Horses of Lyran Tal
Notes On Travel: The main mode of land travel in Hyathis is either by horseback or on foot. A day consists of 30 hours, so on average traveling time is 15 hours, though this varies depending on the season. An average, well-kept riding horse can travel 20 -30 miles per day. Horses trained and conditioned for long distances can travel up to 50-60 miles per day.
For general estimation of the length of time it takes to get from one point to another, the following approximations can be used:
- Walking horse: abt 3-4 mph (45 miles in 15 hours, though the average is 30-40 miles)
- Trotting horse: 8-10 mph (The trot is the working gait for a horse, and is about the same speed as a healthy adult human can run. Horses in good condition can maintain a working trot for hours, but a trot is generally the most difficult gait for a rider to sit. A shorter striding horse trots slower, and a horse with a long stride moves faster.)
- Cantering/Loping horse: 10-17 MPH (a horse in good shape can go about a mile or two before having to stop. It can go about 3-4 miles at a canter, which is faster than a trot but slower than a gallop.)
- Galloping horse: 25-30 mph avg. (A [race] horse [on a fast track] can finish a mile race in 1:42; however, this is a short sprint and not a long distance. In the 1860's the Pony Express averaged 9 mph over 25 mile stages. Actual speed depends on the horse's condition, athletic ability and distance. Some horses are not built to run fast and may only do a fast canter at their best; however, the gallop is about 30 mph. Horses bred for running distance but not speed have been clocked at over 40 MPH.)
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Index of Horses |
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Range: Throughout western Hyathis, but rarely in Arboria and never in Oceanuus.
Physical Description: A powerful, rugged draft horse originating in the Ardan Valley in northern Shadokhan. Ardans are agile, clean-limbed animals with a muscular build. Conformation is wide and deep through the chest and with big, round hips. The forehead is broad and the face straight, the neck well-shaped and somewhat arched. The breed is suitable for heavy farm work or driving, and are strong and willing workers. Coats are mostly gray or black, though sorrel and dark brown are not uncommon. Manes and tails match coats, but fine, silky feathers are always white. Height is generally about 16 hands. Ardans can be long-lived horses, frequently attaining 25 years or more.
Range: Scattered, mostly Shadokhan and Luminii; domesticated, rare wild-roaming herds.
Physical Description: Large head with slightly convex profile; medium length, slightly arched, full neck blends into sloping shoulders; longish back and medium withers; good bones and exceptionally well-muscled. Solid colors - bay, brown, black or chestnut. Average height is 15-16 hands.
Notes: The Hyathan equivalent of the Quarterhorse, the Dale is a versatile, all-purpose horse. They tend to be strong, handsome creatures and are known for being alert, intelligent, sensitive.
Range: Domesticated, no wild roaming herds
Physical Description: The Degar is the ultimate warhorse. Standing up to 18 hands high (a hand is 4 inches) at the withers, powerful quarters and large hooves make the Degar a formidable animal when it is raging.
Notes: Used primarily by the Silver Moon Knights before they were scattered, it is a rare thing to find a Degar without the SMK brand on the front quarter. Their temperment is atrocious, and it can take months for a rider to gain enough control over the animal to consider it a dependable ride. Once done, however, the Degar is a valiant asset on the battle-field.
Range: Selendoria Forest. Domesticated, no wild roaming herds
Physical Description:The Dulaverán is an exceedingly slim animal, more like a deer than a horse. It stands an average of 13 hands high (a hand is 4 inches) at the nearly nonexistent withers. The muzzle is small and pointed, the lower jaw not as pronounced as in other equines, and the eyes are large. The ears curve inwards, nearly touching at the tips, one of the only remaining influences of the Thermish breeds used indeveloping the Dulaverán. The mane is short and stiff, enhancing the arch of the slender neck, while the tail is tufted along its base with wispy hair. The coloration is of a wild type, being nearly any shade ofblack or brown. Grey and white exist, though are more rare and usuallygiven to members of the Elven court and other prominent individuals. The Dulaverán is often marked with broad stripes across its forelegs,hindquarters, and cheeks.
Notes: Adapted to maneuvering through heavy vegetation common to Arboria, the Dulas, as the elven horse breed is often called, differs significantly from other breeds. So much so that crosses result in sterile and weak foals that usually do not survive past a year of life.The Dulas' mobile neck and vaguely concave spine allows for better movement in the forests. However, it also makes the animal more difficult to sit and regular saddles will slip. At least 1500 years ago a handful of elves began the selective breeding of horses, with the hopes of founding a breed better suited to their ways. They took stock from all across Hyathis, and it is rumoured that Rianni Verán, the founder of the elven breed, obtained stock through mysterious means -- few elves outside those engaged in the development of the breed knew of the secretive import of stock through the Nexus. Over time and with much patience, and many generations of horses, the Verán family had developed the current elven species. It possesses the ability to alter gait mid-stride as well as flex its body in the air, similar to a cat. These traits make the animal incredibly agile and quick, despite the Dulas' lack of speed in a flat race. They can dodge like deer through the wood, making them perfectly suited to the elves that remain cloistered in the Selendoria Forest. The Dulaverán also lives far longer than normal horses, with 200 years being the average. The Dulas is so specialized to the forest that it proves an exceedingly poor mount outside of heavy vegetation; foodstuffs cannot sustain it, and its alert temperament turns flighty and prone to spooking. As such, when elves leave for other regions, their horses stay behind. It is rumoured that the Cele'Lann possess Dulaveráns of greater stature, speed, and temperament, and thus are not limited to the forest.
Range: Domesticated, no wild roaming herds
Physical Description: The Dzurs are strongly-built, compact horses, usually standing 15.2-16.2 hands and generally quite agile in combat. They are distinguished from riding horses by their strength, muscularity, and training. They have a lean, medium-length head with a convex profile and large eyes; a long but broad and cresting neck (particularly in stallions); a long, sloping shoulder; clean legs with good bone; and a thick, long, flowing mane and tail. Temperament is proud but cooperative and intelligent; they are able to learn quickly and easily when treated with respect and care. The most common color is a light taupe (Champagne) with a dark gray mane, tail, and sometimes legs. (The "Champagne" coloring lightens both skin and hair, creating a metallic gold coat color with mottled skin and light colored eyes.)
Notes: Adron Ta'al owns the original stallion (Dzur) responsible for escaping into Sherakai dan Rikash's herd. The Dzur numbers are still low, but growing steadily.
Range: Shadokhan; domesticated, no wild-roaming herds.
Physical Description: Tall, long-legged horse with a strong frame and a fine, tapering head. Sloping hindquarters and high-set, arching tail. Coloration is highly unusual and distinctive. All Erkandri are gray or dark with streaks of other, lighter colors, giving them a lightly speckled appearance. Long, thick mane, tail and feathers are always pale. Their height easily averages 16-17 hands.
Notes: The Erkandri of the Silver Moon Empire were imported from overseas some years ago and were bred and raised almost exclusively on the Streylan estates near Dreven, Shadokhan. Their fine breeding, together with their scarcity, makes them expensive horses to own. Graceful and athletic, they are often used in racing. Strongly competitive, they are also highly intelligent and fiercely loyal. Because of their independent nature, it is advisable to request assistance in 'bonding' rather than waiting out the unpredictable time-period it takes for the horse and its new rider to become well-acquainted with each other. In the spring of 1279 Sherakai dan Rikash took his entire herd with him when he left the country, making the animals extremely rare in Hyathis.
Range: Scattered; most are domesticated, but there are a few wild-roaming herds.
Physical Description: These horses were bred to be able to move through forests with ease and dexterity. Because of this they are slight horses, narrow and relatively small compared to most other breeds. They are not the fastest horses, but they are sure-footed. Long arched neck, narrow head, small nose, and long thin ears. Their tails are on the thinner side and hang almost underneath them. Greenlegs are unique from other horses in that they always have a white tail or a portion of their tail that is white. They can be any solid coloring, no bi-colors. There may be white markings on legs and face, but other than the tail, there are no other markings. Occasionally a few horses will have white in their manes, but this is rare and considered a fault, not a benefit. Height ranges from 14 to 15.2 hands.
Notes: They are typically forgiving horses, but have been known to be sneaky. A few escaped when the breed was first developed and have made their home in the forests. They differ from their cousins in that there have been reports of some carnivorous activity when it comes to small rodents.
Range: Arboria. Domesticated, no wild roaming herds
Physical Description: The Litan is a compact horse with a well-proportioned body that stands an average of 16.5 hands high (a hand is 4 inches) at the withers (meaning its back is about five and a half feet from the ground). Sleek, it has a long face, delicate muzzle and widely spaced ears that curve slightly inward. The neck is thick and slightly arched, and the strong-boned legs are suited for travel over a variety of terrain. Coloration is usually bay, chestnut, sorrel, or a striking red.
Notes: Recently, in Elven terms, the Litan was developed as a travel horse for elves that range abroad. Due to the poor suitability of the Elven horse, the Dulas, in non-forested areas, the Litan was produced in response to the need of some elves to travel to other regions. Compatible with normal horse breeds, the Litan does not enjoy the longevity or agility shown by the Dulas. It has good endurance and a tractable temperament. Many years of travel have given the Litan high intelligence, an innate homing sense, and companionability with its rider. Careful attention to breeding by the elves have made the Litan an aesthetically pleasing animal, and outside of Arboria it is often referred to as the "Elvish" horse. The true Elven horse, however, is the Dulas, but it is not well known. Some breeders of the Litan offer temporary trade, where a horse can be purchased for a set period of time or for a specific journey. The Litan is not exceptionally common in non-Elven hands, for it is not sold outside of Arboria, but it is not as closely guarded as the highly specialized Dulas.
Range: Southern Balthazor; domesticated, no wild-roaming herds.
Physical Description:All Padrical Blacks are a very dark black, though an ideal mount is dark black with a dark grey mane, tail, and long feathers hanging over the hooves.
Notes: The Black Branch Knights have been breeding Padrical Blacks for a very long time. A large horse, it is powerful but very lithe. It is very intelligent and fast. They pick up dressage very easily and and make excellent mounts both for warfare and transportation.
Range: Northern portion of Thermador and Wadi Medani; domesticated, no wild-roaming herds
Physical Description: A mid-size horse, this breed typically averages 14.2-15 hands high (a hand is 4 inches) at the withers, meaning the back of the animal is about 5 feet from the ground. The breed typically has a slender neck, wide forehead, and dished profile, with tapering ears that give it an aristocratic appearance. They possess deep chests and strong quarters. Principle colors are cream, grey, and white. Markings range from smoky points (muzzle, ears, and legs) to dapples on the quarters. Their dark skin, better protection against the desert sun, adds to the smoky appearance where their hair is short. Now and again the unusual and highly prized silver coloration appears.
Notes: The nature of the environment in which the Tekaedan are raised, as well as stringent stud practices by the Dacapal, the sect of nomadic tribes that own them, have made the breed swift, strong for its size, and possessing incredible endurance. The breed tends to require less water than horses from other regions, and lasts much longer under hardship. The Tekaedan has had great influence in the development of the other horse breeds of Thermador, especially those from Wadi Medani. The horse is a way of life to the Dacapal that raise them, and children will die for want of water before a horse goes thirsty. Often desired by horse breeders for refining their own stock, the nobility as riding horses, and the military for scouts, many people would give a year's wages for stud rights, and even more to permanently retain the animal. The sale of a Tekaedan, however, is a rare event, and even then it is usually to the horse breeders of Wadi Medani. Smuggling is generally the only way a Tekaedan makes it out of Thermador, a process made all the more difficult by the horse's temperament: loyal to master and herd, and savage to others.
Range: Thermador; usually domesticated, but there are wild-roaming herds.
Physical Description: Short, tapering head, flaring nostrils, very prominent wide-set eyes; rather undefined withers; short back with high, flat croup; tail is set high and flaring. Tough horses, they are fine-boned, but the bones are incredibly hard and tend to stay sound. Average height is 14 -15 hands.
Notes: While many horses originating in Thermador are referred to as 'Therms', the purebred is a versatile horse and has a reputation for endurance that is only excelled by the Tekaedan. He is an intelligent horse of even and willing temperament, though often spirited.
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