2025

Famous Horses in Mythology

admin March 27, 2025

Horses feature prominently in the mythology and folklore of cultures worldwide, symbolising strength, courage and freedom and, often, being blessed with mystical powers, such as flight, speech or the ability to transcend heaven and hell. Arguably the most famous mythological horse of all was Pegasus, the winged white stallion of Greek mythlogy. He sprang from the blood that spurted from the neck of Medusa, the only mortal Gordon, when she was decapitated by Perseus. Later tamed by Bellepheron, who used him defeat the fire-breathing Chimera – part lion, part goat and part dragon – Pegasus eventually became a servant of Zeus, the chief Greek deity.

Less well-known, perhaps, is Pegasus’ counterpart in Turkic mythology, the Heavenly Horse, or Tulpar. A magnficient black or white horse, he, too, has a a pair of feathered wings and epitomises speed, strength and loyalty. A mainstay of Kazakh oral tradition – indeed the Emblem of Kazakhstan featues two winged horses – the Tulpar is often the companion of epic heroes, such as Alpamis.

Horses are also prevalent in Old Norse mythology. Sleipnir, the magical eight-legged horse ridden by Odin, the supreme god and creator, was purportedly born of the union between the stallion Svaðilfari and the shape-shifting Loki, the god of mischief, in the form of a mare. Described
“the best horse among gods and men”, Sleipnir is blessed with the ability to gallop through the air and over the sea. Elsewhere in Norse mythology, the Sun was created by sparks from Muspelheim, the realm of fire and heat, but required the sun deity, Sól, to drive it across the sky each day in a chariot. The chariot was pulled by two horses, Árvakr and Alsviðr, fitted with bellows beneath their shoulders to protect them from the heat.

Speaking of chariot horses, in the Ulster, or Red Branch, Cycle of Irish mythology, Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend are two such horses belonging to hero and demigod Cú Chulainn. A divine gift, from Macha, goddess of war, or her sister, the Morrigan, goddess of death, they supposedly sprang from Linn Laith in Sliabh Fuait, a mountain range in Co. Armagh, and were subsequently tamed by Cúchulainn.

Famous Horses in Literary Fiction

admin March 27, 2025

Horses have been a cornerstone of literary fiction for centuries. Symbolising freedom, courage and beauty, they often become sounding boards for the emotions of the non-equine protagonists in the stories in which they appear.

Indeed, the classic novel ‘Don Quixote’ (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes, widely considered to be the first of its kind, features Rocinante, an old, worn out, malnourished horse chosen as the noble steed of the titular hero for his fantastical adventures. He mirrors Quixote’s own flaws and limitations, yet the two remain faithful to each other throughout.

‘Black Beauty’ (1877) was the only novel written by Anna Sewell, but became an immediate best-seller and has remained in print. Narrated by the anthropomorphic title character, a handsome, well-bred horse, the story highlights the emotional, almost spiritual connection, between horses and human beings and is structured in such a way as to blur the equine human divide.

Into the twentieth century, ‘National Velvet’ (1935) by Enid Bagnold recounts the unlikely story of Velvet Brown, a shy, nervous Sussex teenager, who trains and rides her horse, The Piebald, or The Pie for short, whom she wins in a raffle, to victory in the Grand National. Nine decades after its publication, the novel remains an inventive fairytale. As Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho once put it, “We often don’t realise that the extraordinary is to be found in the lives of ordinary people.”

The fifth installment of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, ‘The Horse and His Boy’ (1954) by C.S. Lewis, Hwin, is a nervous, gentle mare, who spends most of her life in human captivity. However, with his mistress, Aravis, a young noblewoman, threatening suicide, she is forced to reveal her ability to talk and together they flee to the freedom of Narnia.

Continuing the high fantasy theme, Shadowfax, “the lord of all the horses”, renowned for his exceptional speed, intelligence and courage is chosen and tamed by Gandalf the White, a wise wizard, in ‘Lord of the Rings’ (1954-55) by J.R.R. Tolkien. Symbolically, he represents untamed power and freedom, which stands in stark contrast to the oppression of Sauron, the Dark Lord.

Famous Horses in Films and Television

admin March 26, 2025

Human fascination with horses is ancient and has only increased since they were first domesticated, five or six millenia ago, not least because of their ability to form deep connections with people. The advent of moving pictures, in the late nineteenth century, provided another outlet for the portrayal of horses and horsemanship.

Take Silver, the white American Saddlebred stallion that became the trusty steed of the eponymous, masked, former Texas Ranger in ‘The Lone Ranger’ television series, which aired on the The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network for eight years between 1949 and 1957. Wounded by a buffalo, and close to death, he is nursed back to health by the Masked Man and, rather than return to the wild, becomes the horse forever immortalised by the phrase “Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!” Similarly, albeit on a more whimsical note, the eponymous talking palomino, who starred in 143 episodes of ‘Mister Ed’ between 1961 and 1966, was an unforgettable figure in television history. There’s champion the wonder horse too.

The fictional Triple Crown-winner, Khartoum, plays just a supporting role in ‘The Godfather’ (1972), but is nonetheless responsible, at least in part, for one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history. Having initially refused a request from Don Vito Corleone, conveyed by his consigliere, Tom Hagen, to cast singer Johnny Fontaine in a movie, Hollywood producer Jack Woltz receives “on offer he can’t refuse”. The following morning, Woltz wakes to find his bedclothes soaked in blood and, on further inspection, the grisly severed head of his $600,000 prized possession at his feet. Suffice to say, Fontaine is cast in the part after all.

Memorable, too, for slightly less gruesome reasons is Joey, the titular character in ‘War Horse’ (2011). A bay, half-Thoroughbred colt, Joey is sold, unbeknown to his owner, a Devon teenager, to a young British cavalry officer (later killed by German machine gun fire) at the outbreak of World War I. After surviving capture by the Germans, Joey is finally reunited with his original owner, temporarily blinded by a gas attack at the Second Battle of the Somme, providing unashamedly dewy-eyed ending to what is, effectively, a powerful critique of war.

Famous Horses in Cartoons

admin March 26, 2025

The first animated cartoons appeared in the first decade of the twentieth century and it’s fair to say that cartoon horses weren’t far behind. Horace Horsecollar, for example, was one of the earliest animated characters created by Walt Disney, making his silver screen debut, as regular domesticated horse, in ‘The Plowboy’ (1929). Recognisable by his trademark headcollar, overalls, bow tie and bowler hat, he quickly evolved anthropomorphic traits – not least being an attention-seeking showoff – and, along with his girlfriend, Clarabelle Cow, played a supporting role to Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Likewise, Sugarfoot, a short-lived Walter Lanz character, first appeared in theatres, as a faithful old plough horse, in ‘A Horse’s Tale’ (1954) and ‘Hay Rube’ (1954) and later, on television, as a supporting character in ‘The Woody Woodpecker Show’. A more enduring anthropomorphic character from the same era, though, was Quick Draw McGraw, from Hanna-Barbera. A white stallion, usually depicted as a sheriff in the Old West, complete with stetson, gunbelt and bandana, he was the title character of ‘The Quick Draw McGraw Show’, which ran for three seasons between 1959 and 1961.

Fast forward to 1999 and ‘Toy Story 2’, produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, introduced the loyal, carefree and utterly adorable Bullseye, as the horse belonging to Jessie, the Yodelin’ Cowgirl. A non-speaking, bay horse, he’s more doggish than anthropomorphic, but nonetheless highly animated and hugely affectionate towards the other characters.

Of course, the appeal of cartoon horses continues to the present day. Notable recent examples include Spirit, a Kiger Mustang, who’s the title character in ‘Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron’ (2002) by Dreamworks Animation, and Maximus, based on the Andalusian, who’s a supporting character in ‘Tangled’ (2010), by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The former embodies the spirit of pride, courage and resilience, refusing to be broken when captured by the U.S. Cavalry and remaining steadfast in his determination to return to his wild herd. The latter, too, begins as a faithful palace horse for the Royal Guard of Corona, the birthplace of Rapunzel, on a mission to track down thief Flynn Rider. Later, though, he forms an unlikely alliance with Rapunzel and Rider, revealing a softer, warmer side of his character.

Let’s not forgotten animated series and movies aimed at adults too, rather than kids. The likes of Bojack Horseman for instance, and Mr Horse, in Ren & Stimpy.