The horse was a marvel to the indian and came to be regarded as sacred. It had a mysterious or sacred character. The indian often times referred to the horse as the big dog or the sacred dog. The ceremonial importance of horses is strong in many cultures. In the Navajo Enemy Way ceremony, which is used to rid someone who has come in contact with the enemy of the evil, horses transport the sacred staff that carries the evil away from the person.
Horses are the focus of many Plains ceremonies as well.
In the Legend of the Sacred Pipe, the White Buffalo Calf Woman gave the Sacred Pipe to the Sioux as a caretaker for the Red Nation. This pipe held the power of the Great Spirit. She brought the people a message of peace and said that they would have good hunting and turn into a great nation. The Appearance of a white buffalo is a sign that prayers have been heard, and signals a time of abundance plenty. To use buffalo medicine is to smoke the pipe in a sacred manner, and to give praise for the richness of life to be shared with all.