Introduction: With one or two notable exceptions, and even those exceptions may be flights of fancy, the horse breeds in Marlas developed from the wild horses on the Marlas Plain. Before recorded time, the people of Marlas would go out into the plains and capture horses they thought desirable, and domesticate them, train them, and breed them. As “desirable” varies from person to person depending on their status, occupation, and own individual temperament, horse lines and breeds soon began to develop, shaped by their humans to a specific task or ideal. Breeds are not terribly strict ideas in Olencia, no registries exist except the individual stud books or breeding records of well-established farms, and a horse is considered to be one breed or the other based on their appearance and temperament, not their bloodlines and registration. The most recognizable breeds are Dragon Horses and Great Horses, which are unmistakable, but the smaller, less well-bred Light Horses look rather like Cobs, and a few exceptionally athletic Cobs may be mistaken for Light Horses. Light Horses and Blood Horses are generally differentiated by their lineage, temperament, usage, and often their paces, but the term is occasionally interchangeable, as Light Horses in noble houses have recorded pedigrees and are often flashy and high-strung. Status as a pony is determined by height, with 14.2 hands being the cutoff for a pony. Horses are measured to their withers, at the base of their neck, in units called hands, which equal four inches, or the height of a hand turned sideways.
Dragon Horses: Dragon Horses are a legendary breed in Olencia, both for their temperament and their courage. In stories told by common folk, every legendary knight, King’s Guardsman, or king rode one, and their bravery, brilliance, kindness, and grace is almost mystical. In reality, most Guardsman opt for the more even-headed Great Horse or even a very large Cob, and not all kings were skilled enough horsemen to ride a Dragon Horse, but the breed is coveted by knights, the heads of the High Houses, and even occasional Slayers. The horses’ qualities are not exaggerated in myth, even if their riders’ abilities are, and the fact remains that Dragon Horses are truly extraordinary beings.
The origins of the Dragon Horse are rather murky, with some claiming they once occupied the Dragon Lands, which is where they learned their quickness, intelligence, and endurance. Others counter that if they came from the Dragon Lands, presumably they would be smaller, surely a horse as tall as they would attract attention, and their long manes and tails would be a nuisance in the Dragon Lands. It is true they stand anywhere from sixteen to eighteen hands tall, with some individuals being shorter or taller than the average, but they are not large horses, and the Dragon Lands do not have forests to impede their height. They are slim, agile, quick, and what horse folk call “easy keepers”, because they need little food to gain or maintain their weight and muscle.
While they can be flighty or disobedient for an inexperienced or insensitive rider, Dragon Horse enthusiasts claim they are simply misunderstood and are too intelligent for repetitive work and riding, but will gladly act sensibly for anyone who listens to them and is attentive to what they need. Those who do not like them commonly make snide comments about how it doesn’t matter if they’re smart, they’re too crazy to do half the things the legends say, to which a Dragon Horse lover will calmly reply, “Yes, well, I suppose one has to be as smart as the horse to see the method to their madness”. Those who love the breed are single-minded in their love, and as such refuse to acknowledge Dragon Horses aren’t the horse for everyone, nor are they suited in temperament to menial, repetitive work, even if they will suffer such boredom with minimal protest for those they love. Dragon Horses are best as warhorses, riding mounts, and exhibition mounts, but will stand for little else.
(In real life, Dragon Horses would be something like very tall Arabian horses, and look very much like them. Their heads in particular resemble Egyptian Arabians, they are short-bodied, sturdy, and have a high tail set and head set like the Arabian breed. In terms of their body, they more closely resemble sport horse-type Arabians, particularly those in the Polish or English lines.)
Great Horses: More patient and calm than Dragon Horses, though somewhat slow learners, Great Horses are used by Guardsmen, some knights, kings, and nobles in battle and as riding mounts. They are profoundly gentle, kind creatures despite their huge stature and gigantic height of eighteen hands or taller.
Great Horses were bred out of the largest horses on Marlas Plains ever since there were knights who needed them, and their kindness and even temper was bred out of necessity; After all, a large animal is dangerous when excited, and the Great Horse is so large it would be disastrous for them to be excited for all but the shortest lengths of time. They must also withstand the racket and distraction of a knight in full armor, and serve their master on the battlefield and parade grounds alike, requiring them to be flexible and aware of their riders’ emotions and needs so they may better compensate. They are so attuned to their riders’ abilities, and so willing to serve even the most inexperienced riders, Great Horses make good mounts for even bad riders, despite their intimidating size.
Great Horses are versatile mounts who will do whatever is asked as perfectly as they are capable. They can carry a knight into battle just as well as they can pull a supply wagon, or carry a litter for the wounded. Their main disadvantage is their bulk. They are neither slim nor agile like the slightly smaller Dragon Horses, and they are somewhat slow. Neither are Great Horses easy keepers, they eat gargantuan meals, and they can always stomach more. It takes patience to train them, as they are perhaps a little less quick to learn than the average horse, but their versatility and level headedness on the battle field make them vital horses to have around.
(In real life, Great Horses would be very much like Shires, with some of the better bred ones resembling large Friesians. Of course, they would all either be black, dark brown, bay, or grey, with varying amounts of feathering on their legs.)
Blood Horses: A mixture of Dragon and Great Horse, the Blood Horses are flighty, intelligent, and athletic, though larger in stature than Dragon Horses, and much faster than the Heavy Horse. They are mounts for nobles and rich merchants, and a few lines of Blood Horses are fine carriage horses.
The breed is more Dragon Horse than Great Horse, and it shows in their flashy movement and intelligence, but they require more food than their Dragon Horse ancestors, and lack the refined heads and short bodies. They are also less temperamental and will listen to almost any moderately to highly skilled rider, whereas Dragon Horses are infamous for refusing to work for those they dislike, regardless of skill level. They are also often bred by High Houses and have recorded bloodlines, hence the term Blood Horses.
Different lines have different specialties, from hunting to exhibition to simply being ridden for their owner’s pleasure, and as mentioned before a few lines are the high-strung, high-stepping carriage horses of nobles and the very rich. Though an inexperienced eye may confuse a Blood Horse and a Light Horse, experienced horse people know a Blood Horse on sight.
(In real life, these would be the hot-blooded riding horses like Thoroughbreds and Anglo Arabs, or very flashy, distinctive-looking horses historically bred by nobility, such as Andalusians, Lusitanios, and Lipizzaners. The carriage-type horses would probably be something like a Saddlebred, a flashy Standardbred, or an American Show Horse.)
Light Horses: Riding mounts and hunting horses for the rich and well-to-do, Light Horses are ridden mainly by nobles, rich to comfortably-off merchants, and huntsmen in the High Houses. They are quick, agile, and moderately tempered, though not necessarily attractive except for their obvious athleticism and general conformational correctness.
Light Horses and Great Horses were once the same line of horses, domesticated from the largest wild horses on the Marlas Plains. However, as nobles became richer and could afford two mounts or more as well as a huntsman, the line gradually separated into two, with the Great Horses becoming bigger and bulkier, and the Light Horses becoming thinner and more athletic, especially after Dragon Horse blood was added to the line. As such, Light Horses range in between Great Horses and Dragon Horses in temperament and intelligence, as well as in body type.
Light Horses can be trained to pull a carriage, but they are rarely asked to do so, and instead are prized for their athleticism and innate abilities as hunters and jumpers. They are different from Blood Horses in that their pedigrees are less well recorded, they are rather more level-headed, and their frames have more substance. Their movement, though functional and often quite pretty, is not as eye-catching as a Blood Horse’s. Though a Blood Horse is beautiful and sleek, the impression one gets from a Light Horse is overall balance and exceptional conformational correctness, if not beauty.
(In real life, Light Horses would be any type of warm-blooded sport horse. Yes, you heard me, ANY type of warm-blooded sport horse, from the American Sporthorse to the Dutch Warmblood to the Oldenburg, but NOT Anglo Arabs, Thoroughbreds, or Saddlebreds because they’re hot-blooded breeds, or horses like Morgans or Quarter Horses, which are considered to be either all-around horses or have not traditionally been involved in European-style hunting, dressage, and Show Jumping. Like in Europe a few centuries ago, each established stable has its own line of Light Horse/warm-blooded sport horse, for example, Dragon Horse Stables, where Rhys is from, specializes in an Irish Draught-y type Light Horse. I figure the majority of horseback riding characters will have at least one Light Horse, and not everyone knows a lot about horses nor cares to learn, so they can make their horse as calm and suitcase-headed or as flighty and flashy as they wish. As long as they are athletic, used for riding, between sixteen and twenty hands tall, and were not bred by a High House, they’re probably a Light Horse.)
Cobs: The Cob is the lifeblood of Olencia, and a good one is worth twice its weight in gold. An all-around horse that can carry you to town after it spends the day pulling your plow or carriage, Cobs are beloved by the Olencian middle classes and farmers. They all have their eccentricities, and they’re all quite full of character, but at the same time, naturally polite and well-mannered horses, even if they’re somewhat mischievous on occasion.
Cobs vary in size from large ponies to small Light Horses, and vary in color from spotted to solid to even a golden body with a flaxen mane and tail. They all share a stout body type and may have some have showy leg action when they trot or canter, but the latter is not necessary to be considered a Cob. Cobs are curious, have minds of their own, and often have wicked senses of humor, but are downright sweet and likeable beneath the tricks.
As they are versatile and generally willing to work, even though individuals have a lazy streak on occasion, they are prized by trader caravans and small-time farmers alike, and the prettier ones will serve as mounts to rich merchant’s daughters, as they are rarely mean and a Cob can be found for all types of riders, from an old, gentle one for a timid rider to a young, excitable one for a serious equestrian.
(Here would be your Morgans, your Quarter Horses and Paints, and smaller riding horses with plebian backgrounds in which they were expected to pull a plow or carriage as well as carry a rider, like Welsh Cobs. Quarter Horse and Paint-like horses would be of a more traditional body type, and not the super tall, almost Thoroughbred-y horses that are popular in modern show rings. Think more like a barrel horse, or a shorter, stockier halter horse. Very small draft horses, like a Suffolk Punch, would also be considered Cobs, though they would likely spend more time pulling a wagon or plow than anything else.)
Ponies: Ah, yes, the Olencian Pony. Small, powerful, and much too smart for their own good, it is unwise to make your pony cross, as they are entirely capable of making your life hell in return. Though they can exhibit a merry disposition, it is usually to lure their person into a false since of security, as they are all hellions beneath the diminutive exterior. They have ridiculously long memories, hold grudges almost as a hobby, and can be as stubborn as the day is long. However, they manage to be endearing despite all of these traits, perhaps because many people find them to be irresistibly cute, and because Ponies are naturally charming.
Ponies are most often found in cities, where their small size makes them easy to house and feed, and their agility and intelligence makes them good mounts and carthorses in the crowded city streets. In the country and in rich merchant and noble houses, they are often children’s mounts, and can be horribly spoiled, temperamental creatures, but city ponies that work for a living are a bit more sensible. Working ponies are humble animals willing to do their job in exchange for a clean stall, good meal, a bit of affection and kinship…and the occasional chunk of flesh out of their unwary person’s backside. They pick up bad habits such as biting and stepping on people almost as soon as they’re born, but a knowledgeable, patient, determined horse trainer can break them of them…most of the time. Fortunately, Ponies mellow greatly as they get older, and an old Pony is as trustworthy and kind as a family’s sheepdog, exactly the kind of animal you’d put the grandkids on without a second thought for their safety because you know the Pony will take care of them.
Pound for pound, inch for inch, Ponies are the strongest horses in Olencia, and can pull several times their weight with no trouble. They have sturdy hooves and often remain unshod, trotting about the city streets barefoot, looking for another unwary victim to bite or befriend.
(In real life, Ponies would be, er, ponies. Shetland Ponies, Haflingers, Connemaras, Welsh Ponies, Rocky Mountain Ponies, Polo Ponies, and beyond, as long as they can pull a cart or carry a rider and are under 14.2 hands high, they are the equivalent of the Olencian Pony. The only very tiny horses that would not be considered Ponies are Miniature Horses or ponies generally used as halter horses or pets, like Falabellas. Yes, I know they can pull a small cart in a show ring, but I’m not sure something as small and not-terribly-useful would have existed outside the very, very rich houses of Olencia.)
Wild Horses: Still found on the Marlas Plains, Wild Horses are a smart, independent, naturally wary breed. They are generally earth tones, with a few individuals being black, white, or spotted, and straddle the line between large Ponies and small Cobs in terms of height. They’re a bit slimmer than the average Cob and have a rather thin, pinched look from a hard life in the wild, but they are some of the toughest horses around, if one manages to catch one.
Swift, agile, and resistant to diseases and parasites, there have been recent attempts to domesticate and breed them, though they have not yet found their niche in Olencian society. Regardless, they are good all-around riding mounts, and possess a wild beauty idolized by residents of Marlas and admired by all of Olencia.
(Wild Horses would be today’s American or Kiger Mustang, which live in prairies or plains, but would probably not be similar to the Chincoteague Pony or European feral or wild horses, as those horses exist mainly in marshes or by the seaside. If one wishes to find a Wild Horse similar to a Chincoteague Pony, one would have to look in the ocean shores directly next to Marlas Plains, but they are very rare, skittish, and not well suited to city life, so it is much easier to simply buy a Pony in the city, as they are nearly as tough as their wild cousins, and much more personable and trustworthy.)