Shamanic Drum - Mystic Rider

Horse, for me, is always the powerhouse of drums. Their medicine walks the edge between sovereignty and service with unshakable presence. When I birth a horse drum, it is never a light task; they demand depth, honesty, and surrender. This particular drum challenged me—it was not a simple or effortless creation, but it was one rich with beauty. There were moments of unraveling—of undoing old patterns, releasing outdated weavings, and navigating entirely new directions. At times it felt like cords snapping in the unseen realms. Yet from that chaos emerged clarity, power, and a drum that pulses with a fierce and mighty heartbeat. It is not a drum for the faint of heart; it is a guide for those walking with purpose and courage.

There is an undeniable aliveness in this drum. A forward-moving energy—like the pounding hooves of a wild horse galloping across open land—drives its core. I can feel the echo of the Wild Hunt within it, the call to ride into sacred battle, to reclaim what has been lost or forgotten. This is a drum that carries the spirit of reclamation, of remembering, of returning to one’s true path with unrelenting determination.

In Celtic traditions, the horse is revered as a sacred bridge between the human and spirit realms. Across the mythology of these ancient lands, horses are depicted as noble guides—powerful beings capable of traversing both the seen and unseen. I find deep resonance in these stories, especially when I walk the wild Welsh mountains, watching the free-roaming horses move with such grace and strength. Their untamed spirit echoes through the valleys and hills, leaving trails of magic in their wake. To me, the horse embodies strength, endurance, and freedom, wrapped in the elegance of confidence and grace. They remind us how to serve without being subdued, to lead without domination, and to hold power without force. This drum carries that medicine—it holds a thread spun from the loom of sovereignty and sacred service.

The hoop that frames this drum is made from birchwood—a tree of resilience and renewal. Birch is a pioneer species, one of the first to take root after disturbance. It thrives where the old has been cleared and new life seeks expression. Traditionally associated with the Witch’s broom, Beltane fires, Maypoles, and Yule logs, birch carries strong symbolism of beginnings and transitions. In Celtic and Norse traditions, it is known as the "White Lady of the Woods" and is connected to the rune Berkana and the Ogham letter Beith—both markers of birth, motherhood, and fertility.

To cradle this drum within a birch hoop is to encircle it with the energy of rebirth and transformation. Birch reminds us that we can begin again, that beauty can emerge from endings, and that strength lies in both softness and tenacity. This union of horse and birch brings forth a drum that is deeply aligned with the cycles of nature—wild, wise, and potent.

Exchange is £450 Plus P&P, or kerbside collection if you are local to Ludlow.