This article on matching horses to fiction is part of the Science in Sci-fi, Fact in Fantasy blog series. Each week, we tackle one of the scientific or technological concepts pervasive in sci-fi (space travel, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, etc.) with input from an expert. Please join the mailing list to be notified every time new content is posted.
The Expert: Rachel Chaney
Rachel Annelise Chaney spent her childhood inhaling every scrap of horse information she could find and riding every equine she could climb on. Since adopting an ex-racehorse, she’s ridden, trained or cared for everything from Thoroughbreds to Quarter Horses, Drafts to Arabians, Warmblood jumpers to Paint barrel racers.
A reader and writer of SFF, Rachel currently languishes in the Eternal Pit of Revision. You should follow her on Twitter. Send coffee. Ignore frustrated screams.
Casting Horses in Fictional Worlds
If you’re on this blog, you care about getting your fictional horses right. Congrats! This puts you ahead of 90% of Hollywood.
Here’s the deal, most writers get horse terminology (gaits, colors, tack, etc.) right. These are universal facts. Unchanging truths. Correct regardless of breed or worldbuilding. If you don’t know this terminology, check out the excellent horse articles by Amy McKenna & Karlie Hart!
Matching your mount to your world and/or character is a trickier business and Hollywood will steer you wrong every time. Using the wrong horse may seem like a little thing, but it will rip horse-knowledgeable readers right out of your story. Three key issues to consider when writing your fantasy-land horses are:
- The horse’s use or purpose
- The climate the horse lives in
- Your character’s horse experience
Let’s Match-Your-Mount!
Matching Horses to Use
Misconception: Horses are all-purpose.
Reality: *stifles laughter* Um, no. Like dogs, humans developed horse breeds over centuries of selective mating. Each breed was created for a specific purpose.
The first thing you should do is pinpoint your horse’s purpose. Are they a knight’s mount? An over-rough-terrain horse to take your character on a trek? A nobleman’s hunter or a cavalry steed?
Each purpose takes a different kind of horse.
A Knight’s Horse
Clydesdales. Credit: Anheuser-Busch (probably)
So you’re writing a Medieval Fantasy and have armored warriors that need to charge into battle. You might be thinking they need a big horse, tough and muscled. Something like the Budweiser Clydesdales, perhaps?
Sorry, but no. Contrary to popular belief, most armored knights did not use giant, heavy draft horses. Based on recovered equine armor and illustrations, knights’ mounts (known as chargers or destriers) tended to be short to average height at 14-16hh tall and stocky.
Reason: If unhorsed, an armored warrior needed to be able to leap back on his mount. Those 18hh drafts? Not happening! A 15hh horse? Absolutely!
The smaller, stocky build is also better for sharp turns, kicks, rears and charges in the heat of battle. Most draft horses are known as Gentle Giants. The fire needed for battle? Not their thing.
The closest modern equivalent to the medieval charger: the Irish Draught.
Irish Draught Horse
Horses for Long Treks
De Vedras Working
The most common mistake I see in books, movies, and TV shows is the use of fine-boned horses on long treks, frequently Thoroughbreds. When most people think of horses, the thoroughbred tends to be the default view of how they look, move and act. Thoroughbreds are great. I own them. I adore them. I harbor no illusions about them.
Like most thoroughbreds, De Vedras and his buddies have lots of heart, so they would go on that long trek over the mountains and through the woods if asked. But they would drop weight, probably get injured or dehydrated, and definitely suffer from fatigue.
20 minutes later
If your character is going on a long trip, give them a sturdy mount, like the hardy Mongol horse. Or Napoleon’s small but intrepid Marengo, an Egyptian Arabian, who carried the French dictator through the Alps. The smaller horses may not be able to whisk your character away from danger or magnificently rear, but they’d laugh in the face of exhaustion or hazardous conditions.
An Arabian
Hunting/Cavalry Horses
Still love thoroughbreds? Rejoice! Here’s their optimal placement.
Both hunting horses and post-Medieval cavalry horses shared similar job descriptions and necessary skills, so I’m lumping them together. For hunting, a horse needed to be energetic enough to leap obstacles, fast enough to keep up with prey, and cool-headed enough to listen to its rider.
Thoroughbreds like this American Pharaoh are primarily bred for racing, but are highly versatile. Credit: Barbara Livingston of the Daily Racing Form
A warmblood (Sam) at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sturdier but slower than thoroughbreds. Credit: Dirk Caremans of Hippo Foto
After the rise of gunpowder weapons and the fall of armor, the physical conformation of cavalry horses shifted. Instead of short, stocky chargers, cavalry mounts got taller and leaner. They had to be fiery enough to charge into the fray, nimble enough to get their riders out of lethal situations, yet calm enough to obey commands immediately.
The closest modern equivalents to these horses are Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods – the same breeds that compete in the equestrian sports that evolved from cavalry training.
If you’re writing a nobleman’s hunter (from any era) or a for-pleasure mount or a Flintlock Fantasy, stick to thoroughbreds and warmbloods. They’re tall (15.2-18hh), muscular, fast and agile.
What You Learned From Hollywood
THROW A FRIESIAN IN IT. When a Friesian stole the show in Ladyhawke (1985), movie producers decided Friesians were the best thing since peanut butter. So now they cast them. In. Everything.
*exaggerated eye roll* No, no, no, no.
If you find yourself describing your character’s horse as big and black with a flowing mane and tail and feathered feet: stop, collaborate and listen. Friesians are extremely costly. Always have been. They’re amazing animals, but they are NOT cart, commoner, or insane asylum carriage horses. Looking at you Beauty and the Beast (2017).
The Bottom Line on Horse Use
- Does your horse have a specific use? Keep descriptions in line with the breeds intended for that.
- Do not give your commoner a Friesian. Don’t give anyone a Friesian unless they’re A) rich B) need a Warmblood.
Matching Horse to Climate
Misconception: Horses are hardy and can weather harsh climates.
Reality: Horses are both surprisingly tough and exceptionally fragile. If your world features harsh or unusual climates, match your horses to that world.
Horses for Hot and Dry Climates
Are your characters moving through a desert, rocky wasteland, or otherwise hot and arid world? Don’t pull a Game of Thrones and put heavy horses in there. You wouldn’t stick a Siberian husky in the desert, would you?
Big, muscly horses need lots, lots, LOTS of water, food and forage to maintain that size. In reality, those Friesians the Dothraki ride across wastelands would likely die of dehydration and heat exhaustion..
If you’re writing a desert-esque world, go for a breed that snorts in the face of extreme heat and lack of vegetation – like Arabians, Akhal-Tekes, or Marwaris. Like these breeds, your mount should be lean, compact, and light on their feet. On the shorter side (14-16hh), the desert breeds are masters of endurance. Need to go a couple thousand miles? They’ve got you covered!
Akhal Teke
These smaller, leaner equines can take you for longer distances, with less food, than a heavy mount!
Horses for Cold and Snowy Climates
On the flip side, don’t put that Arabian in a wintry climate! You wouldn’t put a Husky in the Sahara, so don’t put a greyhound on the Alaskan sled team.
Most horses can weather cold temperatures (Pun intended. I kill myself.) with blanketing and care by their owners. But if your setting features below zero temps, snowstorms, or persistent wintry conditions, you may need to consider going with a horse breed designed to live in freezing climates.
Cold weather horses tend to be heavier than the average riding horse and grow out a thick, fuzzy coat in the winter. While a big draft horse fits the bill, smaller breeds like the Icelandic Horse or the Fjord are great examples of a horse designed for cold winters and mountainous terrain.
Fjord Horse
If your setting is mountainous, icy or subject to freezing temps, the best match for your world is a horse with strong hooves, thick muscles, and super fuzzy winter coat. How tall or short they should be depends on their purpose.
The Bottom Line on Climate
If you have an unusual setting or climate, pick a breed that matches. If your setting doesn’t have extreme weather or unique terrain conditions, refer to the prior section on matching your mount to its purpose. Nearly all breeds can survive just fine anywhere that doesn’t have extreme hot or cold.
What You Learned From Hollywood
Use whatever breed you want! YOLO.
*points back to Game of Thrones Friesian* I don’t think I need to further explain why Hollywood’s wrong here.
Matching Horse to Character
Misconception: Horses are living bicycles. If you learned how to ride, you can ride any horse.
Reality: Every horse has a will, emotions, personalities and quirks. They think, feel, act and react.
Matching your specific character to a complementary horse is a case-by-case issue, and not necessarily important unless horses are a vital part of your narrative. There are, however, a couple of big issues you should avoid.
About Stallions
If you’re character is not an experienced rider, do NOT put them on a stallion! Don’t put anyone on a stallion without a solid reason.
As much as Hollywood likes Friesians, books and movies like stallions even more. Most stallions are temperamental, aggressive, and dangerous. Calm, attentive stallions do exist, but they’re the exception to the rule. When in doubt, go with a gelding or mare.
Horse Temperament
On the same note, don’t give your character a cool, spirited horse if they’re a nervous or excitable type. Horses are incredibly perceptive, and however a rider is feeling translates through their body and language and down the reins to the horse.
Is your character a confident, skilled rider? Sure, throw them on that fiery steed! Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Final Note
Horses are strange and frustrating creatures. Even horses of the same breed, sex, and age can behave like totally different animals. Case in point, my off-track Thoroughbred (a breed known as “hot” and “spooky”) snoozing away as he gets his hooves trimmed and a thunderstorm passes through:
He’s not even tied to anything
So there are no rules that are true 100% of the time. Ultimately, you know what’s best for your story, including your equine characters. But remember this good rule of thumb:
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
– Pablo Picasso?
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Excellent article! Now if we can just get writers to stop giving horses ‘reigns’, we’ll be making progress. At least try to get in the general vicinity of reality. 🙂
– Kay
I’m so glad you enjoyed the article! Oh, boy, do I hear you on the ‘reigns.’
There are few more horse articles coming, including one that maaaaybe addresses the reigns/reins issue. 😉 Keep an eye out!
thank you! This is a keeper. I say this whose hero (1830’s Paris, former officer of Horse Artillery) rides a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross when he has to get in the saddle.
You’re welcome!
Percheron/Thoroughbred is a prime cross! My purebred Thoroughbred never raced because he somehow got that sporthorse/draft cross heavy build, and he’s a fantastic ride because of it. Smooth and solid.
If you have any questions about anything, I’d be happy to answer the best I can!
This is a great resource–many thanks for sharing! I wish I could reblog, but I can’t seem to find the button 🙁
Hi Rachel.
I’m writing a story set in a post-apocalyptic small town in the Ozarks, where they have developed their own ‘breeds’ of horses: some heavy/draft types for logging and plowing, warmblooded cavalry types for the elite’s military use, and quite a lot of middle-of-the-road types that the middle class use for trading and hunting. The hunting isn’t from horseback, they use the horses to get around in the wilderness around them, and to haul the carcasses home.
The climate is moderate temperate, somewhat warmer than at present (climate change). I want the horses to be plausible developments from horse breeds already commonly available in the US and suitable for the purposes I’ve outlined (I’d love to use the Nooitgedachter, but it’s rare even in South Africa where it comes from). What about the Budjonny? Or the Shagya? Morgan? What about the Nez Perce nation’s breed of horses?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
David-
This is a great question! I’m having to run out the door right now, but I wanted to A) apologize that I haven’t gotten back to you sooner and B) assure you I’ve been giving this a lot of thought.
I’ll shoot you my best suggestions as soon I get back to a computer tonight.
Thanks!
I’m going to apologize in advance for the length of this comment. Once I start thinking about something, I tend to go all in!
You’re coming at this front the right angle, looking to base your horses on breeds that are commonly available in the US and suitable to the purposes your characters need. A HUGE consideration for your story is the population size of breeds and their nearness to the Ozarks. So some breeds might seem ideal for the purposes of your characters/world, but the chances they would be available are slim to non-existent.
Even in a technologically capable world like today, transporting horses from one part of the world to the another is no joke. If you see a rare horse or an expensive horse or a champion horse moving from one part of the world to another, they’ve likely been guarded & taken care of better than a baby. European Warmbloods shipped to the US for competition are wrapped up like antiques and go into quarantine. Champion Thoroughbreds fly on Air Horse One (I’m not making this up!). Why? Because it’s HARD to transport horses long distances without them getting injured or sick or dying.
Imagine how difficult it would be to get horses transported in a post-apocalyptic world. Probably not going to happen. So you should stick with breeds that already in close proximity to the Ozarks.
So the Budjonny, Nooietgedachter, and Shagya are all great endurance horses that would likely survive in a post-apoc world. But the Budjonny is also exclusively East European/Russian. The Shagya isn’t terribly common in the US, and the Nooitgedachter is . . . well, I’ve never seen one. 🙂
The chances they would be near the Ozarks when your apocalypse happened are basically nil.
The Nez Perce breed is good for use, but after 20 years of breeding programs, there are still only a few thousand. And most of those are not near the Ozarks, as far as I’m aware, so the likelihood they would be available as a foundation breed for your characters/world isn’t nil but still low.
The Morgan is a good one. They’re hardy, smart, and relatively easy to get your hands on. The Morgan is already used as a base breed for a lot of crosses today, and they are known for being able to do everything from pull a plow to jump to race. They’re a great pick!
A really good base breed for a setting in the Ozarks is the Rocky Mountain Horse. Despite its name, the RMH was actually bred in the Appalachian mountains. It hasn’t been in existence very long, but it’s already up to 25,000 registered horses. It’s breed success is likely due to its durability. They were bred in the mountains, so they have strong hooves, tough constitutions and can trot/rack for long periods of time. A sizeable portion of the population exists in West Kentucky/the Midwest, so it would be 100% believable if they ended up in the Ozarks. They’re noted for their unusual coloring. Look them up, they’re pretty cool.
You should also consider breeds that are SUPER common in the US. We might have small number of rare breeds, but there is no contest when it comes to our population of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. In fact, a lot of people cross-breed those two to get the Appendix. Quarter Horses are far and away the most common breed, and they would be an ideal base horse for all our middle-of-the-road uses.
TL;DR: I’d suggest using Quarter Horses and Rocky Mountain Horses as the base breed for your middle class use. Trading, hunting, riding. Etc.
A Morgan or Morgan/Belgian or Thoroughbred/Percheron might be good for logging and plowing. (But keep your temperature in mind. Draft horses are susceptible to heat. If it’s too hot, even crosses won’t be surviving.)
Thoroughbreds, Anglo-Arabians, or Morgan/TB crosses for your cavalry use.
Thoroughbreds/Thoroughbred crosses have been the preferred cavalry horse since the fall of armored warfare. They’re ideal for charges, jumping, and staying calm in crazy situations. Considering how many are available in the US, it’s entirely plausible they would be your Elite Military mounts. Warmbloods are bit hardier, but they’re not easily attainable in the US – at least not as much as Thoroughbreds.
Extra Note:
One thing to consider from the outset is how far-future your book is set. A lot of horse breeds slowly developed over centuries in response to changing weather, economic, or travel conditions. The modern Thoroughbred, for example, was only bred into existence when travel became easier and hot breeds (Arabians, etc.) were transported to Europe to be crossed with heavier horses there. So how much your world has identifiably “new” breeds of horses will depend on A) the amount of time that has passed from modern day to your time period and B) whether they would have needed to create new breeds.
Some breeds haven’t changed much over the last centuries/millennia because they have no reason to. Arabians, for example. Their use hasn’t changed much, so their conformation hasn’t been altered except by breeders trying to create a designer look. If the weather and geography of your world is vastly altered from modern day, they might need to create new breeds.
But in a post-apocalyptic future, I’d imagine developing new horse breeds would only be important if necessary. I.e. if they couldn’t survive in their modern form.
Hi Rachel, for some reason I missed the -email alert for your reply.
Thank you so much for that in depth comment, it’s brilliant. I’d never heard of the Rocky Mountain Horse before, going to go search for it now.
I didn’t know how tough it was to transport horses. The back story on the community in my novel is that they’re an intentional community/eco-village founded well before a slow, gradual collapse of our civilization, who intentionally selected various breeds of animal (their economy is based around wool and sheep dairy products, so I’ve also done research on sheep breeds).
It’s set 150 years into the future, with relatively mild climate change but massive resource decline, pestilence and social upheaval. So your advice is pretty much exactly what I needed.
Again, many thanks!
I just now saw your response, so no problem! 😀 I’m glad my comment helped.
I have a couple more little suggestions based on this comment if that’s cool.
As far as the difficulty transporting horses, a lot of it has to do with their health/the risk of colic or laminitis. I wrote about thought for the 2nd Horse Article: How to Injure or Kill Horses in Fiction. In case you haven’t seen that one yet/are interested in the mechanics of why horses are difficult travelers (and just die easily in general) – here’s the link to that article: http://dankoboldt.com/injuring-killing-horses-fiction/
Obviously, if you have questions about anything health-wise, you can drop a comment under that article or this one, and I’ll answer as best I can!
Your Setting: so if the main change isn’t temperature but resource decline, that’s actually a worse scenario for your horses. As I note in this article, horses aren’t TOO susceptible to heat and cold (except for extreme breeds). However, ALL horses are susceptible to lack of resources – and I mention this in the article I linked above.
If your world has minimal forage and horse feed, that’s gonna limit the breeds that would realistically survive. Drafts and Warmbloods take LOTS of resources to stay healthy.
For example, my 16.2hh Thoroughbred eats 4-5 pounds of grain in the winter and 20 pounds of hay. The Draft Cross I boarded ate 10 pounds of grain, 2 cups of sunflower seeds, a cup of vegetable oil and 40 pounds of forage. He also drank 2-3 times the amount of water (about 30 gallons).
So you have to figure your economy. If resources are scarce, they’re going to be worth more. Is a farmer/common person going to be able to afford the care of a big/draft horse? Probably not. The hardier, easier keepers like AQHA and Rocky Mountains and Morgans are more likely (or scrubby Mustang crosses).
On the other hand, this could definitely be a class distinction. Since Thoroughbreds can be more “difficult keepers” (they tend to take more food/water compared to some breeds) – their use by your Elite military would be a status symbol as well. Not only do they get the BEST horses for the job, but they can afford to maintain them.
I think I go into it a bit in the 2nd Horse Article, but one of the largest factors to consider with horses is resource availability. It takes more to keep them alive than most livestock. That’s why they’ve been a status symbol (like fancy cars) for centuries. Who can afford to keep alive which breeds, or any breed, would be an important worldbuilding distinction.
Hope this helps too!
Loving all this info! Can you help me understand which breeds would be best suited for the west and mid-west areas? Especially in the mountain and valleys where temperatures can change significantly such as with Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and South Dakota? I plan to retire somewhere in one of these states in the next few years. Thanks for your input.
Hey Nora – I don’t know if you will even see this comment because it has been so long since I have checked for new comments. (I apologize!)
I would recommend basing your horse breed on what use/personality you are looking for. With the exception of niche breeds bred for very specific climates and purposes, most horses are capable of thriving almost anywhere in modern times. Unlike in the past (or in most fantasy worlds), we have a lot of modern inventions that make transporting and caring for horses simpler and safer. Climate controlled barns/synthetic blankets/heated buckets/supplements/fly masks/etc.
So I would focus on what YOU are wanting out of the horse. The American Quarter Horse is a very popular breed because it is a good “all-around” horse. They are typically of medium height and build, not bothered by the temperature that much, easy to locate and purchase, and generally calm-natured. They are the most common breed found on ranches and farms, so they would not be a bad starting point.
But there a lot of breeds you can choose from after you move! The Tennessee Walking Horse should be find in those climates and is known to be a smooth ride (some Quarter Horses can have “rough” gaits). Likewise, a Morgan is also a good all around horse. The Quarter Horse, Morgan, TWH, and even Thoroughbred would all be good options if you are looking for a good trail horse, a hardy partner to hack around with.
If you want a bigger horse, the TWH and Thoroughbreds are both taller on average than a Quarter Horse or Morgan. I wanted a Thoroughbred because I am 5′ 10″ and wanted a tall mount with the versatility to do low-level show jumping and dressage and still be happy chilling on a trail ride. But Thoroughbreds can be less “hardy” than other breeds.
A Draft Horse cross is a great option if you want a BIG BOY who you never have to worry about being weighed down. They are big. They are tough boys. They laugh at the weather. They are very chill. But they also eat like a linebacker and will probably not be interested in anything very taxing or energetic.
TL;DR – almost any breed can live comfortably where you looking to move. Every horse is different, so do a lot of research before you pull the trigger and put down cash. I.e. my Thoroughbred is unbothered by either hot or cold, but I have heard of some of his breed having health problems with extreme heat and humidity.
Think about what TEMPERAMENT you want, what SIZE will fit you best, and what USE are looking for. And narrow down your breeds from there!
This is a terrific article. (Not only for writers–I wish I could’ve shown it to my students when I was teaching & training…As least in print people can’t HURT themselves with the wrong horse!)
I remember a soap opera scene (Y&R?) set in a stable where the bridles were hung up by the bits and the hero bragged, “We have eleven stallions and two mares.”
Gag me with a reign. 😀
Thanks, Liz. I’m glad you liked it!
I feel your pain on matching people with horses. I’ve tried to talk people out of the wrong horse too many times. It never works out well! 😀
“Eleven stallions and two mares” . . . I, uh. I’m speechless. I’m literally facepalming right now.
And rest assured, I’ll definitely be addressing the “rein/reign” in an article on common horse-related errors. 😉
Hi Rachel I do have a few questions for you if you don’t mind. I am starting my world building for my own little story, and I am also using horses. However it is not on Earth so I do want to have a fantasy element based in reality. I’ve been looking at horse breeds such as the Shire, Percheron, and Clydesdale as the base of my horse. I need them to be able to pull a house wagon over long distances and to be very intelligent,and to stay ahead of hostile forces. However your article stumped me on the regions… the world is Mountainous, Arid Plains, Deserts and even some volcanic activity. So any advice that you can give me I truly appreciate it. Thanks,
Victoria
Hi Victoria!
I apologize for the lateness of this reply. As someone who works at a CPA firm, tax season is crazy. 🙂
I think your worldbuilding has backed you into a bit of a corner here! A couple of ideas:
1) If your climate were suitable, I would suggest going for a smaller, more fleet-footed draft type. In Europe, the Irish Cob (aka Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Horse, Gypsy Vanner) was selectively bred specifically for pulling house wagons over long distances. They’re known for having the musculature and strength of a huge draft while being smaller, more compact.
Irish Cob’s stay around 14-15hh, as opposed to the 18hh+ Clydesdales and Shires. Their smaller size meant they could pull heavy loads but were versatile enough to be used as riding horses when necessary. (The Romani people’s history of persecution meant they also wanted horses that could be fast when called upon. Huge drafts are notably less fleet than a Cob.) Since they were also bred to be great around children, the Cob was also known for being intelligent and careful.
Thus, for purposes of meeting your first requirements (pulling a heavy load, being intelligent, AND being fast enough to stay ahead of hostile forces), the Irish Cob would be a great model!
Unfortunately, your climate doesn’t seem conducive… The heat wouldn’t actually be a problem to the cob; many are raised and thrive in hotter regions like the Mediterranean. The hangup is food.
The Cob was bred in Great Britain, where forage and clean water is plentiful. Grass, hedges, streams, and creeks were all readily available, and purchasing grain presented little issue. Like most drafts, even the smaller Cobs need lots of forage to prevent colic (see my article on Horse Injuries to learn more! 🙂 ). So the chances of a heavy horse thriving in an area with little clean water and forage is low. Your characters were have to keep hay, grain and water for the horses stocked constantly – which would take up precious wagon space.
Option: If you had fantastical horses that could subsist on something present only in your fantasy world, you could circumvent the problem. It’s your world, after all! 🙂
2) If you want to stick as realistically as possible, I’d suggest either a plains type horse (a la the Mongolian Horse, a hardy, stocky breed of great intelligence but used as riding horses – not hauling wagons) or a non-equine altogether.
People traveling in areas with plains and deserts typically did not rely on horses to pull things or get them to their destination because of how much forage, grain and water necessary to keep horses healthy. For instance: the Oregon Trail.
While horses were known to be the fastest movers, most people who went on the Oregon Trail went with Oxen. Oxen were hardier and could mostly live off the land. Horses needed grain and forage, both which had to be carted along in the wagon, taking up valuable space. They also died faster/easier from dehydration, exhaustion or colic.
In desert areas, like the Arabian peninsula, camels were the pack animal of choice because (like oxen) they proved much hardier than horses. Only the well-off could afford to travel via horse. Even the Arabian (the best endurance breed in the world) cannot last long without water and forage. And the Arabian is one of the worst possible choices to pull a house wagon – not only are they not built to haul, but their temperaments are generally too volatile.
TL;DR – I’d suggest
1) a breed based on the Irish Cob but modified to fit your world-building (a special breed specifically capable of surviving in your world).
2) a scrubby equine modeled after the mustang or the Mongolian horse who would be fine in your climate but not known for pulling
3) a non-equine like oxen, camels, mules, etc.
I hope this helps!
Hi there! You have no idea how helpful this article is when it comes to writing horses.
Currently, I’m working on a YA novel set on an equine rehab and boarding ranch in Wyoming and I was wondering if you would perhaps do another article detailing which horses are best-suited to which types of work. For example, today most rodeo, cattle-herding and roping horses seem to be of Quarter horse stock whereas a century ago, they were used for quarter-mile races. Things like that, despite some breeds having more physically-obvious traits that instantly point them to their work. In short, “this breed is best for this work”. I know I would highly appreciate it! 🙂 Sorry if I rambled a bit!
R.A.
Hi Rachel,
I just ran across your article on matching horses to use, etc. I’m writing a SF novel about colonizing a new planet. The colonist have brought goats, chickens, dogs, and horses. If you’re willing to offer advice, I would appreciate it.
Here are the constraints: (1) It’s a very long voyage, so even with a huge ship, they have only brought two mares (with longevity treatments) and frozen sperm. They had to be fed en route and survive the trip. (2) They will be used as draft horses, and other agricultural uses; and (3) The climate is tropical and unvarying–hot and very wet.
I had about decided on Criollo horses when I ran across your article. I’m not a horse person (or a farmer, hence the vague “other agricultural uses”), and I would love to get your expert take on this.
Thanks!
Well, David, it took me a year and a half to see your comment because I was foolish and did not check for new comments! (Life has been crazy, and I apologize.)
So, hopefully, you see this response, and it will still be helpful! (Whether it’s on this novel or a future work.)
Criollos are a really good breed if you are looking for a hardy mount. They are known for their stamina and would have no problem with a tropical climate. They are fairly diminutive on the horse scale, so you would have to consider that it is unlikely they would be able to do heavy farm work. The small, hardy Criollo is largely a ranch horse/riding horse/pleasure horse. They actually almost went extinct from cross-breeding to MAKE them more capable of farmwork in past centuries.
They are not naturally as suited to heavy work as a draft horse. In loose terms, they are like a hardier Arabian. Light, fast, great endurance and turn of foot – but not packed with muscle.
A big thing to consider is gestation period. If your colonizers are only bringing two broodmares, neither of those are going to be of use working on a farm no matter the breed. Why? They’re going to be in foal year-round trying to grow the population.
Horses have an 11 to 12-month gestation period. (Obviously, this is SF, so you can invent a way that science made that gestation period shorter if you want!) But otherwise, those mares are going to spend a year in foal and need to be immediately re-bred as soon as they are healthy enough and the foal is weaned in order to have a chance at the whole species not dying out.
And horses take several years to grow and mature.
TL;DR –
1) Almost any of the traditionally South American breeds would fare nicely in a tropical, hot climate. (Criollo, Barb, Peruvian, etc.) But they would be limited in the draft work they could do, so they would realistically need to be crossed with a bigger draft breed to make them capable of tougher jobs.
2) Your colonizers would have to bring more than 2 mares if they need horses to contribute to farmwork anytime soon. (Beyond just having and raising foals for a good while.) Artificial Insemination would absolutely be the solution for breeding, but I’d estimate a real-life voyage like this would need at least 10 horses brought on the trip (at least half broodmares and the others mares or geldings to do work needed while the population is growing).
I’m writing a story about a character who travels everywhere with his horse, including deserts, mountains, and forests. I need a horse breed that can handle hot and cold, long distance, and to be able to go really fast at moments. Do you have any idea of a horse breed like that?
A unicorn! Okay, not really, but it sounds like your character will need a mythical mount for this task.
Realistically, I would say your best bet is a sturdy cross-breed that can handle most things well without being an expert in any. For example, my Thoroughbred is built more like a sporthorse/Warmblood and does fairly well with all conditions but is not the best in any. I don’t have to blanket him in the cold/winter/rain unless it is going to freeze for days. I don’t have to hose him down in the summer for heat because he naturally regulates heat well. And he can move pretty fast with decent endurance.
But he wouldn’t be able to handle the cold like a Fjord. Or the heat like an Arabian. Or be as fast as a classically built Thoroughbred. Or as enduring as a Mongolian Pony.
So I would recommend you focus on which climates your character will be spending the MOST time in and your breed should be a cross that can handle that best and the other climates okay. So, if they are likely to be in hot climates/over distance a lot, go with a cross like a Thoroughbred/Arabian – who are very popular as endurance mounts for the Arabian heat handling and endurance with the Thoroughbred turn of foot, height, intelligence, and hardier build.
If more cold temps are likely, a Warmblood cross is probably your better bet.
What you’re looking for is an All-Around Horse – which won’t handle any of the things you’ve listed particularly great, but would be able to survive them. Like a Mustang.
Dear Jack,
I just saw your question and decided to put my two cents in. I would suggest the Irish Sport Horse as it’s friendly, easy to handle, and it’s speedy.
Good luck with your story!
Den
I really enjoyed reading your article about matching horses to use, climate, and characters in fiction! As someone who loves both horses and fantasy writing, it’s always refreshing to see writers who take the time to research and get things right. I especially appreciated your emphasis on choosing the right horse for the job, rather than just using any old horse because it looks good. The information you provided about the differences between a knight’s horse, a horse for long treks, and a hunting/cavalry horse was particularly helpful. It’s interesting to learn that most armored knights did not actually use giant draft horses, and that fine-boned horses like Thoroughbreds are not ideal for long treks. Overall, great job! I’ll be sure to keep your advice in mind when writing my own horse-related scenes. Maybe I’ll even include a hot horse or two!