Making Your Horse a Character

[ysabetwordsmith]

S.A. Bolich gives some general tips and specific examples on the characterization of horses. 

Some things I've found useful:
* Get a list of bad and good horse quirks, which appear in some horse books.  Pick one of each for a horse you are writing about.
* Use a list of personality traits for humans.  A horse can be friendly, pushy, shy, disciplined, lazy, hopeful, greedy, etc.  Again, picking the most prominent virtue and vice is helpful for balance.

Comments

[msstacy13.livejournal.com]

And if one does not already what words like
dapple, roan, and chestnut mean,
or the difference between cantering and cantoring, for that matter,
as well as gallop and trot and so forth,
well, of course, find out.
It wouldn't hurt to decide on breed/variety and find out about distinctive characteristics.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Lest one make ghastly errors such as mounting Prince Caspian on a real destrier ... and then having them outrun a bunch of saddle horses.

Since we're on the subject, I can't resisit a horse laugh...

[msstacy13.livejournal.com]

-Rhett, I appreciate the stud you gave me, but I wanted a mare.

-Frankly, my dear, I don't give a dam.

Re: Since we're on the subject, I can't resisit a horse laugh...

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

WIN.

Re: Since we're on the subject, I can't resisit a horse laugh...

[msstacy13.livejournal.com]

:)

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

Lyria's "horses," the Addonequi, are proud, independent, intelligent, and dangerous. Similar to the hippogriffs or centaurs of the Harry Potter universe, in that respect. But they're usually hunters of humans. When Forizano hears them speak for the first time, their voices strike a chill note right to his hindbrain. They work for Lyria because she helped them, respects them, and they respect her in turn. They do not harm people when pretending to be normal horses for her. But if one were to cross paths with them while they were not currently doing something for her, they would be dangerous beasts indeed. I think Siberian tigers are less dangerous, and wolverines friendlier, than an Addonequus.

Wow!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

They sound fascinating.

Re: Wow!

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

The Greks - humanoid dragons - keep creatures called fiijahs (half horse, half dragon) that have a strong dislike of humans, too. But fiijahs are only slightly more intelligent than horses. Not at all like an Addonequus.

Oh gods, now I'm imagining a creature half Addonequus, half dragon. *shudders*

[msstacy13.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

so far as I know,
normal horses cannot be housebroken,
so a highly intelligent horse-like being might have to embarrass herself
to avoid revealing herself...

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. But not likely to happen. The Addonequus are only stabled when far from home on official business with Lyria. And I suspect that, being predators, they have ways of avoiding notice. Even if they don't, Lyria could cast a spell over them so humans don't look too closely at them. Which she might do anyway... I mean, they look like horses, but a close inspection would reveal the truth.

[msstacy13.livejournal.com]

Admittedly, very unlikely...

I guess I was imagining someone working undercover
in the enemy supply train...

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

Ha, yeah. Using an Addonequus on an undercover operation would be a big no-no. I don't know how many people know that Lyria has a tribe of them loyal to her, but it wouldn't really matter. They may look like horses even from a few feet away, but get close to them and there are a number of giveaways. Forizano had no magic at the time, and he didn't know what to make of what he sensed, but he sensed something unusual about them.

If nothing else, looking in their eyes would reveal the truth. Kind of hard to mask that kind of intelligence, or that kind of malice.

[zeeth_kyrah]

Interestingly enough, I believe ponies and minis can be housebroken to some degree.