Horses:  There are many different breeds and types of horse common in Taranche:

• Aateni: The Aateni originated on the Aateni Islands, one of the few areas of the Empire that never saw the importation of the Calafian. The Aateni is used for heavy draft and farm work. It stands 15 to 16 hands high, and its endurance is almost legendary.  The origins of this breed are the subject of debate among sages who specialize in horses and livestock. Some say that the breed dates back to before the Empire and others say that the breed originated as a smaller type of horse that were improved by the Aaten natives. The truth, unknown to any human sage, is that the breed was originally created as a work animal by the long-forgotten elven kingdom of Vareshthelian.  Aateni stand 15 to 16 hands high, and are universally bay in color.  It is still used as a workhorse on small farms and seaweed gatherers.

• Altien Orchard: The Altien Orchard is native to the Titanspear Mountains, having the name of a village in the high mountains of Soravia. Gentle, hardy, and economical, this horse has long been a companion to the mountain farmer and the soldier, notably with the armies of Duke Genaro Paulo Dalini, who seized the Soravian throne and established the Genaro dynasty one hundred and twenty years ago.  More recently, the Altien Orchard has been used for work in the fields, plowing and hauling. His suppleness and surefootedness allow him to work well on the steep hillsides common to southern Soravia. He is equally at east in the harness or with a rider, and his gentle disposition makes him a favorite with children.  Animals within this breed are remarkably similar, perhaps due to long isolation. The Altien Orchard is black with white markings on forehead and legs. They stand an average of 12.5 hands high.

• Askania: This wild breed of horses (one of only two left in all of Taranche) lives in the savannah north of the deep jungles of the Emerald Forest.  It is an unusual breed, in that it has broad black stripes on an off-white body.  The stripes extend down the legs to narrow hooves, but do not meet on the belly.  They stand between 11 and 12 hands high.  Askania stallions have a distinct dewlap at the base of the throat.  Askania rarely form herds of more than thirty individuals.

• Asturcon: This breed originated in the Austercon region of Soravia. It is used for riding and as a packhorse. The wild Austercons were originally domesticated by the Taors during the height of Imperial expansion, and are popular with the Soravians today.  The breed is small, standing only 10.2 to 11.2 hands high. They do not trot, but rather move in an easy gait in which both legs on one side are moved at a time. This ambling gait is natural for this small horse, and is done in such a way to give a comfortable ride. The horse is calm; it takes grave danger to unnerve this breed. The predominant colors are black or bay, with no white markings.  The Asturcon has a small although sometimes heavy head, with a straight profile, small ears, and large eyes. The neck is long and quite thin, with a flowing mane. The withers are moderately high; the back straight and strong; the croup is sloping with a low-set tail; the shoulder is well sloped. The Asturcon’s hooves are naturally tough enough so as to not need shoeing.

• Aziell: This ancient breed once was found in nearly all parts of the Empire, but now is only ever commonly seen at its place of origin: the horse ranches surrounding the free city of Aziell. Originally, it was used as a cart-horse and a riding horse for children and smaller adults. They are also known to be fantastic jumpers, able to clear obstacles half again as tall as they are.  The Aziell'’s head is short and fine, with large eyes, a small muzzle, and large nostrils placed low. There is a pronounced development of the forehead; the ears are short; the neck slim and graceful, well attached to sloping shoulders; withers are pronounced; the back straight; and the tail set high on a rather level croup. The legs are slim and dense, with strong bones and no feathering at the fetlock. The hooves are extremely strong and oval-shaped, more like those of a donkey than a horse. The color ranges from bay, gray, and chestnut.  The overall impression of the Aziell is that of a large, well-proportioned pony. However, the Aziell is a true horse and not a pony. A full-grown Aziell stands only 8 hands high. It reaches maturity fast, with full height attained within the first six months of life, and sexual maturity being reached in eleven months.

• Bog Pony: The Bog Pony is quite small, standing only 10 or 11 hands high, with a distinctive dish or curved face. Breed colors are chestnut with black mane and tail or gray and also bay. Traditionally these little ponies have been used for bringing out peat from the bogs. The original method of transporting was in baskets placed on crudely constructed wheel-less slides, which consisted of two shafts made from the holly or birch trees that grow in the bogs. Later, small-wheeled carts came into use particularly in the less boggy areas. The turf was thrown into baskets and transported by the ponies for use as domestic fuel in houses.

• Calafian: The Calafian, as the name implies, is native to the Kingdom of Calafia. This country is blessed with fertile soil and abundant rainfall, providing the thrifty farmers of Calafia with the excellent pastures and the hay and grain necessary to develop a powerful breed of horse.  To farmers and plantation owners of the Taoric Empire, the Calafian province was the mother lode for draft horse stock. They exported the large black horses that were the ancestors of the Calafian to many other parts of the Empire as the need for larger animals of draft type for industrial and farm use was recognized.  The Calafian is almost always black, and when it isn’t it is mouse gray. The horse stands 15.6 to 16.6 hands high, and can weigh up to 2200 pounds. Though not originally bred for the purpose, they can be trained into decent heavy warhorses.

• Dentraver Mountain Horse: The appearance of the Dentraver has been significantly influenced by the harsh climate and conditions specific to the high mountain taiga. A typical Dentraver head is average in length, large, and somewhat coarse. The neck is fleshy, the back is long and slightly dipped, and the legs are short. Stallions tend to be 13.8 hands high, while mares are 13.2. The colors are chestnut, bay, black and gray, and sometimes chubary spotted.  As a breed, the Dentraver Mountain Horse is hardy, resistant to disease and the elements, and doesn’t require a lot of close attention or care.

• Fjord Horse: The Fjord Horse has been selectively bred for over 2000 years. This breed is used by the Chayk as war mounts. In this, it is distinguished by its unequaled dependability. They are easily broken and need no retraining, even after spending months at pasture.  These dun-colored horses are nearly identical to the unfamiliar eye. Each has a dark dorsal strike, initiating in the center of the forelock and running through the center of the mane, back, and tail. Dark bars on the legs complete the description. Stallions stand 14 to 15 hands high, while mares stand 13 to 14 hands.  The Fjord’'s strength, clean lines, and exceptionally adaptable nature has made it a popular choice in the northern free cities of the EasterSea Coast.

• Forester Horse: The Forester is a breed of heavy draft horse developed in the logging towns of the southeast Ravenwood. It was developed by the farmers and loggers of the area to not only meet their agricultural needs, but to meet the demands of the logging camps, and for other types of heavy haulage. The Forester is generally considered the largest and most powerful of all horses.  Foresters are broad between the eyes and have flat profiles with wide muzzles, large nostrils, and bright, intelligent eyes. Their ears are large, and their neck is well-arched and long. Their shoulders are oblique, and they have high withers. Foresters have short backs, but their ribs are well sprung, like the hoops of a barrel. The quarters are long, and the thighs are well-packed. They have broad, clean, sharply developed hocks and big knees that are broad in the front. The impression created by a Forester is one of pure, unadulterated power. Its doesn’t look bulky, but rather looks sleek and strong.  The Forester ranges in size from 18 to 18.5 hands high, and weighs between 2200 and 3000 pounds. The most common color is bay. Black, brown, and chestnut are also seen with roans in all colors. The preferred markings are four white socks to the knees and hocks, and a well-defined feather of hair covering the hoof.

• Hadri: The nomads of the Hadria Wastes bred these horses to withstand long treks across the desert, as well as the tribal wars which sometimes closely followed such trips. The Hadrians developed horses with the strength, courage, and stamina required for survival, and the speed and responsiveness needed to win the tribal skirmishes.  Ancient Hadrian breeders were careful to record bloodlines and jealously guarded the purity of their horses. As a result, the Hadri cannot be mistaken for any other breed. The Hadri’'s head has a characteristic dished profile with a prominent eye, large nostrils, and small teacup muzzle. His arched neck rises out of a long sloping shoulder and broad chest. A short, strong back and high trail carriage completes the picture. Hadri come in gray, chestnut, bay, and roan, with an occasional solid black. Although some individuals will vary, most are between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high, and weigh between 800 and 1000 pounds.

• Highlander: The Highlander is the universal workhorse throughout the highlands of the Heartlands. Thousands of them can be found today in Kellevan, Gallesgna, and Tyressel. Queen Iuliana of Tyressel had such a personal liking for the breed that even today, two hundred years after her death, the Royal Guardsmen of that kingdom ride Highlanders.  The Highlander stands 14.1 to 15.1 hands high. They are used by the folk of the heartland for all manner of uses: agricultural work, deer hunting, traveling, and of course as a war mount. The coloration is white, cream, or gray, with darker colors never occurring. They are sleek looking horses, obviously built more for speed than for power. Their mane is naturally short and close to the neck, and their tail is usually bobbed and woven by the horse’s owner.

• House Pony: The House Pony was originally developed through careful breeding by Empress Falca III, who so loved horses that she wanted one that could live in the Imperial Palace with her. The House Pony stands no more than 30 inches tall at maturity. This measurement is the vertical distance from the last hairs at the base of the mane to the ground. House Ponies of the Asturcon, Calafian, Forester, Highlander, and Shirehorse breeds are known to exist. These tiny horses are not dwarves, runts, or genetic errors, but were produced through selectively breeding down in size but retaining the other characteristics of their specific breed.  House Ponies thrive on attention and display a curiosity and intelligence that make them delightful companions, allowing people of all ages to enjoy them. They can be housebroken.

• Ice Island Pony: The Ice Island Pony are still found wild on the cold islands of the northern EasterSea. They originated on those islands, and have not crossbred with any of the imported breeds. They are naturally evolved to survive on meager food supplies, with coats, ears, and tails well-adapted to coping with a harsh, wet, windy climate.  Once Ice Islands were domesticated by the Chayk, they became subject to the forces of living in a society where women and children did most of the work while the men were at sea. Poor temperaments were not tolerated, and only those ponies happy to live in close proximity with humans and willing to work hard were retained. Unsuitable specimens were generally eaten. They are used for such everyday tasks as peat farming, gathering seaweed, pulling carts, and harrowing fields.  Ice Island Ponies are distinctive in that they are usually born black or bay and turn gray as they mature. A few individuals have been known to retain their childhood coloring, but no other colors every occur. They have a dense, waterproof, but not overly long coat which enables them to live out in the harshest of conditions. The head is sensible and workmanlike, with plenty of room for air to warm in the sinuses before it reaches the lungs, and the tail is set low enough to keep the hind end warm in the wind and rain. Ice Island Ponies stand an average of 10 to 11 hands high.

• Kirshahz: This breed was developed in the mountains and steppes surrounding the Border Kingdoms. Mares are primarily used as a producer of meat and milk by the Silde peasants of the region, while stallions are used as plowhorses. It has a high work endurance, and a healthy mare can produce an average of forty seven gallons of milk each year.  The Kirshahz is a small, wide-bodied, bony horse. It has a massive head and a short, fleshy neck. The withers are low, the back erect and broad, the croup nicely rounded, the ribs long and well-sprung, the chest deep, and the legs short and thick. The mane and tail are thick. The most widespread colors bay, chestnut, roan, and mouse gray. They stand only 11.5 to 12.5 hands high, on the average.

• Kuzko: The Kuzko is an ancient breed of small horse found in the Kuzko region of Gallesgna and Soravia. Although originally a wild breed, all known Kuzko now have owners. Traditionally, they are gathered on the last day of Icinglace, branded for identification, and either sold or returned to the hills as breeding stock. The Kuzko is considered a tough animal with considerable endurance. They are an integral part of traditional Kuzko life. In the past, they were used primarily as pack animals and to work in the mines. The Kuzko is primarily colored gray, though browns and blacks are also common. They have short, thin muzzles and stubby legs that are thicker than those of almost any other breed of horse. They give the appearance of a horse built for surefootedness and endurance rather than speed.

• Mine Pony: This unusual breed was developed by dwarves thousands of years ago. It is perhaps the strongest of all horses, in relation to its size, yet even the stallions are gentle and docile. The body of the Mine Pony is full, with short, muscular legs. It has a stubby, almost non-existent mane, forelock, and tail. Coloring varies by the season, but the most comon are black and dark brown. It stands on average 9 hands high, and never exceeds 10.  The dwarves bred this horse to haul ore cars in the mines. Many of them were born, lived, and died without ever seeing the sky. Not all Mine Ponies live under such restrictions, but none exist in the wild.

• Moor Pony: Moor Ponies have roamed the bleak, open moors of surrounding the Frontier Cities for centuries. Like the Aateni, the Moor Pony is the product of elven breeding. They are an older breed, however, having been created some 60,000 years ago. They have since been altered by their environment.  Natural selection has designed a pony suited to survival in a damp, wet climate without the provision of food or shelter by mankind. Two features unique to the breed are a heavy upper brow to protect the eyes from wind and rain, and a group of short, course hairs at the top of the tail designed to channel rain and snow down and away from the body. This ice tail is shed each summer and regrown each Autumn. Their summer coat is sleek and shiny, but in winter they grow a double-layered coat to provide both insulation and waterproofing which lets them stand out in the worst of weather and remain dry at skin level.  Moor Ponies are always born with black points, and they show the characteristic buff-colored ring around the eyes and muzzle. The forehead is very broad, the eyes large and pronounced, the ears small, and the jaws deep. The body is deep and the ribs well sprung. The legs are short and clean, with well-developed joints. Hooves are neat, hard, and well-shaped. They stand 11.3 to 12.3 hands high, and they weigh 700 to 800 pounds. The general appearance is that of balance, strength, and character.  Moor Ponies have been domesticated in small numbers by the Choyen folk living on the moors, and are used for goat and sheep tending. They are quick learners and amazing jumpers. They are a rare breed, there being only some 4000 individuals in all of Taranche.

• Poveran Saddlepony: The Poveran Saddlepony is a popular and growing breed. The breed was developed over the past hundred and fifty years to provide a pony with good appearance, speed, and stamina for wealthy young riders who were too big for a small pony but not ready for a full-sized horse. A "leisure breed", as opposed to being a fighting horse or a work horse, it is nonetheless a rugged, athletic pony with the speed for games and jumping, and the intelligence and patience for showmanship. The small size makes it easy for parents to match a child to a pony.  The Poveran Saddlepony has a refined head with a dished nose, an expressive eyes, and fine ears. The body is full, the chest broad, and the shoulders are sloping. It exhibits a variety of colorful coat patterns from blankets to leopard spots, with mottled skin, particularly around the nostrils. The hooves have vertical black and white stripes naturally, and the iris of the eye is encircled with white like a human eye.  Every Saddlepony’s pattern of spots is individual and unique to the animal. Most are white over the loin and hips, with dark, egg-shaped spots. The spots vary in size from specks to blotches five inches in diameter. Some Saddlepony’s have spotting over the entire body, while others will show white over the hindquarters without the spots, or will have "snowflake" spots over black. The breed grows to an average of 12 hands high.

• Shirehorse: The Shirehorse is the EasterSea Coast’'s own native breed of heavy horse. Its ancestors have been bred there since the height of the Empire and before. The Shirehorse is a medium-sized draft horse with a quick, free gait. Its coat is usually chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. There are individuals which are black or brown, but they are uncommon. The Shirehorse’s legs carry a heavy feather, like that of the Forester. It has a compact, round body, deep girth, and massive quarters.  The breed has a reputation for being docile, kindly, and a tireless, willing worker. The forelegs are short and set wide apart. They are coarse of feather on the lower legs. The withers are broad and flat. The neck is short and thick and they have heavily muscled shoulders and exceptionally broad chests. The head is plain and has a squared muzzle but is not unattractive.

• Steppe Runner: The Steppe Runner is the last remaining wild species of horse in Northern Taranche (the only other totally wild species, the Askania, is native to the plains north of the Emerald Forest far to the south). All other horses are either domesticated or descended from horses which were once domesticated.  The Steppe Runner is native to the great, empty expanses east of the Border Kingdoms. Surprisingly, it is hunted by the Rostok barbarians for food, but has never been domesticated by them. In fact, only a few Steppe Runners have ever been tamed.  Steppe Runners are similar to domestic horses, though it has a smaller, more robust build. It has an upright mane and a low-set tail. The most common colors are sandy tan, dun, and reddish bay. The Steppe Runner has a dorsal stripe, a shoulder stripe, barring in their legs, and lighter coloring on their muzzles and bellies.  Most sages who study horses believe that the Steppe Runner might be the original breed of horse, spawning all of the others.

• Stone Pony: Native to the rough foothills around the Giantspike mountains, the Stone Pony was specifically bred for use by the mining communities as pack ponies. They have become famous for their ability to navigate rough country under heavy weight. The ponies have also found a niche on the small farms of the inhospitable upper dales; the strength and surefootedness of the ponies lend them to farm work where larger horses are at a disadvantage.  This hardy breed of pony is up to 14 hands high, and though the predominant color is black, other colors include brown, gray, bay, and occasionally roan. Their hooves are of hard blue horn, well-shaped and the legs have beautiful dense none. They have tremendous stamina and an iron constitution; in this they are only exceeded by the Forrester Horse. They are perhaps the most intelligent of all the horse breeds.  The head is neat, showing no courseness about the jaw or throat. An abundant long mane of straight hair cover a muscular neck that is well laid onto sloping shoulders. The body is compact and short.

• Wild Islander: Early Pre-Imperial Taoric settlers attempted to colonize the Wild Islands, and brought with them a small population of Calafian, Aateni, and Aziell horses with them from the mainland. The dangers of those islands eventually wiped out the colonists, but the horses they brought with them survived in small numbers.  For nearly three thousand years, those horses interbred until a new breed was created: the Wild Island Pony. This new breed was discovered when the Empire established the port city of Blue Bay on the island. A small population of Wild Islanders were brought to the mainland. It is from these individual horses that all other Wild Islands Ponies existing on mainland Taranche come; the Imperial colony, like that of the earlier Barind attempt, succumbed to the hazards of the island, and no further attempts at a permanent settlement have ever been made.  The Wild Islander stands an average of 14 hands high. It has a short, brushy main that is always a dark black. Its coat is commonly brownish, with any of the darker shades prevailing; however, the breed experienced radical color changes from one season to the next. During the summer months, the horse’s color will lighten considerably, and upon the onset of winter will darken to an almost black. Despite being a goodly-sized horse, the Wild Islander gives the impression of compactness. Its head is small, it has short, hairy ears, and its tail is short and low-set. Its hooves are small, and very hard.