Automaton Horses: Difference between revisions

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* Averted in David Farland's ''[[The Runelords]]'' series, in which the use of specialised branding irons allows facilitators to extract strength, stamina, speed and so forth from horses and endow them upon other beasts to create force horses.
* Averted in David Farland's ''[[The Runelords]]'' series, in which the use of specialised branding irons allows facilitators to extract strength, stamina, speed and so forth from horses and endow them upon other beasts to create force horses.
* Averted in the ''[[Unicorns of Balinor]]'' series, where Ari notices that unicorns tire less easily, need less food, and are much harder to spook than horses--and it helps that they can talk to communicate any problems. However, the essentials (feeding/watering, hoof-cleaning, currying, etc.) are consistently mentioned throughout the series, and Ari does them despite clearly wanting to plunk straight into bed several times. Inexperienced or bad riders are often mentioned as "sitting like a sack of potatoes" and are less than welcome for the unicorns who have to carry them.
* Averted in the ''[[Unicorns of Balinor]]'' series, where Ari notices that unicorns tire less easily, need less food, and are much harder to spook than horses--and it helps that they can talk to communicate any problems. However, the essentials (feeding/watering, hoof-cleaning, currying, etc.) are consistently mentioned throughout the series, and Ari does them despite clearly wanting to plunk straight into bed several times. Inexperienced or bad riders are often mentioned as "sitting like a sack of potatoes" and are less than welcome for the unicorns who have to carry them.
* Averted in the [[Forgotten Realms]]' ''Finder's Stone'' trilogy, where the characters specifically pay attention to the needs of horses. In the third book, a cleric who knows nothing of horses "sets one free" without removing a saddle, and others scold her for this later. That the one rebuking her is 20 years old and she's ostensibly mature but in fact ''one year old'' is an icing on the cake. And other "freed" horse simply didn't go, being "too well trained to do anything stupid like that".
* Averted in the ''Finder's Stone'' [[Forgotten Realms]] trilogy, where the characters specifically pay attention to the needs of horses. In the third book, a cleric who knows nothing of horses "sets one free" without removing a saddle, and others scold her for this later. That the one rebuking her is 20 years old and she's ostensibly mature but in fact ''one year old'' is an icing on the cake. And other "freed" horse simply didn't go, being "too well trained to do anything stupid like that".
* Averted in the Rai-Kirah series by Carol Berg. One of the main cultures is very horse-centric, based probably on a mesh between Arabic nomads and medieval Europe. The men will take their horses into their dwellings with them if they're sick or injured, and always devote the proper time and energy into their care. It's accepted that the men will care more for their horses than their women or slaves.
* Averted in the Rai-Kirah series by Carol Berg. One of the main cultures is very horse-centric, based probably on a mesh between Arabic nomads and medieval Europe. The men will take their horses into their dwellings with them if they're sick or injured, and always devote the proper time and energy into their care. It's accepted that the men will care more for their horses than their women or slaves.
* Walter Farley, author of the famous ''Black Stallion'' series, went out of his way to avert this trope. He does an accurate job of depicting the daily needs of his horses, as well as their breaking and handling, and life on the racetrack. He also does a great job explaining what can go wrong when disease sweeps through a stable. Even though the books are outdated, the basic information within them is pretty accurate.
* Walter Farley, author of the famous ''Black Stallion'' series, went out of his way to avert this trope. He does an accurate job of depicting the daily needs of his horses, as well as their breaking and handling, and life on the racetrack. He also does a great job explaining what can go wrong when disease sweeps through a stable. Even though the books are outdated, the basic information within them is pretty accurate.
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* Averted in ''The Doomfarers of Coramonde'', especially when it's mentioned that one of the legends of a certain tribe of horse-riding nomads involves a young man who rode a horse to death in an attempt to rescue his sweetheart. When he saved her and she found out what he'd done to the horse, [[Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like|she killed him]].
* Averted in ''The Doomfarers of Coramonde'', especially when it's mentioned that one of the legends of a certain tribe of horse-riding nomads involves a young man who rode a horse to death in an attempt to rescue his sweetheart. When he saved her and she found out what he'd done to the horse, [[Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like|she killed him]].
* "[[The Snow Queen]]": The reindeer Gerda's eventually given is definitely helpful for a long time, but he ultimately runs out of strength before she does, forcing her to complete the end of her quest alone.
* "[[The Snow Queen]]": The reindeer Gerda's eventually given is definitely helpful for a long time, but he ultimately runs out of strength before she does, forcing her to complete the end of her quest alone.
* While animal care is mostly ignored in [[The Black Company]] series (the eponymous company is primarily infantry), there is one aversion when a band of them are out in a terrible storm on magically enhanced horses and find their way to an inn. One of the other members had gotten there first, leaving his mount outside. He is promptly thrown out and not allowed back in until his horse is taken care of properly.
* While ''[[The Black Company]]'' series mostly ignores animal care (the eponymous company is primarily infantry), there is one aversion when a band of them are out in a terrible storm on magically enhanced horses and find their way to an inn. One of the other members had gotten there first, leaving his mount outside. He is promptly thrown out and not allowed back in until his horse is taken care of properly.
* [[Zig Zagged Trope]] in [[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]. Main characters generally can travel about without worrying about petty things like horses tiring, but [[Cool Horse]] Red Hare is supposedly faster and has better stamina than any horse around. And when [[Cool Old Guy]] Huang Zhong duels Guan Yu for the first time, his horse keels over from being too old.
* [[Zig Zagged Trope]] in ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]''. Main characters generally can travel about without worrying about petty things like horses tiring, but [[Cool Horse]] Red Hare is supposedly faster and has better stamina than any horse around. And when [[Cool Old Guy]] Huang Zhong duels Guan Yu for the first time, his horse keels over from being too old.
* Averted in ''[[The Chronicles of Prydain]]'', where horses do get tired and need to be fed and watered, and in ''The Black Cauldron'', Taran's horse gets a stone in her shoe which has to be removed before she can ride again.
* Averted in ''[[The Chronicles of Prydain]]'', where horses do get tired and need to be fed and watered, and in ''The Black Cauldron'', Taran's horse gets a stone in her shoe which has to be removed before she can ride again.
* ''[[Little House on the Prairie]]'' has detailed and realistic portrayals of horseback riding, as well as every other aspect of frontier life.
* ''[[Little House on the Prairie]]'' has detailed and realistic portrayals of horseback riding, as well as every other aspect of frontier life.
* Briefly mentioned in Stephen King's [[The Talisman]] where Jack Sawyer glimpses a vehicle holding the [[Big Bad]] Morgon Sloat driven by many horses. His [[Complete Monster]] status is clearly shown, as Morgan must need a new team of horses for every run because the poor beasts are forced to endure endless running until foam and blood spray from their working mouths in curds and their eyes roll crazily showing arks of white.
* Briefly mentioned in Stephen King's ''[[The Talisman]]'' where Jack Sawyer glimpses a vehicle holding the [[Big Bad]] Morgon Sloat driven by many horses. His [[Complete Monster]] status is clearly shown, as Morgan must need a new team of horses for every run because the poor beasts are forced to endure endless running until foam and blood spray from their working mouths in curds and their eyes roll crazily showing arks of white.
* [[Poul Anderson]]'s essay ''On [[Thud and Blunder]]'' says a lot concerning transportation. And in "[[High Fantasy]]"...
{{quote|...writers who’ve had no personal experience with horses tend to think of them as a kind of sports car. ‘Tain’t so.}}




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