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Horses are an important element in the fantasy world of [[Middle-earth]] created by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]].

==Races of horses==
===Mearas===
The '''Mearas''' were a breed of wild [[horse]]s in the north of [[Middle-earth]] in the [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] [[legendarium]]. Their [[mortality]] is equal to Men and their intelligence and [[strength]] are extraordinary.
They descend from [[#Felaróf|Felaróf]], who was tamed by the first [[King of Rohan]], [[Eorl]].  Ever since, they have been been the mounts of the King and Princes of Rohan alone.  During the War of the Ring, however, [[Gandalf| Gandalf the Grey]] tamed [[#Shadowfax|Shadowfax]], lord of the Mearas at the end of the [[Third Age]].


==Individual horses==
===Arod===
Arod was the horse of [[Legolas]]. He was the grey/white horse given to Legolas by the Riders of [[Rohan]] in ''The Two Towers''.

===Asfaloth===
(contracted; show full)

===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]].

===Felaróf===
The first of all the [[
#Mearas|Mearas]], Felaróf was a wild foal when he was captured by [[Léod]], a tamer of horses and father of [[Eorl the Young]]. The white foal grew quickly into a strong, proud horse, that no man could tame. Nevertheless, Léod attempted to mount it, but when he did, it bore him away and finally threw him to the ground, where he struck his head on a rock, and was killed. At only sixteen, Eorl became the leader of the [[Éothéod]], and vowed to find the horse, and avenge his father. Long he hunted, but when at last he(contracted; show full)

===Hasufel===
Hasufel was given to Aragorn by the Riders of Rohan in The Two Towers, the Second Book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Aragorn forms a strong Bond with him and the horse ends up saving him later on in the plot.

===Nahar===
'''Nahar''' (from the [[Valarin]] '''N
æchæaechaerra''') was the horse of the [[Valar|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.

===Rochallor===
The mighty horse of [[Fingolfin]], High King of the [[Elves]]. Rochallor bore the King to the gates of [[Angband]], where a desperate and fearless Fingolfin challenged [[Morgoth]] to single combat.

===Roheryn===
The name 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]]. 

===Shadowfax===
Shadowfax is a mighty horse of [[Rohan]], the chief of the [[#Mearas|Mearas]], 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 [[Men (Middle-earth)|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]], [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], for a short time during the [[War of the Ring]].

Like the other Mearas, Shadowfax was a grey/silver [[stallion]], and could understand the speech of Men. He was also seemingly fearless, and could run faster than any other horse in Middle-Earth.

Shadowfax is thought to have passed [[Valinor|West]] over the [[Belegaer|Sea]] with his master but this is unclear in the works of Tolkien.
In French, he is known as [[:fr:Gripoil]].

===Snowmane===
'''Snowmane''', foal of Lightfoot, was the mount of King [[Théoden]], on which he rode into the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]]. He was certainly weaker than [[#Shadowfax|Shadowfax]], who was claimed by [[Gandalf]]; however, since his master was the King of [[Rohan]] he was most likely one of the [[#Mearas|Mearas]] himself.

Snowmane accompanied Théoden to the [[Battle of the Hornburg]], and was riden on the final charge out of the fortress.  At the battle of the Pelennor, however, Snowmane was pierced by a black dart, causing him to fall and crush Théoden beneath him.  He was 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 French, he is known as [[:fr:Nivacrin]].

===Stybba===
Stybba is the pony given by [[Theoden]] to [[Merry Brandybuck]]. He is described as small, shaggy, and grey. Theoden'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.

===Windfola===
[[Éowyn]]'s Meara grey horse. Whilst disguised as Dernhelm, Éowyn (with Merry) rode to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields on Windfola.

==See also:==
*[[List of fictional horses]]
[[Category:Middle-earth characters|Horses]]
[[Category:Fictional horses]]

[[fr:Bill le Poney]]