In “The Horses” by Edwin Muir, the titular horses symbolize hope, forgiveness, and a return to nature. After a devastating 7 day war, the survivors are left with a world without technology and hope. The return of the horses, and “among them … half a dozen colts,” signals a ‘rebirth’ of hope in mankind. After their return, the speaker states that “our life is changed; their coming our beginning.” This quite clearly expresses the speaker’s hope towards their future that came with the horses. The return of the horses also represents the triumph of nature over technology. After the war, the survivors completely abandon their old lifestyle. Their “tractors lie about [their] fields” to “ molder away and be like other loam,” while horses are used