6401. 'And its rider will fall backwards' means a receding from [truth]. This is clear from the meaning of 'falling backwards' as a receding from - a receding from truth; and from the meaning of 'rider' as those subject to false notions received from lowest nature. 'Horse' means those false notions, see immediately above in 6400, and therefore 'rider' means those subject to them, the nature of which meanings has been discussed immediately above. Since 'Dan' means those within the Church who are the kind of people described just above in 6396 and who are accordingly among the lowest in the Lord's kingdom, 'Dan' also means those who hatch false teachings out of false notions and disseminate them. These people's false teachings are also called 'horses', and their reasonings about truth and good are called 'serpents', in Jeremiah,

From Dan the snorting of his horses was heard; at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole earth quaked. And they came and devoured the land and the fullness of it, the city and those dwelling in it. For behold, I send into you poisonous serpents which do not respond to charming; and they will bite you. Jeremiah 8:16-17.

3217. When angels' discussion has to do with the understanding part of the mind, horses appear in the world of spirits below them, that is, in the communities which correspond to them. The size, shape, colour, and stance of the horses depends on the ideas which the angels have concerning the understanding. The horses also carry differing adornments. There is also a place quite deep down and a little towards the right which is called the abode of the intelligent. There horses are seen constantly, the reason being that those there are engaged in thought about the understanding; and when the angels who are engaged in a discussion about the understanding flow into the thoughts of those spirits, horses are seen. From this I have come to see what was meant by the horses seen by the prophets, and also by the horses mentioned in the Word, namely aspects of the understanding, 2760-2762.