List of Middle-earth horses

This is a complete list of horses from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.

Races of horses

Mearas

The mearas (singular mearh) were a breed of wild horses in the north of Middle-earth. Their mortality is equal to Men and their intelligence and strength are extraordinary. They surpass normal horses in the same degree that Elves surpass Men.

They descend from Felaróf, who was tamed by the first King of Rohan, Eorl the Young. Ever since, they have been the mounts of the King and Princes of Rohan alone. During the War of the Ring, however, Gandalf the Grey tamed Shadowfax, lord of the Mearas at the end of the Third Age. They may be descended from Nahar, horse of the Vala Oromë.

Individual horses

Arod

Arod is the horse of Legolas. He is the grey horse given to Legolas by the Riders of Rohan in The Two Towers. Gimli also rides on him by sitting behind Legolas. They ride in the traditional Elven way without a saddle. They travel on Arod for much of their journey until they reach Minas Tirith, including the journey on the Paths of the Dead and the march to Pelargir. The epilogue to The Lord of the Rings (published in The History of Middle-earth, volume IX, Sauron Defeated) has Sam saying that "Legolas let his horse run back free to Rohan from Isengard", presumably after the war, when Legolas and Gimli left the rest of the Company to visit Aglarond and Fangorn.

In the Peter Jackson's films, Arod is not ridden the traditional Elven way but he is shown wearing full riding gear. Legolas and Gimli travel on Arod until Dunharrow when he refuses to enter the Paths of the Dead. In the films, Arod is played by a grey horse named Percy.

Arroch

Arroch was a horse of Húrin Lord of Dor-lómin that he rode to the battle of Nírnaeth Arnoediad. Neither the horse nor the rider returned, and Morwen Húrin's wife "listened for his footfall in the sleepless watches of the night, or would wake thinking that she had heard in the courtyard the neigh of Arroch his horse".

Asfaloth

Asfaloth is the horse ridden by Glorfindel when he meets Strider and the Hobbits shortly before they arrive at Rivendell. Asfaloth carries Frodo alone to the Ford of Bruinen.

'Ride on! Ride on!' cried Glorfindel, and then loud and clear he called to the horse in the elf-tongue: noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth!" (Sindarin for 'run quickly').
--The Fellowship of the Ring, "Flight to the Ford"

In Peter Jackson's films, Glorfindel's role was given to Arwen, played by Liv Tyler, who take Frodo herself to the Ford. This represents an attempt to give Arwen more screentime. In the films, Asfaloth is played by a grey Andalusian stallion named Florian . He was imported from Australia to take part in the films. Florian is a highly trained horse, proficient in both jumping and dressage, including some High School movements. Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, was so impressed by the performance of Jane Abbott, the riding double of Liv Tyler who played Arwen, that at the end of filming, he purchased Florian and gave him to her.

Felaróf

Felaróf was described as being as intelligent and long-lived as any human, could understand the speech of Men, and was the first of the Mearas.

Felaróf was a wild foal when he was captured by Eorl the Young's father Léod, a tamer of horses. Despite no one being able to tame the horse, Léod attempted to mount him, but was killed when the stallion threw him.

Eorl vowed to avenge his father, but did not slay the horse, commanding the horse to serve him as weregild for his father, and naming the horse Felaróf. Eorl rode him without bit or bridle. They took part in the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.

Firefoot

Firefoot was a horse of Rohan, and he bore Éomer and Gimli from Edoras to Helm's Deep prior to the Battle of the Hornburg.

Hasufel

Hasufel is given to Aragorn by the Riders of Rohan in The Two Towers. Previously, this horse had been ridden by a Rider named Garulf, killed in the recent skirmish with the band of orcs that had captured Merry and Pippin ("May he bear you well and to better fortune than Garulf, his late master!" - Éomer to Aragorn). Later, Aragorn met with a company of Dúnedain from his own lands in the north, bringing him his own mount, Roheryn, which he rode for the remainder of the tale.

In Peter Jackson’s films, Hasufel carries Aragorn to Edoras but is later killed by wargs in an orc ambush on the way to Helm's Deep. Hasufel is played by a chestnut horse from a racing background called Kenny. In the film Trilogy, Kenny also plays the horse ridden by Gandalf when he gallops to Saruman’s castle to report the finding of the Ring in The Fellowship of the Ring, and he is also used throughout the Trilogy as a Royal Guard and Rohan horse. At the end of filming, Viggo Mortensen, who plays Aragorn, purchased Kenny so he could be a buddy to Uraeus (who plays Brego), the other horse ridden by Viggo in the movie that he also purchased. Kenny remains in New Zealand under the care of Jane Abbott, one of the riding double who worked on Peter Jackson’s films

Lightfoot

Lightfoot was a Mearh of Rohan, and sire of Snowmane, the mount of King Théoden. Lightfoot is mentioned on the inscription on Snowmane's grave (Snowmane's Howe).

Nahar

Nahar (from the Valarin Næχærra) was the horse of the Vala Oromë. It was the neighing of Nahar that alerted Oromë to the presence of the Quendi when he came upon them for the first time, and light from the sparks his hooves threw up were the first light in Valinor after the darkening of the trees.

Rochallor

Rochallor was the mighty horse of Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor. Rochallor bore the King to the gates of Angband, where a desperate and fearless Fingolfin challenged Morgoth to single combat. Rochallor stayed by his master throughout the duel, but was driven away by wolves. He died of a burst heart in Hithlum soon afterwards.

Roheryn

The name Roheryn means 'horse of the lady' in Tolkien's invented Elven language, Sindarin; this stems from the horse being gifted to Aragorn by his lady-love, Arwen. Roheryn was brought to Aragorn in the South by his kinsman Halbarad during the War of the Ring, prior to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. He, Arod, and the other horses of the Dúnedain went with their masters on the Paths of the Dead and made the great march to Pelargir.

Shadowfax

Shadowfax is a mighty horse of Rohan, the chief of the Mearas. Like the other mearas, Shadowfax was a grey/silver stallion and can understand the speech of Men. He was also seemingly fearless, and can run faster than any other horse in Middle-earth. He is tamed by Gandalf and reluctantly granted as a gift to him (after Gandalf had borrowed him for some time) by King Théoden of the Rohirrim. No Man could tame Shadowfax. He would not tolerate a bridle or saddle and only carried Gandalf by choice. The great horse also bore a hobbit, Pippin and the dwarf Gimli, (both times with Gandalf riding) for a short time during the War of the Ring. His name could be translated as Shadow-hair, Old English feax meaning "hair". The name Shadowfax derives from the horses Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi in Norse Mythology. Shadowfax was descended from Felarof, Eorl the Young's horse, and the original lord of all horses... the first mearas.

In an unpublished epilogue and letters Tolkien stated that Shadowfax passed West over the Sea with Gandalf, but in The Lord of the Rings itself this is only hinted at by mention of Gandalf standing near a "great grey horse" on the quay just before departing, and the earlier promise by Gandalf (in the chapter 'The White Rider') that he and Shadowfax will not be parted again in this world.

In Peter Jackson’s films, Shadowfax is already owned by Gandalf and not given by King Théoden.

In Peter Jackson’s films, Shadowfax is played by two grey Andalusian horses named Blanco, who has the most screen time, and Domero. At the end of filming, Len Baynes, a riding double on the films, purchased Blanco.

Snowmane

Snowmane, foal of Lightfoot, is the mount of King Théoden, on which he rode into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. He is certainly weaker than Shadowfax, ridden by Gandalf; however, since his master was the King of Rohan he was most likely one of the Mearas himself.

Snowmane accompanied Théoden to the Battle of the Hornburg, and is ridden on the final charge out of the fortress. At the battle of the Pelennor, however, Snowmane is pierced by a black dart, causing him to fall and crush Théoden beneath him. He is buried with honour on the field of battle; his grave, known as Snowmane's Howe, bore the inscription:

Faithful servant yet master's bane

Lightfoot's foal, swift Snowmane.

-- The Return of the King: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields," p. 120

In Peter Jackson’s films, Snowmane is killed by the fell beast of the Witch-king. Snowmane is played by a grey Percheron-cross horse named Hercules.

Windfola

Windfola is Éowyn's grey horse. Whilst disguised as Dernhelm, Éowyn (with Merry) rode to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields on Windfola. During the battle, Éowyn and Merry were thrown from Windfola's back when Windfola was terrified by the fell beast on which the Nazgûl rode, and ran wild over the plain.

In Peter Jackson’s films, Windfola is played by a bay horse named Dublin.

Individual ponies

Bill

Bill was bought, for an exorbitant price, by Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper at the Prancing Pony in Bree, for Frodo Baggins and his companions, as they fled the Shire on their way to Rivendell. This was necessary as their own ponies had been stolen from the stables of the Prancing Pony inn, while they spent the night there. Bill was purchased from Bill Ferny, who was in league with the spies who stole the other ponies. Ferny was a cruel man who mistreated Bill, but after being purchased by the hobbits Bill became a fatter and happier pony. He was given the name 'Bill' by Sam Gamgee shortly after the party left Bree.

After arriving in Rivendell, Bill became acquainted with the elvish horses, and this influence resulted in a good deal of self-improvement. He left Rivendell a much wiser pony, not to mention healthier and happier.

He accompanied the Fellowship of the Ring from Rivendell to the doors of Moria, but had to be left behind there because the company could not take a pony through the mines of Moria. All thought him killed by either the Watcher in the Water or wolves, but being a wise pony by this point, he managed to survive on his own and made his way back to Bree. There, he was nursed back to health at the Prancing Pony, until he eventually was joyfully reunited with Sam on his return journey to the Shire. Bill's old master, Bill Ferny, had been set by "the Chief" (Lotho Sackville-Baggins) to watch the gate at the Brandywine bridge into the Shire, and after he was cowed into submission and sent off by the hobbits, Bill the Pony caught him a kick just as he disappeared into the darkness. Sam took the pony back to Hobbiton where he apparently lived for the rest of his life.

In the trilogy of film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson, Bill only appears in The Fellowship of the Ring. Originally, a treatment in line with the books was going to be used: Bill would be presumed to have been killed by the Watcher in the Water, but then re-appear alive as a surprise at the end of The Return of the King. However, several producers objected to this because The Return of the King film adaptation would be released two years after The Fellowship of the Ring, and they didn't want the audience to be horrified and for two full years think that Bill had gruesomely died. As a result, in the final version Bill is seen being peacefully released from the Fellowship outside Moria, a significant amount of time before the Watcher in the Water attacks, with the implication that he will find his way home. Although this is the only time Bill the pony expressly appears in the films, Sam is riding a pony back into Hobbiton at the end of The Return of the King, and it is presumably Bill. In the films, Bill is played by a pony named Shane.

Bumpkin

Bumpkin is one of five ponies obtained by Merry and used by the hobbits to ride from the Shire to Bree. The ponies are named by Tom Bombadil after the hobbits' encounter with the barrow-wight. They later vanish during the attack on Bree by the Black Riders. The reader is told that the ponies find their way to Bombadil and his pony, Fatty Lumpkin, and are eventually sent back to Bree, to be looked after by Butterbur.

Fatty Lumpkin

Fatty Lumpkin is the pony that is ridden by Tom Bombadil. In The Fellowship of the Ring, the Hobbits' (Sam, Merry, Pippin and Frodo) own ponies get to know Fatty Lumpkin and manage to find him after the Hobbits encounter a fog on the Barrow-downs.

Sharp-ears

Sharp-ears is one of five ponies obtained by Merry and used by the hobbits to ride from the Shire to Bree. The ponies are named by Tom Bombadil after the hobbits' encounter with the barrow-wight. They later vanish during the attack on Bree by the Black Riders. The reader is told that the ponies find their way to Bombadil and his pony, Fatty Lumpkin, and are eventually sent back to Bree, to be looked after by Butterbur.

Strider

Strider is the pony ridden by Frodo from Minas Tirith back to the Shire, and from the Shire to the Grey Havens. The pony came to be known as Strider during or after the journey from Minas Tirith.

Stybba

Stybba is the pony given by Théoden to Merry Brandybuck. He is described as small, shaggy, and grey. Théoden's reason for leaving Merry in Edoras while he rides to Gondor to do battle is that Stybba cannot keep up with the horses of the Rohirrim, and none of the riders can carry Merry. The name is from Old English styb "stub, stump". Icelandic stubbur is a common name for sheep.

In Peter Jackson’s film version of The Return of the King, Stybba makes a brief appearance as a grey pony.

Swish-tail

Swish-tail is one of five ponies obtained by Merry and used by the hobbits to ride from the Shire to Bree. The ponies are named by Tom Bombadil after the hobbits' encounter with the barrow-wight. They later vanish during the attack on Bree by the Black Riders. The reader is told that the ponies find their way to Bombadil and his pony, Fatty Lumpkin, and are eventually sent back to Bree, to be looked after by Butterbur.

White-socks

White-socks is one of five ponies obtained by Merry and used by the hobbits to ride from the Shire to Bree. The ponies are named by Tom Bombadil after the hobbits' encounter with the barrow-wight. They later vanish during the attack on Bree by the Black Riders. The reader is told that the ponies find their way to Bombadil and his pony, Fatty Lumpkin, and are eventually sent back to Bree, to be looked after by Butterbur.

Wise-nose

Wise-nose is one of five ponies obtained by Merry and used by the hobbits to ride from the Shire to Bree. The ponies are named by Tom Bombadil after the hobbits' encounter with the barrow-wight. They later vanish during the attack on Bree by the Black Riders. The reader is told that the ponies find their way to Bombadil and his pony, Fatty Lumpkin, and are eventually sent back to Bree, to be looked after by Butterbur.

External links

• Movie Horses NZ Information on the horses who worked in the Peter Jackson’s films

See also

• List of fictional horses

es:Caballos (Tierra Media) fr:Nivacrin it:Lista di cavalli di Arda nl:Mearas pt:Mearas