Horses Cry?

In all of the years I have spent with horses, and all of the conversations I have had with people about the undeniable fact that they are sentient beings with thoughts and feelings, I was stunned...

I was spending time with a very dear client and the herd and we were talking about companionship and loneliness. As things began to shift and the client really settled into her body, I noticed one of the horses walking very purposefully towards her from across the pasture. I backed away, understanding that there was a gift to be exchanged between the two of them. The horse walked directly to her, stopping a short distance away, cocking her head in a very strange sideways orientation next to the woman's left arm - close to her shoulder. I asked what the woman was noticing. After several long pauses, she shared that she wasn't sure. I could sense a heaviness and resistance. As I drew my attention back to the greater space, I turned to the horse and the larger environment to feel into what other information wanted to come forward.

I was stunned to see clear tears falling from the horses eye. Three, four, five, six... tears. There was no goop in her eye, and this was not discharge. These were clear, cathartic, beautiful tears of recognition. I stood there, unable to speak. I can't tell how much time passed until I shared with the client that I was noticing the tears from the horse and wondered what was significant about her left shoulder/arm. She welled up and and said that it wasn't her arm, it was her breast - she had had a mastectomy.

As she connected with that pain, the horse put her head down and licked and chewed. As I looked up at the rest of the herd, they had all paired up in a semi-circle and had turned in to face us. They were holding space for these two beings to come together in recognition and acknowledgement of pain, and create release.

As always, once the message is delivered, the horse disengaged and went back to her place in the herd. The client and I stood in silence, sharing the amazing power that exists beyond our verbal limitations.

So, yes, horses do cry. What does that mean about the rest of the animal nations?