When Horses Grieve: A Story of Horse Grief, Interspecies Telepathy and Saying Goodbye

BH and Tzarina, two peas in a pod

I recently took a trip to visit family in Edmonton. I had a strong "feeling" that I needed to spend time with my cousin Sue, Aunt Lorraine, and the horses.

My cousin Sue has a few horses on her ranch. One is named Big Head for the simple reason, he has a big head. The other is Tzarina, a stunning chestnut colored Arabian.

Do Horses Grieve?

A few weeks ago, BH's best friend, Harley, passed from colic. He was incredibly 30 years young and had lived a life, well lived from the stories I've heard. Sue mentioned that Big Head had not been himself since. "He's a pretty sad boy right now."

After settling in and getting acquainted, it was time to head out to the stables. I soon found BH and Tzarina hanging out in the outdoor paddock, away from the mosquitos.

When I walked over to BH, I noticed his head was hung low, and deep sad eyes. I understood what it was like to lose a family member. I knew heartbreak when my mother passed in 2003. I would consider her a close friend. We had grown close when my two boys were born. More of a friendship a than mother-daughter relationship.

“They were together for over twenty years”, Sue would tell me. “They went everywhere together, like two peas in a pod.”

I walked over to say hello and offer my condolences for his loss. I said it out loud at first, then shared my thoughts with him as well. All animals grieve. Horses grieve, too.

The Moment Our Eyes Met

I gave BH a rub on his cheek, fixed his mane, and wiped his eye. I stood with him for a few more moments. He slowly raised his head, and our eyes met.

I don't know how much time passed. Those seconds felt like hours.

And in that time, our thoughts passed back and forth. I could hear and feel his expression of gratitude for the acknowledgement of his friend Harley.

It wasn’t words though. It was only a feeling. The kind of feeling you get when you love someone but don’t have the words to express the depth of that love.

I helped around the ranch — grooming, feeding, cleaning up lots of poop — simply being with the horses and family too.

I hadn't expected to bond with Tzarina the way I had with BH.

But it turned out she'd been quietly taking me in too.

Tzarina's Goodbye

It was hard to leave the following day. I was booked on an early morning flight.

As we started to pull out of the driveway to the main gate, I soon caught movement from behind the fence line by the stables.

There was Tzarina, moving with a slow, deliberate grace as she made her way to the fence. Sue paused to acknowledge her presence. "Well, Christie," Sue began, "it seems Tzarina knew you were leaving. She's come to say goodbye. How about that?"

As I looked at Tzarina, grateful for the moment, I did feel a quiet exchange between Tzarina and I. I had enjoyed our stable chats, the brushing, feeding, watching here drink from the water fountain. Simply being with her along with BH and the rest of the family was more than I had expected. Again, I was even more grateful that I had made the last minute decision to book the time and get away.

What is telepathic communication?

Big Head and Tzarina, grazing in the mid-day sun.

It begins with empathy and builds into a thought to thought exchange between sentient beings. People, animals, a forest, the earth and beyond. We infinitely capable of communicating beyond words and verbal language.

Telepathy involves transferring information directly from one mind to another, without using spoken language.

Communicating between different species is similar to how we connect with our loved ones, whether they are present or in spirit.

Grief with animals isn't any different than with humans.

"Being there" is underrated. Being there is a simple act of care and kindness.

Never underestimate the difference you can make by being there for others.

Or even being there for yourself, in the most compassionate and loving way.

Somewhere . . . in time’s own space, there must be some sweet, pastured place. Where creeks sing on - and tall trees grow, some paradise where horses go. For by the love that guides my pen, I know great horses live again. - Stanley Harrison

If something here resonates with you, please let me know or feel free to share. If you're grieving the loss of a loved one, please take the time to ensure you are surrounded by support.

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Thank you for reading.

With love and light,

Christie

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Christie Flynn is a psychic medium, intuitive and executive coach, speaker and teacher (intuitive development, meditation, remote viewing, channeling...) with over 25 years of experience helping people reconnect — with themselves, their loved ones, and the world around them. Through Intuitive Journey, she shares reflections on intuition, grief, and the quiet, wordless conversations that connect us all. Learn more about Christie at christieflynn.com or to book a service.

Christie Flynn with BH and Tzarina.