymn cited above is his function as god of horses.11 Although he was also connected with bulls to some extent, receiving them in sacrifice and sometimes sending them up from the sea in myth (as for Minos, see p. 338), his connection with horses was especially close in both myth and cult. This seems appropriate for a variety of reasons, whether because the horse represented one of the most powerful forces of nature that human beings could dominate, or because horses had chthonic associations, or because they were often credited with the creation of springs in Greek folklore. It is worth noting, however, that the Greeks did not use horse metaphors (as in the case of our ‘white horses’) to describe the waves and roaring of the sea; Poseidon’s connection with horses was probably very ancient, perhaps even more ancient than his connection with the sea. He was widely worshipped as Poseidon Hippios (the Lord of Horses), horses played a prominent part in his cult, and legend even presented him as the father of the first horse. Horses were sacrificed to him and kept at his sanctuaries, and chariot races were held in his honour at some of his festivals; and charioteers would invoke his aid before a race, much like sailors at sea. The Homeric Hymn to Apollo refers to an unusual rite at Onchestos in which charioteers would jump from their chariot after whipping up their horses, and pray for protection from Poseidon in the future if the chariot was wrecked in an adjoining grove (which would have been sacred to the god).12 But our main concern must be the myths that connect Poseidon with horses and the origin of the equine race.