Finally-- just as in the spiritual understanding these elements have meanings and associations that are apart from what they appear to be (a lampstand is a church/body of believers for example-- the flame is associated with the spirits of God, and so on) each element mentioned has special and significant meaning. Horses are not horses, a lamb is not a lamb, a man is a spiritual, not a physical man, --and a physical man is depicted not as a man at all-- but as a tree. A tree or plant that has grown from seed as first explained by Jesus himself in that all important first parable that he detailed. And that matters. The fruit of humanity is for the delight of God, our Father and that's about all one needs to know. Things on earth are made in the image, or likeness of the heavenly-- but they are not exact copies (sorry Moses). It's on earth as (like) it is in heaven. But not exactly so.
When seen 'in spirit' and I don't care how anyone wants to parse that- dream, vision- it's all of the same genre.... -These "animals" are not earthly, physical animals. They are spiritual 'beings' in the same way that "men" in spirit are spiritual beings. The same way that you-- when you dream are 'in spirit' and it isn't the physical "you" that is there, but the spiritual you. In other words, from the heavenly perspective-- these 'animals' are depicted by attributes of that spiritual essence.
A horse (from the heavenly perspective) is expressive of 'one who carries' or 'a worker' --- or any number of things that we would associate with horses-- horse power, plowing, planting, strength, even an instrument of war, or simply as a means to deliver messages.
One stark example of this principle that few might dispute is described in Rev 5 where we are shown this heavenly perspective of something unmistakable.... We see 'the lion' of the tribe of Judah had overcome so as to be able to open the book with the seven seals. Immediately we see that same one who was just depicted as a lion, now shown to be a lamb. Same one--- it's just that the scene unfolding in spirit is using these associations to express different spiritual attributes through association.... The lion-- powerful and triumphant after the fact, but because of prior presentation as a sacrifice as this lamb---- who had been slain. It's unquestionably depicting Jesus in both instances and it's not that he is one and not the other.... he was both lion and lamb because these are not physical creatures, but spiritual attributes offered for the associations they provide us. Spiritual attributes-- that is 'that spirit' we recognize in the passage as Jesus is in one sense like a lion, and at another time was like a lamb-- in both cases it refers to the spirit in Jesus sent from the Father. The son of God-- spirit, sent to the son of man-- Jesus.
Jesus-- the human was human and neither a lion, nor a lamb. The scene above is overwhelming to the senses, but the image below we can now comprehend only because we have the benefit of history and we know the story and how it unfolded. Apart from our knowledge of Jesus and all we know of him as a man, the scene above would remain shrouded in mystery, and to some seemingly nonsense.
How does one get oil from an olive? It has to be pressed. Like the blood of a grape-- it doesn't give it up willingly. Grapes must be crushed. Wheat must be threshed.
All images of the tribulation required of man to yield his purpose.