Horse

"[The traveling cats] were peering out at two of the biggest animals Brambleclaw had ever seen, which were running back and forth across the field, snorting and tossing up their heads. The impact of their huge feet made the ground shudder."

— Narrator describing two horses in Midnight, page 198

Horse
Friendly
Current:	Neutral
Creature type
Creature:	Horse
Species:	Equus ferus caballus
Book appearances
Living:	Crookedstar's Promise, Midnight, Starlight, Sunset, Sunrise

Horses are huge, swift multicolored animals that have long legs and hooves like hard stone, and eat only plants. Often they graze or gallop in fields enclosed by Twoleg fences, most notably known to the Clan cats as the horseplace, which is near the lake territories, and sometimes they run across WindClan's territory.

Description

Notice: The following content describes horses from the perspective of the Warriors books. Thus, only some or none of this content may be factual information. For more accurate descriptions of horses, please refer to external sources.

Horses are large animals that have long legs and hooves, who are used by Twolegs as a form of transportation at times. They aren't dangerous and pose no threat to Clan cats, as long as they don't tread on the cats. But they don't mean to. Tawnypelt believes them to be quite stupid. They have been described with noisy breaths and high-pitched cries. The ground often shakes when they thud their hooves. Alongside glossy pelts and gleaming hooves. They have angular faces and large eyes.^[source?]

Relation to cats

As the horseplace is beside the Clans' territory, the Clan cats often see the horses within the fences of the horseplace when traveling past them, especially the WindClan and RiverClan cats who's territories are beside the horseplace. When traveling near the horseplace, the cats must not be noticed by the horses because of their skittish nature. If a cat happens to spook the horse, the horse may stampede and the cat could be severely injured or killed by the horse's heavy, sharp hooves. The cats noticed the horses are too large to be hunted and used as a food source, so they usually try to stay away.

History

In The New Prophecy arc

Midnight

The cats on the journey to Midnight see some enclosed horses, and are unsure if they are dangerous or not. Crowpaw remarks that he has seen horses on the edge of WindClan territory before, with Twolegs riding them, and that they must be really dumb to let that happen. The cats agree to avoid the horses, since if a cat got stepped on by their strong, muscular legs or large hooves, it would be killed instantly. When he hears about the Twolegs riding on the horses' backs, Brambleclaw jokes that sometimes Twolegs want four legs.

Starlight

When the Clans arrive at the lake, they see the horseplace with its fenced area containing many horses. Many warriors are nervous and frightened. Tawnypelt comments that she hopes the "horse-things" take care of themselves, so that Twolegs won't bother them. Brambleclaw agrees and Squirrelpaw adds that as long as they stay away from the horse's feet, they'll be fine.

Twilight

When Squirrelflight sees a tabby who had wandered into their territory, she sneaks toward him, but another patrol approaches loudly, and she thinks that they are mouse-brains for clomping around like horses. At a Gathering, Firestar announces to the Clans that Daisy from the horseplace brought her kits to ThunderClan, and when Rowanclaw protests that she is a kittypet, Firestar says that she isn't exactly a kittypet, because she lived with horses, but not in the Twoleg nest.

Sunset

When Brambleclaw and Cloudtail go to the horseplace to look for Daisy, they creep through the fenced area where the horses are kept, but suddenly the horses spook and stampede. The two warriors run for their lives, frightened, until Smoky runs out and helps to get the warriors inside the barn, away from the horses.

In the Power of Three arc

Sunrise

After the ThunderClan warriors on the patrol searching for the loner, Sol, stop briefly at the horseplace to visit Smoky and Floss, they need to cross through the area where the horses are to continue their journey. The younger warriors, Hazeltail, Birchfall, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf, fear being crushed by the horses' giant hooves, and run through the area as fast as they can, ignoring the senior warriors' warnings to be careful. They end up nearly running onto a Thunderpath, and Brambleclaw scolds them for being foolish and letting fear control them.

In the A Vision of Shadows arc

The Apprentice's Quest

While traveling to the Gathering, Sparkpaw wonders where the horses are and ponders why they aren't at the horseplace, but she is silenced and urged to move on by Squirrelflight.

In The Broken Code arc

The Place of No Stars

Irritated by their noise, Jayfeather snaps at Bristlefrost and Rootspring to be quiet, comparing their stomping around to that of horses.

In the Super Editions

Crookedstar's Promise

When Stormkit and Oakkit sneak out of camp, they stare at the green wetland which stretches out toward a smooth meadow where the horses graze. Later, when a patrol is checking on a Twoleg barn, looking for mice to hunt, Crookedjaw creeps past a horse, careful not to spook the animal, and then continues on with the patrol.

In the Novellas

Daisy's Kin

While Daisy and Smoky are following Alderheart's scent trail, one of the nearby horses looks at Daisy and snorts, briefly startling her. Later, Daisy notes that the Twolegs will make Smoky's kits as strong as their horses.

In the Field Guides

Secrets of the Clans

When Goldenstar describes Rage to Fleetfoot, he says the boar is as big as a horse.

External links

• Marvellous Maps on the Warriors official website (backup link)
• Horse