Shaylee & Tsunka
📍Estes Park, CO
I was on my way back from my fly fishing lesson/photoshoot, to Meeker Park Lodge where I was staying for the night. I took a wrong turn and ended up driving straight into these beautiful mountains. A little dot appeared on the road in the distance and as I drove closer and it came more into focus, I realized I was staring right into a dream I had has a young girl. The one where I hop on my horse bareback and she takes me far, far away into the unknown.
I slowed down not only so I didn't spook the horse but so I could take in what I was seeing. I drove past them and an overwhelming feeling came over me that told me I had to turn around. I had all of my gear with me and this wasn't something that was going just come across again.
So made a U-turn, rolled down my window and gave my usual speech..."Hi, my name is Emily. I am a photographer from Buffalo NY and I specialize in dogs and horses.". I let her know I was just coming back from a shoot when I saw her and asked if she would mind if I took some photos of her just riding, doing exactly what she was doing. She said yes!
The interaction lasted less than 5 minutes and before I left, I asked her for her and her horses name as well as her phone number so I could send her a link to a gallery where she could download the photos.
She then told me her horses name is Tsunka. So when I had time later that evening, I looked up the name. Here is what I found....
The Legendary "Holy Dog": The Lakota and the Gift of the Horse
Long before horses arrived on the Great Plains, the Lakota people relied on dogs to help carry their loads and navigate the landscape. Because of this history, the traditional Lakota word for horse is Tasunka , which translates beautifully to "Holy Dog" or "Mysterious Dog".
In indigenous oral traditions, the horse is not viewed merely as a beast of burden, but as a sacred companion gifted by the Wakíŋyaŋ (Thunder Beings).
A well-known Lakota children's legend, often shared under the title of Tasunka, tells the story of a young warrior who discovers a herd of magnificent, colorful horses. According to the tale, these animals brought immense wealth and power to the tribe. However, the story also serves as a vital moral lesson: when the people became too proud and misused the gift, the Great Spirit reclaimed the horses to teach them humility.
Ultimately, the arrival of Tasunka completely transformed Plains culture, creating an unbreakable spiritual kinship between the Lakota people and their horses.
Five minutes. That is all it took to capture a childhood dream standing right in front of me on an accidental turn down a mountain road. And when I read the meaning of her horses name later that evening, I felt like there was a teaching moment to be had in my understanding of it.
My takeaway is that when we treat a blessing (like a horse, nature, or a talent) as a tool for domination rather than a relationship to honor, we risk losing it. Material success or power should never make us view ourselves as above others or above nature. And to always remember our place in the wider web of life.
