Horses
Horses were beasts of burden and transport used by Elves and Men through the ages. Famous among horses were Nahar, the steed of Oromë, Rochallor, the warhorse of Fingolfin, and Felaróf, the steed of Eorl the Young. The breeding and riding of horses were arts developed to their greatest height, among Men, by the Rohirrim in the Third Age.
History
Horses existed as native creatures in Middle-earth; however, there is evidence that some of the breeds in Middle-earth, particularly in Beleriand and Rohan, were enhanced by sires brought from Aman. Although horses may have roamed freely when Men awoke with the rising of the Sun, it is unclear if the Elves who stayed in Middle-earth - the Sindar, Nandor, and Avari - had horses while "Middle-earth lay for the most part in the Sleep of Yavanna."
In the early days of the First Age, Oromë was heard sounding his horn Valaróma, and riding through Beleriand and over the mountains hunting the fell beasts of Morgoth. He had been riding and hunting there with his folk since before the Firstborn awoke and, of all the Valar, came the most reluctantly to Valinor. But, the Sindar were awed by his splendour and feared him and the "great noise and onrush of Nahar." This does not mean that the early Elves feared horses, as they would have no reason to fear any natural and uncorrupted beast, or that they did not keep horses themselves.
In Valinor, the Elves did ride. Fëanor's son, Celegorm, "in Valinor was a friend of Oromë, and often followed the Vala's horn." Aredhel, while still in Eldamar, was also mentioned as one who loved to ride and hunt in the forests. The Noldor brought some of their horses, which flourished in Ard-galen, from Valinor with them on the ships that sailed to Losgar:
The Rohirrim believed their noble horse line, the Mearas, must have had a sire that was brought by the hunter Béma (Oromë) from the West.
The horses of Elves were ridden bitless, with only decorative headstalls and saddles, or wholly without tack, and the Mearas, like elf horses, also seemed to prefer being ridden thus by the riders they allowed.
Other names
In Sindarin, the word for "horse" is roch.
In Quenya, the word for "horse" is rokko or rocco (pl. rokkor). In the Etymologies, these forms derive from the root ROK. An intermediate form was Primitive Elvish rokkō ("swift horse for riding").
Words in Tolkien's early tongues included:
- Qenya olombo ("horse")
- Noldorin lobor ("horse")
- Gnomish Brog ("horse"); bros (brossa) or broch ("mare"); lobros ("steed, horse"); mair ("horse", poetic).
Adûnaic also had its own terms for a horse, specifically karab in "common" gender singular ("horse", as a species/creature), the masculine singular karbû ("male horse", "stallion"), the feminine singular karbî ("female horse", "mare"), and the plural karîb ("horses").
Portrayal in adaptations
2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:
Brego is a horse ridden by Aragorn.
2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:
Horses are the main transportation for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. At level 35 players can earn the right to own their own mount. They can be bought at the Bree Horse Farm and also at various other locations with enough reputation.
2022: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
Berek was the steed of Isildur and the House of the Lords of Andúnië.
2024: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim:
Ashere was the steed of Héra
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 26/05/2026.
