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Do You Give the Horse its Strength?

Lexy Krogman • February 6, 2024

How horses can be used to teach us about God's character

Both/And Qualities

My all-time favorite “feel good” movie, Secretariat, opens with anticipatory music, shots of majestic racehorses getting ready to run, and the voice of main character Penny Chenery quoting these words from Job 39:

Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting?
He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray.
He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.
The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance.
In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

What describing words come to mind when you think of a horse? Powerful, majestic, terrifying? Beautiful, calm, loyal? As a lifelong horse girl, I have always wondered with awe at this animal that can exhibit all those qualities simultaneously. That a creature with such proud strength can at the same time be so gentle and trustworthy, filling you with both deep love and reverent fear.

There are many reasons why horses have been and always will be my favorite animal, but perhaps the most significant reason is because of how the character of a horse, in a small way, mirrors the character of our God. Just as horses in their mighty power demand respect yet invite humans into a trusting relationship, so it is with Almighty God, our heavenly Father. His holiness causes us to bow in reverence and in awareness of our own littleness, while the gospel of Jesus invites us to draw near in His mercy and grace.

In addition to parallels in character, here are some other lessons that can be taught and learned through horses:

Our role and calling as stewards to exercise dominion over creation (Genesis 1:26-28)
Controlling our speech and actions as bridles control a horse (James 3:2-3)
Encouragement and accountability towards one another (Hebrews 10:24)
The necessity of training and discipline (1 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:10-11)

Horses provide a uniquely impactful means to teach kids, and even adults, about God and how we are to live as followers of Him. These examples are just the tip of the iceberg – or the manure pile, if you will!

Integration of Horsemanship & Biblical Instruction

The Saddle Up horse camp at Inspiration Hills has been a camper favorite going on 15 years after its launch back in 2009. Since the start, the goal has been to provide instruction in horsemanship along with biblical instruction within the fun camp environment. Speaking as a past Saddle Up camper, wrangler, and coordinator myself, I can attest to the impact that this program has on anyone who gets to experience it - practically and spiritually!

As the program has continued to grow and expand over the years, the question to consider has become this: How can we keep the excitement and draw that the horses bring AND get kids just as excited to learn about Jesus and the Bible?

Our answer? Do more, and go deeper. The goal of providing horsemanship and biblical instruction remains, but our desire is to take it a step further by integrating the two more intentionally in the Saddle Up programming. By implementing live demonstrations with the horses, asking thought-provoking questions, and helping campers make real-world applications, our hope is that campers will come to see and know God through horses in more ways than ever before. What better way to learn it than to experience it?

All in all, as is the mission of everything we do at camp, our goal is ultimately to point campers to Christ and bring glory to God. We cannot do it apart from Him and the enabling of His Spirit, and what a privilege it is to work alongside Him, in and among His wonderful creation, to the praise of His glorious name.

So next time you think about a horse’s flowing mane, hear its proud snorting, or see one galloping in frenzied excitement, I hope you can be reminded of our great God. He is the “Almighty”, the One who “can do all things”, and “no purpose of His can be thwarted” (Job 40:2, 42:2). What a great reminder for us all given through such a beautiful creature!