Horses in 5th Ed

	Draft	Heavy	Medium	Light	Pony	Wild	Riding	Mule
Climate/Terrain:	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous	Any non-mountainous
Frequency:	Common	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Uncommon	Common	Common
Organization:	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd
Activity Cycle:	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day
Diet:	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore
Intelligence:	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)
Treasure:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Alignment:	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
No. Appearing:	1	1	1	1	1	5-30 (5d6)	5-50(5d6)	1
Armor Class:	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	7
Movement:	12	15	18	24	12	24	24	12
Hit Dice:	3	3+3	2+2	2	1+1	2	3	3
THAC0:	17	17	19	19	19	19	17	17
No. of Attacks:	1	2	2	2	1	1	2	1 or 2
Damage/Attack:	1-3	1-8/1-8	1-6/1-6	1-4/1-4	1-2	1-3	1-2/1-2	1-2/1-6
Special Attacks:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Special Defenses:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Magic Resistance:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Size:	L	L	L	L	M	L	L	M
Morale:	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)
XP Value:	65	120	65	35	35	35	65	65

	Nars	Raurin	Semphari	Steppe	Sosser
Climate/Terrain:	Temperate	Arid	Arid	Steppe	Temperate
Frequency:	Uncommon	Rare	Very rare	Uncommon	Uncommon
Organization:	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd	Herd
Activity Cycle:	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day
Diet:	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore	Herbivore
Intelligence:	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)	Animal (1)
Treasure:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Alignment:	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
No. Appearing:	2-5	1-3	1-3	3-30	2-20
Armor Class:	7	7	7	6	6
Movement:	18	24	24	24	18
Hit Dice:	3+3	2+3	3+3	4+3	4+3
THAC0:	17	17	17	15	15
No. of Attacks:	3	3	3	3	3
Damage/Attack:	1-6/1-6/1-3	1-4/1-4/1-3	1-4/1-4/1-3	1-4/1-4/1-3	1-6/1-6/1-3
Special Attacks:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Special Defenses:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Magic Resistance:	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Size:	L (7-8’)	L (7-8’)	L (7-8’)	M (5-7’)	M (5-7’)
Morale:	Average (8-10)	Unsteady (5-7)	Unsteady (5-7)	Average (8-10)	Average (8-10)
XP Value:	120	65	120	175	175

Horses are large quadrupeds often used for transportation, or as pack and draft animals, by human and demihuman races. They are frequently bred for their speed and for their beauty.

A horse can be solid white, gray, chestnut, brown, black, or various reddish tones; its hide can instead show a variation or combination of these colors. Some of the more interesting variations include the piebald, which has a coat of large, irregular patches of black and white; the palomino, with its rich yellow-gold coat and white mane and tail; and the dapple gray, which is dark gray with flecks of lighter color on the chest, belly, and hindquarters.

In addition to the coat’s color, the horse may have markings of various sorts. The long hairs of the mane and tail can be lighter, darker, or of the same color as the body of the horse. Possible markings include socks (meaning the leg from the hoof, halfway to the knee, or hock, is white); a white muzzle; a blaze (a wide band of white from the top of the horse’s head to the tip of its nose); and a star (a white, diamond-shaped patch set on the horse’s forehead, right between its eyes).

Horses are measured in “hands”. One hand equals 4 inches.

Combat: War horses will fight independently of the rider on the second and succeeding rounds of a melee. Other breeds fight only if cornered. Most attack twice per round by kicking with their front hooves.

Unless specially trained, horses can be panicked by loud noises, strange smells, fire, or sudden movements 90% of the time. Horses trained and accustomed to such things (usually warhorses) panic only 10% of the time.

Habitat/Society: The horse’s gestation period is about 11 months. Mares (female horses) usually give birth to a single foal (young horse). Twins do occur, but only about 10% of the time (or less). Even triplets are possible, but are extremely rare. The foal is weaned after six months. It is mature after two to three years, and is considered adult at age five. The usual life span of a horse is 30-35 years, though rare exceptions have lived to age 50, and hard-worked horses rarely live past age 12.

Only 10% of ponies and wild horses can be trained to serve as warhorses. Of all the breeds and varieties listed here, only mules are agile enough for use in mountainous or subterranean environments.

Ecology: Modern horses evolved in temperate plains and grasslands. Domestic breeds can be found anywhere people live (even in the high mountains, if the local roads are good).

Horses can carry great weights for long periods of time, but not without tiring. The table below shows the maximum weight a horse can carry; as illustrated, greater weights cause the horse to move at slower movement rates.

Horse Table 1. Maximum weight in pounds at
Type of Horse	Full speed	Half speed	One-third speed
Draft	260	390	520
Heavy war horse	260	390	520
Medium war horse	220	330	440
Light war horse	170	255	340
Pony	160	240 320
Wild	170	255	340
Riding	180	270	360
Mule	250	375	500

Type of Horse	Walk	Trot	Canter	Gallop
Draft	6	12	18	24
Heavy war horse	6	15	21	27
Medium war horse	9	18	27	36
Light war horse	12	24	36	48
Pony	6	12	18	24
Wild	12	24	36	48
Riding	12	24	36	48
Mule	6	12	18	24

A horse can also move at speeds higher than those given as their base movement rates, as shown on the table below. The horse’s normal movement rate is considered a trot.

As noted in Chapter 14 of the Player’s Handbook, in a day of travel over good terrain, a creature can travel a number of miles equal to twice its normal movement rate. A horse’s overland movement rate can be improved by pushing it to a canter or gallop. A canter can be safely maintained for two hours, or a gallop for one hour, but the horse must be walked for an hour before its speed can again be increased. For the effects of increasing a horse’s speed enough to affect its overland movement rate, see Chapter 14 of the DMG.

A horse will not gallop when loaded with enough material to reduce its normal movement rate by half; nor will it canter or gallop if carrying a load which will reduce its normal movement rate to one-third normal (see Horse Table 1).

Draft Horse

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 19 (3d10 + 3)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	2 (−4)	11 (+0)	7 (−2)

Senses passive Perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Riding Horse

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 13 (2d10 + 2)
Speed 60 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	2 (−4)	11 (+0)	7 (−2)

Senses passive Perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

To the untrained eye, a horse is a horse and there is little difference between a riding horse, light horse, warhorse, and draft horse. To the trained eye, however, there are great differences in breeds of horses. This is true in the Forgotten Realms just as much as anywhere else.

The different breeds of horse described here are the most notable types found in and around the lands of the Endless Waste.

Nars

The Nars breed is famous throughout the North. The breed has the reputation for combining strength, speed, and a placid nature. The Nars is a popular breeding stock in Almorel, Nathoud, Narfell, Rashemen, Damara, Vaasa, and Impiltur.

The Nars averages about sixteen hands (5’4” – a hand equals 4 inches) at the withers, making it a large animal. Its coat is normally a chestnut color, although golds and blacks are also found. It is strong in the harness, such that its movement rate is not reduced when hitched to a cart or wagon. For its size and strength, it has a fast gait, moving at the pace of a medium horse. It can carry as much as a heavy warhorse (260/390/520). The Nars has a good disposition and is less likely to be spooked by sudden shocks. For these qualities, the Nars is popular with the northern nobility and yeoman farmers alike. The Nars breed is a staple of the horse markets of Nathoud.

Raurin

The Raurin is found mainly in the Raurin Desert and surrounding lands. It is an ancient breed and has been the well-spring of many other bloodlines. Bred first when the desert was a green land, the Raurin survived the drastic change to arid desert. In surviving, it grew tough and sturdy. For centuries it lived wild and free in the desert lands. Then, as men returned into the desert, they tamed the Raurin and began to cultivate the breed.

The Raurin is a fine, strong animal, about 15 hands high. Its legs are long and slender. Overall, the horse is slimly built, so that it has the general proportions of a light warhorse. The Raurin are almost always golden, dun, or gray in color.

The breeders have capitalized on the Raurin’s strength and stamina. Through careful management, they have bred the line for speed. The Raurin has all the qualities of a light warhorse and then some. In addition to speed, the Raurin is noted for its sure-footedness and stamina. It is stronger than a light warhorse and hardier. It can survive on fodder alone, and does not need to be fed grain. It can also last for one to three days without water.

It is speed that makes the Raurin famous, however. its supporters boast that there is no faster horse in the world. It certainly is one of the fastest, and the breed is popular among the horse racers throughout the region. It can triple its speed for short spurts (no more than 1 or 2 miles). After this it must be cooled down (walked for a turn) and then allowed to rest. If this isn’t done, the horse must make a saving throw vs. shock or collapse from exhaustion.

The Raurin breed is rare in the desert and virtually unknown in distant lands. The breed is seldom recognized in distant lands. Although the horse is valuable in the lands where it is known, commanding prices of 1,000 gp or more, it is hard to sell elsewhere. Foreigners must be shown the Raurin’s talents, usually in a horse race. If the demonstration is convincing, the price can be as great as 5,000 gp. In these cases, it is commonly bought to improve the stock of the local breed.

Semphari

One of the closest relations to the Raurin is the Semphari, a magnificent animal. Of the known breeds, there is none that can rival the Semphari for grace and beauty. These, combined with its fine stamina, sure-footedness, and intelligent nature, have made it one of the most valuable of all horses.

The Semphari, so named for the land of its origin, is a smallish, light horse. It stands an average of 14 hands (4’8”) at the withers. Its body is light, and its muscles are lean and trim. Like the Raurin, the legs are long and slender, giving it a graceful look. The coat is almost always chestnut or white, fading to gray near the rump. The mane and tail are long.

The Semphari is prized for more than just its good looks. it is a hardy horse, able to endure more hardship than its appearance would suggest. This stamina gives it the hit dice of a heavy horse, while it still retains the speed of a light horse. It is nimble and sure-footed, so that all Riding proficiency checks made by its rider are improved by one. Likewise, any saving throws the horse must make that involve dodging are improved by one. Thus, both the horse and rider would have a slightly better chance of springing out of the area of a dragon – a breath at the very last second.

By far the most desirable traits, however, are the keen senses and intelligence of the breed. It has good sight and hearing. Wild Semphari mounts have a +1 applied to their surprise die.

Tame horses are easily trained. Learning general tasks takes half the normal time required (see the Animal Training proficiency). The Semphari can learn more specific tricks, from 2 to 12. Because of its nature, all Animal Training proficiency checks are one better than normal when dealing with the Semphari.

The Semphari is not a widespread breed, found mostly in Semphar and Murghom. There, the lords and nobles keep breeding stables and vie to produce the finest horses. Elaborate pedigrees are maintained and traded with each sale. An average horse of the breed sells for 1,000 to 3,000 gold. A Semphari stallion with an illustrious father can easily command double or triple the normal price.

Outside this area, the Semphari is less well known. However, unlike the Raurin, the Semphari’s qualities are easy to see. in foreign markets, the Semphari can still fetch a high price. Pedigrees, while impressive, have little bearing on such sales. Most of the horses are sold to kings and nobles as breeding stock. The prices average 1,000 gold, but finding the breed is almost impossible.

Steppe

This beast looks like a cross between a horse and a pony. It is not a graceful or attractive mount, nor large and powerful. Its homely appearance disguises a horse of great endurance and strength.

The steppe horse is small, averaging 13 hands at the withers (4’4”). The neck is short, and the body is heavyboned. The head is large. The overall effect is of a small, ungainly mount. Add to this the shaggy winter coat of the breed, and the appearance is such that the Steppe is often called a “half-wild”. The coat is normally copper or bronze with a lighter yellow stripe down the back.

Beneath the surface, however, is a remarkable mount. The steppe horse is tough and hard to kill; its thick coat and hide give it a good armor class. For all its short legs, the steed can go swiftly for long distances. Its small back is strong and can carry as much as a medium warhorse (220/330/440). It is even-natured, making it steady in battle.

The most remarkable of its qualities is its endurance. The steppe horse survives on grazing alone. It does not need separate supplies of grain. It can be ridden for long distances without faltering. A +3 modifier is applied to the saving throw for lameness and exhaustion checks when traveling overland.

Still, the steppe horse is not valuable or sought after; it is most commonly ridden by the nomadic tribes. Outside this region, however, the horse is almost completely unknown, nor will it command high prices at auction. Only those breeders seeking strength and stamina for their own bloodlines are likely to consider the steppe pony worth greater than normal sums.

Sosser

The Sosser is a mix of steppe horse and other breeds. It is not a glamorous animal, but it is not as homely as its cousin the steppe horse. It is valued for its surefootedness, strength, and ability to resist the cold.

The Sosser is a smallish horse, about 14 hands, though not as barrel-chested as the steppe horse. The neck is long and the head narrow. The hooves are broader than most. In general, it has the proportions of a light horse. The coat is normally chestnut or copper and grows long during the cold season.

The Sosser is bred to endure the cold weather of the far northern mountains and to serve as a work animal. It has greater-than-normal hit dice and a better armor class than most. It is not a fast horse for its size, but can carry as much as a medium warhorse (220/330/440). Like the Nars, it is good in the harness. Its movement rate is not reduced when pulling carts or wagons.

The Sosser has admirable resistance to cold weather. it has a saving throw bonus of +1 against cold-based attacks and suffers one point less per die of damage from such attacks. Conversely, it has less endurance to heat, and saving throws against heat exhaustion are made at a -1.

With the Nars, the Sosser is favored by the farmers of the far north. The horse can commonly be found in the lands of Sossai, Narfell, Vaasa, Damara, and Thar. It is not considered particularly exceptional and can usually be bought for only a little more than the average price.

Draft Horse

Draft horses are large animals bred to haul very heavy loads, and are usually trained to be part of a dray team. Muscular but slow, these ponderous animals haul freight over long distances without complaint, and are frequently used by traders.

War Horse

Warhorses are bred and trained to the lance, the spear, and the sword. They have higher morale than other horses, and are not as skittish about sudden movements and loud noises. The choice of knights and cavalry, these are the pinnacle of military horses. There are three varieties; heavy, medium and light.

Heavy war horses are similar to draft animals. Large and muscular, they are relatively slow. Their size and powerful legs allow them to be armored in plate, and to carry a warrior in plate, as easily as a pony carries saddle bags. A good heavy war horse, fully trained, costs 400 or more gold pieces.

Medium war horses are lighter and smaller than their heavy cousins. They can be encumbered with leather or light plate armor and carry a rider wearing leather or light plate. The advantage of the medium war horse is its increased speed. The price of a medium war horse is 200 gp or more.

Light war horses are the fastest of the breed. They can carry warriors in leather armor, but are rarely armored themselves. They make excellent mounts for raiding parties, light cavalry, and thieves. Light war horses cost 150 gp or more.

Pony

Small horses used primarily for transportation and occasionally farm work, ponies are a lively breed. They are more excitable than the larger horses, but frequently more gentle, as well. They are sometimes trained and used as war horses by several of the smaller demihuman races. Prices vary depending on training and size, but most cost around 500 gp.

Wild Horse

Wild horses can be captured and trained to serve as mounts or work ponies. Training usually takes twice as long as training a domestic horse. Wild horses are hardy but jittery, and difficult to catch in the wild. They are sometimes hunted for food by human and demihuman tribes.

Riding Horse

Riding horses are bred to the saddle. Perhaps the most common of all horses, they are ridden, worked, and raced by humans and demihumans alike. The price of a riding horse will vary, depending on its bloodlines, training, and appearance. Fast and agile, this breed is a good choice for personal transportation and general use.

Mule

Sterile hybrids of horses and donkeys, mules are very sure-footed and exceptionally stubborn. They can be ridden by patient handlers who know how to control them, but are best used as pack animals in difficult or mountainous terrain. They are sometimes used by adventurers, for they are the only breed that can be taken into subterranean regions. The price of mules depends on how much grief they have given their current owners.

Steppe Pony

A steppe pony is not attractive, graceful, or large, but its homely, ungainly appearance disguises an animal of great endurance, speed, and strength. A steppe pony looks like a cross between a horse and a pony, but is a breed unto itself. They are small, averaging 13 hands (4’4”) at the withers, and they have short necks, large heads, and heavily boned bodies. Their winter coat is shaggy and gives them the appearance of being “half-wild”. They are most commonly colored copper or bronze, with a light yellow stripe running down their backs.

These horses are tough, hard to kill, and aggressive in battle. They have most of the same characteristics as a light war horse, with a few exceptions. It attacks three times per round, its third attack being a bite which causes 1-3 points of damage. The steppe pony’s thick, shaggy coat and tough hide gives it an AC of 6. Its short legs are powerful and can carry horse and rider swiftly, over long distances; its small back is also very strong and it can carry as much as a medium war horse (220/330/440). The steppe pony is even-tempered and steady in battle; its morale is average (8-10), and it panics very rarely (5% chance) due to such things as fire and loud noises.

The steppe pony has remarkable endurance. It can survive by grazing alone and does not require feeding and handling by its rider, so separate supplies of grain are not needed. It can be ridden for long distances without tiring or faltering. A +3 modifier is applied to the pony’s saving throws for lameness and exhaustion checks when travelling overland.

In spite of all its qualities, the steppe pony is not sought after or considered valuable. It is most commonly ridden by nomadic tribes. Outside the steppes, the animal is almost completely unknown and does not command high prices at auction. Only breeders who know the steppe pony’s qualities, and who seek strength and stamina in their own horses’ bloodlines, are likely to consider the steppe pony as valuable.

Appearance
The exact appearance and coloration of any particular horse can be determined randomly, using Tables 1-6, or can be chosen from those tables by the player at the DM’s discretion. The tables are also useful for a DM who wishes to create and maintain information on breeds of horses unique to her own campaign world. These animals would have a typical appearance and possibly common traits, depending on the environment they occupy and the people who breed them. For instance, the dwarves of a particular region might maintain herds of strong, sure-footed ponies that are usually gray and shaggy-coated. These animals would be exceptionally strong to carry heavy loads (food supplies brought up from the valleys, raw ore, etc.) and may also be con- sistent in size and temperament.

Movement
Table 7 gives movement statistics for horses. When traveling, horses usually move at a walk or trot, and the rider must stop often throughout the journey to feed, water, and rest the animal. Faster speeds may be attained when necessary, these being the canter and the full gallop. As stated in the DMG (page 123), a horse moving at its normal rate may cover up to 30 miles a day; moving at a canter doubles this rate, but forces the animal to make a saving throw vs. death, failure indicating the animal has become lame or is spent and cannot move any farther for a full day. Finally, at full gallop, a horse triples its normal daily movement rate, but must again make the saving throw vs. death, this time at -3 on the die roll; failure indi- cates death from exhaustion.

Galloping speed can be maintained for one hour without harm to the animal, though the animal must thereafter walk for an hour before it can gallop again. A canter can be maintained for two hours without harm, but again the animal must be walked for a full hour before speed can again be increased. Bursts of speed like this are useful for putting distance between the rider and any enemies in pursuit.

The saving throws for increased daily movement are for normally encumbered animals, If the horse is encumbered to slow it to half its normal movement rate, the saving throw should be at -2 on the die roll, and at -4 if encumbered to one- third of its normal rate.

Encumbrance
Horses are useful for carrying baggage and supplies, and Table 8 lists the maxi- mum rates according to the type of ani- mal. Keep in mind the weight of the character, as everything he carries must also be applied when he rides the animal. As noted above, encumbrance affects how hard a character can push his mount when attempting to increase his normal daily movement rate.

Height
The height of the animal (determined by Table 9) must be known so that the char- acter can calculate the amount of food the horse needs on a daily basis.

Jumping
Every horse is capable of a maximum height and length when it comes to jump- ing (see Table 10). Some are particularly adept at this (see Table 11), while some refuse to jump at all. Whatever an ani- mal’s capabilities, they should be kept on record so that both the player and the DM know the ability of the horse, and can weigh it against the immediate needs of any particular situation. Keep in mind that draft horse, mules, ponies, and the like are certainly not given to high perfor- mance jumping, so Table 10 is unlikely to apply to them.

Table 2 Coat Pattern - 1d100 Pattern Comments
01-70 Whole/Solid coloring Coat is completely regular.
71-80 Flecked Coat contains small, irregular groupings of white hairs throughout.
81-90 Flea-bitten Coat contains specks of brown hairs throughout, common with gray-colored

Table 3 Leg Markings - 1d100 Marking
01-70 None Leg is a solid color or pattern matching the rest of the animal’s body.
71-85 Stocking Leg has a white area between the hoof and the knee or hock.
86-00 Sock Leg has a white area extending from the hoof halfway to the knee or hock.

Table 4 Body Markings - 1d100 Marking
01-80 None The coat contains no unusual markings.
81-90 Flesh marks These are areas of unpigmented hair and skin, usually around the belly, flanks or legs.
91-00 Zebra marks These bars or stripes on the legs or flanks are a throwback to the primitive camouflage of early breeds of wild horses.

Table 5 Muzzle - 1d100 Marking
01-70 None There is nothing unusual about the muzzle.
71-80 Snip White markings ring the nostrils of the horse
81-90 White muzzle The muzzle and nostrils are white.
91-00 Lip marks The lips are white.

Table 6 - 1d100 Face Marking
01-50 None There is nothing unusual about the face.
51-60 Blaze A wide band of white ranges from the top of the horse’s head to the tip of his nose.
61-70 Star A white diamond is set on the horse’s forehead, right between the eyes.
71-80 Stripe A narrow band of white ranges from the top of the horse’s head to the tip of his nose in an elongated diamond shape.
81-90 Star/Stripe There is a small white diamond on the forehead between the eyes and a short, narrow band in the shape of an elongated diamond down toward the animal’s nose.
91-00 White face A large white patch covers the horse’s entire face, including both eyes and the muzzle.

Table 8 Encumbrance Statistics
Type: Normal One-half One-third
Draft horse 260 390 520
Heavy war horse 260 390 520
Medium war horse 220 330 440
Light war horse 170 255 340
Pony 160 240 320
Wild horse 170 255 340
Riding horse 180 270 360
Mule 250 375 500

Table 10 - Maximum Jumping Capability
1d100 Height Length
01-20 4' 12'
21-50 5' 14'
51-75 6' 16'
76-95 7' 18’

Traits
As stated in the DMG, each horse has a total of 0-2 (1d3-1) traits that define the animal’s personality. Though Table 11 was originally divided into two columns—one applying to bags, broken-down, and aver- age-quality horses, and the other to high- spirited horses and chargers—it has not been done so here. Rather, it has been left to the DM to apply as he sees fit. Some of these traits are beneficial, others generally hamper characters in some way, and still others are just plain annoying. Many of the positive traits can be enhanced through formal training, which is dis- cussed later. Some breeds of horses are known for having common traits that can make them either desirable or undesir- able, and the DM should keep this in mind when creating different types of horses to populate his game world, ascribing one or two traits to a particular breed (these traits being independent of the random 0-2 rolled for above).

Training
Formal training for most horses begins at age three. These first few years have been spent getting the animal used to human (or demihuman, etc.) contact, and now it is ready to be trained to carry weight upon its back—either heavy bag- gage or a rider. A total of 11-17 (9+2d4) weeks are spent teaching this to the animal. A character must either seek out an individual with the Animal Training NWP to do this work, which costs 10 gp per week of training, or do the training her- self, during which time she must limit all other activity or fail in the training attempt, as the animal requires constant attention. For every day the character misses, a cumulative -1 penalty should be applied to his proficiency check to deter- mine the success of training the animal. Naturally, if the character trains her own horse, it cost her nothing beyond the usual care and feeding fees.

The basic training of wild or untrained adult horses requires the same training described above, but it takes a little longer, usually 15-20 weeks (14+ 1d6) and costs twice as much (20 gp/week) as it does to train a three-year-old.

Training for specific tricks (see Table 12) requires constant work of an even more intense nature. It requires the daily atten- tion of either the trainer or the character, and if a single day is missed, the training automatically fails and must be started anew. All war horses, riding horses, and wild horses can be taught 2-8 specific tricks, plus one for each point of the ani- mal’s Intelligence. Draft horses, mules, ponies, and the like can learn only 1-4 tricks. The number of tricks any animal may learn is determined only once, and that number is the maximum number of tricks the animal can ever learn. Learning to carry baggage or a rider does not count as a specific trick; it is considered to be separate training.

Each specific trick requires 1-4 weeks of training, at a cost of 25 gp per week, unless the character is training the animal himself. At the end of the allotted time, the trainer or the character makes his NWP check to determine whether the horse has learned the desired trick. No more than one trick may be taught to a horse during any training period. Exceptionally intelli- gent horses (see Table 11) add a +1 bonus to the animal trainer’s proficiency check for every point of Intelligence over one.

Breeding
Horses are mature at three years of age and are considered adults at the age of five. The gestation period is approximately 11 months. After mating, a mare generally gives birth to a single foal (85%), twins (10%), or triplets (5%). Foals are weaned after six months.

If horses are worked hard, they are rarely useful past the age of 12, though if they are well cared for they can be good for more than 20 years. The usual life span of a horse is 30-35 years, though rare exceptions have reached the age of 50 (see Table 13).

Care and feeding
The natural food for horses is the grass and clover that grows on the open plains, where equines evolved. Domesticated horses, however, are fed a diet of hay (bulk food) and grain (concentrated food). The basic guideline for the proper feeding of horses is that they should be given small amounts of food on a frequent basis throughout the course of a normal day, simulating a life of periodic grazing in the wild.

Hard-working horses need a greater degree of concentrated energy food (grains) in their diet than those that are inactive, but otherwise eat a larger amount of bulk food (grass and hay). Types of concentrated foods include oats, barley, corn, and bran. To round off a diet, fresh vegetable and fruit such as car- rots, turnips, and apples should be offered as well to keep the animal healthy and happy. Hard-working horses are those animals that travel encumbered, plow fields, pull carriages, or are engaged in similar activity. Inactive horses spend most of their time in the stable and farm-

Note that both traveling and stabled horses must be given either a suitable amount of hay or access to adequate graz- ing land for them to be able to get the required amount of bulk food in their diet. This required amount equals the total pounds of food needed per day minus the required amount of concen- trated food.

Horses also require an average of eight gallons of water per day. A good guideline is one-half gallon per hand of the animal’s height. An animal that does not receive the necessary daily amounts of food and water will suffer and eventually die, but the effects leading up to this must be defined by the DM according to the situa- tion at hand during play. [Previous articles on horses include: “From the Sorcerer’s Scroll: Warhorses and Barding,” in issue #74; “Let the Horse Buyer Beware,’ in issue #92; "A Saddle’s Not Enough,” in issue #113; and “The Dragon’s Bestiary,” in issue #149.]

01-03 Bites - The horse is 20% likely to attempt to take a chunk out of anyone within biting range.
04-06 Ricks - The horse is nervous and kicks out at anyone who is too near to its hindquarters.
07-08 Steps on feet - If the person leading the horse stops, or if anyone is within range, the horse deliberately steps on that person’s foot 20% of the time, causing 1-2 hp damage.
09-10 Refuses to gallop - Unless beaten with a riding crop, spurred, or otherwise encouraged, this horse never attempts to reach its full galloping speed. This may be just an annoying habit, but it can be an indicator of parasites in the horse’s stomach or simply a poor diet.
11-13 Chews fences - Anytime a fence is nearby, the horse will attempt to bite it. The horse delays its rider for a full turn at a time, snorting angrily and adamantly refusing any attempts to get it to continue moving.
14-16 Stops unexpectedly - This horse just isn’t into exerting itself and simply takes random “breaks” during any journey. Check each hour to see if this has happened. If encumbered normally, the chance is 25%; if encumbered to half speed, 50%; and if encumbered to one-third speed, the chance is 90%.
17-19 Rubs against fences - This horse lives for pleasure and probably is just dying for a good grooming as well. Other than this and the possibility the ani- mal is infested with fleas, ticks, mites or lice, it is not a particularly detrimental trait.
20-21 Bucks unexpectedly - There is a 10% chance per hour that this horse bucks for no particular reason. The rider must make a Dexterity Check to remain in his seat and keep the animal under control.
22-23 Rears unexpectedly - This trait is handled the same as “Bucks unexpectedly,” above.
24-25 Bone-jarring gait - Poor alignment of the shoulders causes this animal to be particularly uncomfortable to ride. The rider must stop for a full turn each hour to rest and stretch and give himself a break from this torture; failure to do this puts the rider at -1 to hit for 10 min- utes after dismounting.
26-28 Single rider only - This horse refuses to be overburdened and simply won’t take a second passenger, fighting and protesting if this is attempted. Similarly, it won’t allow itself to be encumbered to the point of affecting its normal movement rate.
29-31 Headstrong - There is a 25% chance each hour of being ridden that this horse either attempts to head in a direction different than the rider desires, or that it pauses to either eat or drink for a full turn, ignoring all attempts to make it do otherwise. Increase this chance by 50% for passengers who are not proficient in Land-Based Riding. Those who are proficient can make a proficiency check to determine whether or not they can regain control of the animal immediately.
32-34 Exceptional leaper - When determining the maximum heights and lengths this animal can clear, add 1’ to the former and 2’ to the latter. When an animal makes its maximum leap in either case, the rider should make a proficiency check to determine whether he has kept his seat or fallen off upon landing.
35-36 Accepts master only - Unless the master is in the saddle, this horse accepts no other rider or passenger.
37-39 Robust - This horse has a powerful constitution and can move at great speeds longer than an average animal might. The horse receives a +3 on its saving throw vs. death when being forced to double or triple his normal overland speed.
40-42 Exceptionally fleet - Add 1-6 points to this horse’s normal speeds for walking, trotting, cantering, and galloping.
43-45 Fearless - A fearless horse has exceptional morale. It will thus be average (8-10) 65% of the time; steady (11-12) 20% of the time; elite (13-14) 10% of the time; and champion (15-16) 5% of the time. Loud noises, sudden movement, etc. rarely upset this animal.
46-48 Skittish - This horse has an exceptionally low morale rating of Unreliable (2-4). These types tend to balk at the first sign of danger, loud noise, sudden movement, etc. and will then either buck, rear, flee, or freeze.
49-51 Strong - This animal is powerful and gets to add 10-100 units to his normal encumbrance rates right across the board.
52-56 Stable - Not quite fearless, this animal is still confident and not often frightened by loud noises and sudden movements, and it receives a +3 bonus on any morale check.
57-60 Gentle - The animal has a kind and tolerant temperament, making it a good horse for new or inexperienced riders, as well as children
61-64 Sure-footed - and ladies of gentle birth. A good animal to have when traveling through mountainous areas, this horse receives a +3 to all Dexterity checks or saving throws when footing is precipitous or unstable.
65-68 Loves particular food - The animal is fond of a particular type of food—sweet grass, apples, carrots, etc. It can sometimes be easily coaxed with such offerings.
69-71 Intolerant of poor handling - These high-bred types won’t put up with an inexperienced rider or handler and are quite likely to bite, kick, buck, or rear at the indignation of being subjected to such a situation. There is a 75% chance of this each turn the horse suffers abuse.
72-75 Affectionate - This animal is particularly fond of its master or any other individual with whom it normally comes into contact. A +3 bonus should be applied to any proficiency checks this person needs to make when working with this animal.
76-77 Vengeful - This animal does not easily forget wrongs that have been done to it and seeks to strike back at those who have abused it when it has the opportunity.
78 Exceptional intelligence - This animal is particularly clever. The majority of these types (75%) are semi-intelligent (2-4) and the rest (25%) have low intelligence (5-7). For each point of Intelligence the animal gains an additional “slot” to use toward learning tricks during training.
79 Sickly - This animal has a poor Constitution and is prone to sickness. A penalty of -3 should be applied to all saving throws vs. death this animal must make when forced to move at double or triple speed.
80 Freezes - When frightened The majority of horses tend to flee if they experience a failed morale check, but this type freezes on the spot, refusing to move. Only a rider who has the Land-Based Riding proficiency can get the horse moving again.
81-83 Desires freedom - This animal wants its freedom very much and seeks it at every opportunity. If the animal is not tethered or hobbled when not being ridden, it certainly makes a break for it. It won’t openly fight a rider, but it does tend to be uncooperative so the profi- ciency checks of any rider should be rolled with a penalty of -2 on the die.
84-85 Dislikes certain individual - For no particular reason, this animal takes an instant disliking to a particular individual, possibly another member of the adventuring party. The animal is openly hostile and uncooperative to this individual—biting, kicking, nudging, and otherwise being a nuisance at every opportunity.
86-87 Dislikes certain sex - This animal won’t tolerate being handled or ridden by a particular sex of human, humanoid, or demihuman. It is uncooperative with such a handler and has a 75% chance per turn of bucking or rearing to dislodge such an individual from its back, forcing the character to make a Dexterity check to remain seated.
88-89 Dislikes certain animal - The horse is either hostile to or fearful of a certain type of creature, usually one that is really no threat to its well-being. Dogs, sheep, pigs, birds, and cows are some likely possibilities. The horse acts completely out of character when encountering such creatures, requiring a morale check at -3 to keep it from either bolting, rearing up in fear, or attacking the creature.
90-91 Big Appetite - Requires 20% more food for itself than a normal horse of that size.
92-93 Dislikes certain race - Similar to “Dislikes certain sex” above, the fear or hostility in this case is applied to a particular race—dwarves, elves, gnomes, orcs, goblins, humans, etc.
94-95 Strong swimmer - This animal is adept at swimming and may well enjoy it as well. The DM should take this into consideration and afford the ani- mal certain bonuses when attempting to cross rivers, swollen streams, etc. A +3 bonus is suggested against a predetermined number depending on the strength of the current, etc
96-98 Fear of water - Horses of this persuasion are terrified of water and neither leap over nor attempt to swim across it.
99-00 Won’t jump - Characters with the Land- Based Riding proficiency may attempt to force the animal to do so, but there is a -5 penalty on the die roll. The animal will not jump, no matter how low or short the obstacle is. It frequently stops just before an obstacle, forcing the rider to make a Dexterity check to remain in his seat or be unceremoniously dumped over the horse’s head (for 1d6 hp damage). Characters with the Land-Based Riding proficiency may attempt to force the animal to jump, but with a -5 penalty on the die roll,

Table 12 Specific Tricks - 1d20 Trick
1 Kicks/bites in battle The horse assists the rider in combat by lashing out with its front hooves and biting during each combat round.
2 Tramples enemy When charging into combat, the horse deliberately rams into enemies and attempts to trample them beneath its hooves. Enemies under attack must make a Dexterity check or suffer double the damage a normal hoof attack (i.e., both hooves) would do. The horse may trample only one man-sized or smaller enemy per round. This attack form cannot be used in the same round that the horse is using its kick/bite attack mod
3 Directed with knees All war horses must be trained to respond to knee pressure, which allows the rider to use both a weapon and a shield while maneuvering the animal.
4 Alerts master of danger The horse neighs, snorts, and generally makes a ruckus to alert its master to the approach of enemies, a spreading fire, etc.
5 Responds to call The horse comes to its master when its name is called, when it’s whistled for, or when sum- moned in any other manner, as long as it is within hearing distance.
6 Stops on command The horse comes to an immediate halt when commanded to do so.
7 Climbs stairs/steep incline The horse is capable of climbing up stairs or steep inclines as long as there is adequate footing.
8 Walks backward This trick is useful on narrow mountain paths and the like. The rider must make a Dexterity check at +2 on the die roll to remain in his seat.
9 Walks sideways/reverse This trick can be employed in crowd control to sweep compact groups of people out of the way, using the horse’s bulk.
10 Knows way home At night, or when carrying a weary or injured rider, this horse can take its passenger home if given control of the reigns.
11 Protects master The horse guards a fallen or injured rider until help arrives, and it attacks all enemies who threaten its charge.
12 Fetches on command The horse can be sent to fetch a particular item it is familiar with.
13 Counts The animal can accurately count, using its hoofs to stamp out answers to simple addition and subtraction problems that are given to it.
14 Rears on command This is a very impressive trick to be used when leading armies or just before riding out of town.
15 Lies down when ordered This trick is useful for injured characters trying to reach equipment or climb back into the sad- dle after a fall.
16 Keeps silent on command The horse uses as much stealth as possible when ordered to remain quiet, walking slowly and avoiding any vocalization for a full turn.
17 Jumps A horse trained to jump properly adds 1' to the maximum height and 2’ to the maximum length it is normally allowed to jump.
18 Pirouettes The horse can turn in place in a circular motion that is useful to a character caught in a tight place or who wishes to whirl the animal about to face an approaching enemy.
19 Piaffes This is the ability to perform a spectacular elevated trot in place—impressive to behold.
20 Finds water The horse can lead its master to fresh water if there is any to be found nearby.

Table 14 Food Requirements
Size of Total lbs. food Total lbs. of concentrate horse needed/day needed: inactive/bard-working

The movement rate modifier is the adjustment applied to the base movement rate for that type of horse. A broken-down light war horse would have a movement rate of 18, 75% of the normal 24. A high-spirited light war horse would have a movement rate of 32, one-third more than normal. Fractions should be rounded down.

The carrying capacity modifier is the percentage of the base weight the horse can carry. A nag can only carry 50% as much as a normal horse of the same type, while a charger can carry one-third more than normal. Again, fractions should be rounded down.

The cost modifier gives a general idea of the markup that should be applied to the horse. Poor quality horses do not have negative modifiers, since merchants will always try to get at least the average price for a horse. In this case, it is the job of the player to talk down the price.

Andaluarian

Akhal-Tara

Balserran

Cyaddar

Dales Pony

Duquala

Ranger Horse

Fordskin

Fell Pony

Bahtel

Kiita

Vor

Wandega

Equipment for Mounts

The following information expands the details found in the Player's Handbook with regard to barding, tack, harness, and other items used with horses and mounts. Optional rules are provided to allow the DM to match the armor of mounts and their riders (which can be used to simplify the record keeping when large numbers of mounted troops are encountered). In addition, partial barding is covered in an optional table that allows calculation of a mount's armor class if only partial barding is available.

The information in this section centers on horses, because this type of mount is the most commonly encountered. Much of this material, however, can be easily adapted for other types of mounts. The following sections deal mainly with barding, as this will have the most direct effect on adventuring and combat.

Barding refers to armor designed for mounts. Mounts are most commonly horses, but also include the huge beasts that carry fighting platforms into combat (such as elephants with howdahs). The vast majority of mounts will wear no barding at all. Such protection is expensive and time-consuming to construct, tires the mount quickly, and reduces the speed and maneuverability of the mount in combat.

Historically, barding reached its peak development in the medieval era. After the introduction of gunpowder and the gun, barding quickly degenerated into little more than parade trappings. The development of barding was controlled by two factors: the breeding of horses strong enough to wear the protection and carry an armored rider, and the technical problems of designing such armor to be ever lighter and more flexible than that worn by men without sacrificing protection. In many ways, the development of barding parallels the development of armor for the fighting man.

Most forms of barding, other than padded or quilted cloth, required massively heavy and powerful mounts. The weight of barding and the man, including his armor and weapons, easily strained even the largest war horses. For this reason, later barding was redesigned using lighter materials such as boiled leather or thick padded cloth. One of the most common historical bardings was made of boiled leather (sometimes more than 2 inches thick), with specially reinforced parts made of steel bands and wooden planks or short strips of thick, hard wood.

Late medieval barding comprised a number of pieces of armor covering different parts of the mount. These included the chanfron (for the head and neck), the crinet (for the side of the neck), the cuello (for the forward chest), the poitrel (for the flanks and broad chest), the flanchards (covering areas around the saddle), and the crupper (for the hindquarters). Barding almost never protected the legs of the mount.

In warmer and more humid climates, full barding is less common than half barding. When used at all, lighter forms are preferred. Half barding usually includes only the chanfron and poitrel (plus the crinet and cuello for plate barding).

In the AD&Dreg. game worlds, the use of barding varies by culture and race. Although individual variations are up to the DM (and are encouraged), a few generalizations are useful. Most barding will be used by human forces. Other than humans, elves (and sometimes halflings) will use horse barding. It is rare to see gnomes or dwarves mounted, except as members of adventuring groups. It is much rarer to see them on barded mounts, as they prefer fighting on foot.

Besides horses, war elephants are sometimes outfitted with leather or metal barding. Camel riders tend not to bard their mounts, as the bulky armor makes them more difficult to handle, reduces their carrying capacity severely, and interferes with their ability to survive desert conditions much more so than with horses.

Full barding: This is a complete set of horse armor that provides the rated protection when attacked from any side. Note that the term "full plate" is used to denote a new, more advanced type of horse armor, like the fighter's full plate armor.

Half barding: The difference between half barding and full barding is that half barding covers only the front and forward sides of the animal. Attacks from the rear or rear flanks use the mount's base armor class.

Partial Barding: This is an option that allows the averaging of a mount's armor class if full barding is not available. See Table 4.

Note: All "suits" of barding, including half barding, are complete units; that is, half barding is not achieved by leaving off half a horse's armor. The pieces are made to be used together--they are specially formed,fitted, and balanced to provide a certain level of protection and a certain degree of mobility in a fight. Cobbling together odd or ill-fitting pieces degrades the effect of the whole, to the degree ruled by the Dungeon Master.

In the following section, barding is discussed in order of least protective to most protective. New types of barding are included. Tables summarizing the information can be found on pages 50-51.

Chanfron: This piece of armor covers the mount's head, neck, and mane. In its most primitive form, the chanfron is made of boiled leather. Chanfrons made by humans and dwarves are usually made of iron or steel, while orcs and other humanoid races tend to favor leather and sylvan elves use wood or strong, fibrous plant materials.

Crinet: This neckpiece is found only in plate armor. It covers the upper side of the mount's neck and is made of narrow strips of steel articulated with six to eight inches of mail.

Cuello: Found only in plate barding, this is armor for the underside of the horse's neck (the throat). It is hung from the crinet with a number of straps and buckles. In more advanced barding, the cuello has fully articulated plates hinged with wide bands of tight chain links.

Poitrel: This part of the horse's barding covers its chest and flanks. The poitrel is also known by names such as the peytrel, pectoral, or poitrinal. It covers the front of the chest and sides as far as the saddle. Early poitrels used heavy cloth with scales, rings, or studs; later ones used plates or bands of steel.

Flanchards: These are plates of armor for the horse's side, including the area behind the front shoulders, across the saddle length, and ending at the hindquarters, protecting areas not covered by the poitrel or crupper.

Crupper: This piece covers the hindquarters of the horse and is sometimes referred to as the croupiere bacul. The lightest form of this armor is made of light leather sewn together into small squares, then joined together by straps and stitches. The most advanced cruppers are made of several thick steel bands joined with pieces of chain or mail, bound to the saddle and the flanchards.

This style of quilted barding has only minor protective value, giving the mount an AC bonus of 1. In the standard AD&Dreg. game campaign, padded barding is functionally the same as leather barding and weighs 60 pounds. Padded barding tends to wear out rapidly with use.

Halflings and elves occasionally use this type of armor on their ponies and light horses.

Half Padded: Half padded barding gives protection only to the front and front sides of the mount. It is used mainly in poorer or less civilized cultures. In more civilized cultures, parade decorations might be considered half padded. This protection weighs a mere 25 pounds.

This barding is the most common type of light barding. Leather barding has most of the characteristics of the leather armor worn by warriors. Among humans, leather barding is used primarily by irregular horsemen and occasional bands of nomads, whose mounts are usually smaller and able to carry less weight than the specially bred mounts of civilized lands. Leather barding weighs 60 pounds.

Halflings and elves tend to use leather on their light mounts. Halfling barding is usually decorated with colorful beads and bits of shells.

Although dwarves and gnomes generally don't use barding, they will occasionally make leather barding to protect pack mules and similar animals.

Humanoids, if they use barding on their mounts at all, often make use of this type.

Half Leather: This is leather barding that protects only the front half of the horse. It weighs 30 pounds.

Scale barding is an early form of medium protection barding, generally superceded by chain in more advanced regions. It is most common in Dark Ages, eastern, or frontier settings, where it will still be somewhat less common than chain barding in a western medieval setting. Refer to Chapter 1 for more information on the construction and appearance of scale armor. Full scale barding weighs 75 pounds.

Half Scale: Half scale barding includes a much lighter mesh of scale and covers only the head and front quarters of the horse. It is the heaviest armor commonly found on a light horse. Half scale weighs only 50 pounds.

Half scale is sometimes used by successful orc and goblin war bands. Other humanoid races may also be found using the barding in their cavalry units.

A late period composite armor made from small metal plates sandwiched between layers of leather, brigandine is the most advanced barding that a typical village armorer can make. It is not as encumbering as the more restrictive scale, weighing 70 pounds.

Half brigandine: This barding protects the front half of the horse and weighs 45 pounds.

The rogues of the road (including occasional adventurers) tend to use half brigandine because it is light, generally non-encumbering, and easy to care for.

This early form of barding is made of metal rings sewn onto a heavy cloth or leather backing. It is heavier than standard scale barding, and in most campaigns will be used only by those who can't get anything better. (In fact, whether a barding like ring barding actually existed is open to question; it may have been too heavy for the horses of the time.) Ring barding weighs 80 pounds.

Half Ring: This is ring barding for the front areas of the horse. It weighs 55 pounds.

This early barding is made of layers of soft leather, reinforced with many small metal studs intended to turn aside slashes. In all important respects, it is equal to ring barding and weighs 80 pounds.

Half Studded Leather: This barding covers the front of the horse. It weighs 50 pounds.

Humanoids tend to use studded leather barding. In some instances, the studs are long and filed to sharp points. The damage-causing ability of these short spikes is questionable, but they certainly add to the ferocious appearance of a mount.

This barding is the standard armor for medium war horses. It is put on in sections, with the main pieces being attached to the saddle or laid over the horse and buckled underneath. A heavy cloth or blanket is placed under the chain to prevent rubbing and abrasions from the barding, which would cause the horse to quickly become fatigued. Only in the cooler climes can a horse wear such armor for long (the horse cannot move all day with the armor on; it must have sufficient rest and free grazing). Chain barding weighs approximately 70 pounds.

Half Chain: This is chain barding covering the front areas of the horse. It weighs 45 pounds.

Elven chain barding: This type of barding exists, though it is extremely rare. It has a weight of 25 pounds. Such barding cannot be purchased and is generally unavailable to anyone other than elven nobility.

This is similar to chain barding, but is reinforced with horizontal strips of metal. Officers and riders wealthy enough to afford this type of barding are usually the only persons who use it. Only the large war horses can bear its weight. It remains a hybrid form, and the frequency of its appearence depends on the technological level of the campaign. Such armor weighs 85 pounds.

Half Banded: This is banded barding covering the front of the horse. It weighs 60 pounds.

Splint barding is similar to banded barding. The main difference is that the strips of metal are vertical instead of horizontal. The weight and protective value are the same at 85 pounds and AC 3.

Half Splint: This covers only the front half of the horse. Its weight is 60 pounds.

This type of barding corresponds to plate mail, and is the standard protection for a fully armored war horse. Only heavy war horses can bear the weight of this armor and still fight effectively.

This barding includes the chanfron that covers the head, the cuello that guards the neck and mane, the poitrel that covers the forward chest and quarters, the flanchards that protect the side quarters and flanks, and the crupper that defends the rear.

This barding is made of chain mail and small steel plates linked together and hinged with articulated joints. Over this metal and chain rests a thick padded or quilted cloth equipped with metal studs. The complete set weighs about 85 pounds. This is extremely fatiguing to the mount, and usually such armor is put on the horse only when battle is imminent.

Plate barding is used almost exclusively by human heavy cavalry. Elf lords may also have plate armor for their mounts.

Only in very rare instances will an orc, goblin, hobgoblin, or other humanoid have access to such armor. In such cases, usually only the commander or chieftain of the tribe owns such barding, and then only if allied to a ruler or wizard with the ability to construct such armor.

Half plate: This gives the horse plate barding protection to its front. It weighs 65 pounds.

Field plate barding is the heaviest barding normally used in battle. It is rare even in late period campaigns, and should be restricted to nobles, high officers, and unusual individuals. The construction of field plate barding requires a master armorer. The barding must be constructed and fitted to a particular horse. Field plate barding weighs 90 pounds.

Half Field Plate: This gives the equivalent of field plate protection to the front of the horse only. This configuration is never encountered, except perhaps as ceremonial armor. It weighs 70 pounds.

Full plate barding, like full plate armor, is the highest achievement of the best armorers. It is available only in late period campaigns and will be very rare at the best of times; only the most advanced and richest kingdoms can master the techniques of its construction. The services of a master armorer are required. Full plate barding weighs 90 pounds.

Half Full Plate: This gives the equivalent of full plate protection to the front of the horse only. Again, this barding, if encountered, is almost certain to be ceremonial armor. It weighs 70 pounds.

The bit is the general name for the two principle kinds of equestrian mouthpieces used to control a horse's movement. Each of the two bit types are described below.

Snaffle: This bit is composed of a steel rod or bar with two rings at either end. The reins are fastened to these rings. The snaffle is a gentler bit than the curb designs, and is usually used for riding horses as opposed to war or work horses. The snaffle bit tends to give less control over a spirited mount.

Curb: This bit has a plate that is inserted in the mouth of the beast. Short vertical bars are attached to either side of the plate. Each bar has a ring at the top and bottom of the bar. The reins are attached to the two bottom rings, while the two upper rings are connected by a stout strap or chain passing under the jaw of the horse. This allows great physical force to be brought upon the animal, allowing great control over the movement and speed of the horse. The curb bit is much more severe than the snaffle bit and is often used with war horses.

A simple bridle is nothing more than a heavy ring of rope or leather hitched around the mount's lower jaw and used to guide or lead the animal.

There are three basic parts of a bridle: the bit, the headstall, and the reins. The bit was discussed previously. The headstall is the set of straps and cords that secures the bit to the horse's jaw. The reins are the straps that run from the bit around the horse's neck that enable the rider to steer the animal.

Bridoon: This is complex bridle with a snaffle bit and wide reins. A bridoon is much more difficult to snare or cut than a normal bridle. It is also more expensive than the standard bridle (150% of bridle cost).

Cavesson: A type of bridle used to train and break horses. The cavesson looks much like other bridles except for two extra rings at the base of the bit, where lead ropes can be attached to be held by a trainer or tied to a pole. The horse can then be led easily and slowly broken and trained. The cost is comparable to that of a standard bridle.

In the wild, horses wear down their hooves as fast as they grow them. But domesticated horses, with the extra weight of rider and equipment, will wear away hooves much more quickly. Without protection, the horse would quickly become lame and useless.

Metal horseshoes are used to counteract the wear and tear on the mount's hooves. The horseshoe is nothing more than a steel bar hammered into a ``U'' shape, then nailed tightly into the hoof of the horse. The nails cause no discomfort to the animal. With horseshoes, the mount can travel farther and faster.

Throwing a horseshoe or getting a stone lodged between the shoe and the hoof are events that need extra attention if the horse is to be kept in good condition.

Magical Horseshoes: Any number of different types of magical horseshoes can be added to the game: those that allow unusual speed, the ability to move on water or through the air, those that act as magical weapons, and so forth.

Saddle use is assumed in the Land-based Riding proficiency unless a character is specifically from a culture proficient in riding bareback. Any other character who tries to ride without a saddle is subject to special riding checks at the discretion of the DM. (A general no-saddle penalty of -2 is suggested.)

In a typical campaign, available saddles will be based on types used in the mid-to-late medieval period.

By this time period, the saddle had evolved through many changes in design. The basic saddle includes the frame (called the tree), the front end (called the pommel), and the back end (called the cantle).

Elven saddles are made of wood and pliable, fibrous plants. Halfling saddles are soft and well cushioned. Gnomish saddles are painted and decorated with thin layers of silver, gold, or semi-precious gems.

Orcs and goblins use saddles that are quite small, with fairly distinct pommels and nearly invisible cantles.

War Saddle: The knight's war saddle takes on huge dimensions. They typically exhibit high pommels and cantles, and are often covered with steel or brass plates or are decorated profusely with silver and ivory inlays. These usually have rings and straps for attaching barding and heavy stirrups.

Saddlebags rest directly behind the rider, on the rump of the horse. They come in many different sizes and varieties. The most common type is made of leather and has two large packs, one on either side of the horse. Each pack or bag can hold about 3 square feet of material or about 25 pounds of weight (for the large saddlebags). Small saddlebags hold 2 square feet and 15 pounds. Saddlebags may also be made of heavy cloth. Variant saddlebag designs might have anywhere from one to four packs instead of the standard two.

This is a typically a warm woven blanket laid underneath the saddle, protecting the animal from abrasion and preventing the saddle from shifting. A rider who uses a saddle without a saddle blanket will quickly wear his horse down (and might find himself unceremoniously dumped when the saddle shifts).

Elven and halfling saddle blankets are wonderfully woven and often decorated with colorful tassles or jingling bells.

A spur is little more than a small metal attachment to the heel of a boot or shoe. The spur has one to six sharp projections that can be used to jab the horse in the sides, causing the animal to move at a quicker gait.

A stirrup is a leather strap ending in either a conical shielded foot rest or an iron ring. A stirrup is attached on each side of the saddle by a hook and several ties.

The stirrup has many uses. Its primary function is to expedite the mounting of the beast. The stirrup also helps the rider control the mount and stay on if struck by a forceful blow; stirrups are essential in a jousting match.

Stirrups steady the mounted warrior, allowing greater force to be put behind blows with less chance of falling off the mount. They allow mounted warriors with lances to charge effectively with a leveled lance, a feat nearly impossible without them.

Optional rule: Mounted fighters without stirrups who are struck in combat must make a save vs. paralyzation or fall from the horse.

A bridle cutter is a sharp, hooked instrument used in battle to cut the reins of an enemy and essentially strip him of his ability to control his mount. These tools look like short, bladed axes with several wicked, angled cuts. Bridle cutters are sometimes used by front line troops who face cavalry. Many bridle cutters find their way into kobold, orc, or goblin brigades and are used as melee weapons rather than to cut reins. A bridle cutter inflicts 1-4 points of damage to small- and medium-sized creatures and 1-3 points of damage to large creatures.

A horse not trained for war does not normally use its hooves to attack. Its hoof attack is treated as a secondary attack and adds only half the horse’s Strength bonus to damage. (These secondary attacks are noted with an asterisk in the Attack and Full Attack entries for the heavy horse and the light horse.)

Fiendish Horse, Heavy

The statistics presented here describe large breeds of working horses such as Clydesdales. These animals are usually ready for heavy work by age three. A heavy horse cannot fight while carrying a rider.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day a fiendish creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a good foe. -- In this case +3.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a heavy horse is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201–400 pounds; and a heavy load, 401–600 pounds. A heavy horse can drag 3,000 pounds.

Fiendish Horse, Light

The statistics presented here describe smaller breeds of working horses such as quarter horses and Arabians as well as wild horses. These animals are usually ready for useful work by age two. A light horse cannot fight while carrying a rider.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day a fiendish creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a good foe. -- In this case +3.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light horse is up to 150 pounds; a medium load, 151–300 pounds; and a heavy load, 301–450 pounds. A light horse can drag 2,250 pounds.

Fiendish Warhorse, Heavy

These animals are similar to heavy horses but are trained and bred for strength and aggression. A heavy warhorse can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day a fiendish creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a good foe. -- In this case +4.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a heavy warhorse is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds. A heavy warhorse can drag 4,500 pounds.

Fiendish Warhorse, Light

These animals or similar to light horses but are trained and bred for strength and aggression. They usually are not ready for warfare before age three. A light warhorse can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Smite Good (Su): Once per day a fiendish creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against a good foe. -- In this case +3.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231–460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461–690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.

Horse Breed	Movement - Walking	Movement - Trot	Movement - Canter	Movement - Gallop
Draft horse Heavy war horse Medium war horse Light war horse Pony Wild horse Riding horse Mule	6 6 9 12 6 12 12 6	12 15 18 24 12 24 24 12	18 24 21 27 27 36 36 48	18 24 36 48 36 48 18 24\

Quality	Movement Rate	Carrying Capacity	Cost
	Modifier	Modifier	Modifier
Nag	50%	25%	--
Broken-down	75%	50%	--
Average	--	--	--
High-spirited	133%	125%	x2
Charger	150%	133%	x4

	Large Animal
Hit Dice:	3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative:	+1
Speed:	50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class:	13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:	+2/+9
Attack:	Hoof –1 melee (1d6+1*)
Full Attack:	2 hooves –1 melee (1d6+1*)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	Smite Good
Special Qualities:	Low-light vision, scent, darkvision 60ft, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, spell resistance 8
Saves:	Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities:	Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills:	Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats:	Endurance, Run
Environment:	Any Evil-aligned plane
Organization:	Domesticated
Challenge Rating:	1
Alignment:	Always evil (any)
Advancement:	—
Level Adjustment:	+2

	Large Animal
Hit Dice:	3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative:	+1
Speed:	60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class:	13 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:	+2/+8
Attack:	Hoof –2 melee (1d4+1*)
Full Attack:	2 hooves –2 melee (1d4+1*)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	smite evil
Special Qualities:	Low-light vision, scent, darkvision 60ft, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, spell resistance 8
Saves:	Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities:	Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills:	Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats:	Endurance, Run
Environment:	Any Evil-aligned plane
Organization:	Domesticated or herd (6–30)
Challenge Rating:	1
Alignment:	Always evil (any)
Advancement:	—
Level Adjustment:	+2

	Large Animal
Hit Dice:	4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative:	+1
Speed:	50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class:	14 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+3/+11
Attack:	Hoof +6 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack:	2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	smite evil
Special Qualities:	Low-light vision, scent, damage resistance 5/magic, darkvision 60ft, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, spell resistance 9
Saves:	Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities:	Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills:	Listen +5, Spot +4
Feats:	Endurance, Run
Environment:	Any Evil-aligned plane
Organization:	Domesticated
Challenge Rating:	3
Alignment:	Always evil (any)
Advancement:	—
Level Adjustment:	+2

	Large Animal
Hit Dice:	3d8+9 (22 hp)
Initiative:	+1
Speed:	60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class:	14 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+2/+9
Attack:	Hoof +4 melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack:	2 hooves +4 melee (1d4+3) and bite –1 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	smite evil
Special Qualities:	Low-light vision, scent, darkvision 60ft, resistance to cold 5 and fire 5, spell resistance 8
Saves:	Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities:	Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills:	Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats:	Endurance, Run
Environment:	Any Evil-aligned plane
Organization:	Domesticated
Challenge Rating:	1
Alignment:	Always evil (any)
Advancement:	—
Level Adjustment:	+2

Draft Horse

Actions

Riding Horse

Actions

Nars

Raurin

Semphari

Steppe

Sosser

Draft Horse

War Horse

Pony

Wild Horse

Riding Horse

Mule

Steppe Pony

Random Horse Characteristics

Av

Andaluarian

Akhal-Tara

Balserran

Cyaddar

Dales Pony

Duquala

Ranger Horse

Fordskin

Fell Pony

Bahtel

Kiita

Vor

Wandega

Equipment for Mounts

Fiendish Horse, Heavy

Fiendish Horse, Light

Fiendish Warhorse, Heavy

Fiendish Warhorse, Light