Fictional Horses of Page and Screen

Horses have long been our trusty allies, serving us tirelessly and playing a major role in our stories and legends. They have fought alongside us in real-life battles and in many great works of literature. Here we take a look at some of the most loved and famous horses from works of fiction:

1. Black Beauty

The top spot has to go to Black Beauty, one of the most famous fictional horses of all time. Created by author Anna Sewell in 1877, Black Beauty starts life as a carriage horse for a wealthy family but an injury sees him past through several owners, some much kinder than others. The stories captured our hearts and has been adapted for screenplay numerous times.

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2. Shadowfax

This fictional steed appears in J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. He was a horse of Rohan, the chief of the Mearas, was a silvery grey stallion and understood what humans were saying. Shadowfax was gifted to Gandolf by King Theoden and no-one else could ride this fine beast.

3. Silver

Hi ho Silver! This was the Lone Ranger’s horse and probably one of the most iconic in TV horse history. The Lone Ranger saved the horse from being attacked by an angry buffalo and in return, Silver gives up his wild existence and makes the Lone Ranger his master. He is as fast as the wind with a fiery attitude thanks to his relatively untamed ways. Horses are the perfect choice for sculpture, having such graceful lines and beautiful poise. For stunning Bronze Horse Sculptures, visit the website of Gill Parker.

4. Toronado

Also known as Tornado, this horse was the lightning fast steed of Zorro. Zorro was created in 1919 by a pulp writer from New York called Johnston McCulley. The horse is fast, very smart and jet black like Zorro’s outfit meaning they can slip through the night unnoticed.

5. Rocinante

The novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes features Rocinante as Don Quixote’s horse. Their personalities are very similar, both being awkward, a little on the old side and in a situation way over their heads! The name itself is a pun in Spanish, roughly translating to ‘old nag’. Unlike other horses in literature who are stunning, powerful and legendary, Rocinante is likeable because he is the opposite of these but still seeks greatness.

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6. Mister Ed

The younger generation won’t remember Mr Ed but he was a talking palomino in the TV series that ran between 1961 and 1966. In the show, he would only ever talk to Wilbur which caused much hilarity and troublemaking. The show never attempted to explain why Mr Ed could communicate but it was human-like behaviour that stole the show and made the gags.

7. Artax

From the Neverending Story by Michael Ende, Artax was another talking horse. He was not a main character in the story but served as a loyal steed to the heroes in the tale and suffered a desperately sad and gruesome death, sinking into the Swamp of Sadness.