Was Asfaloth a magic horse?

[Sister Golden Hair]

It seems as though there were a few horses in the books that were a cut above the average horse. Asfaloth, Shadowfax and so on. Where did they come from? Did they have any special powers? What made them different? Were Elven horses magic?

[KingElessar8]

Hi there SGH! I told you I might drop in on you one day, just
to see what your other Forum is like! I dont know how often I'll post here, based on time constraints. I see a few familiar faces here - is the Arwen Evenstar here the same as the one back at Xenite?
As for magic horses: I am not an equine expert, but I dont
know if I would describe any of the horses of ME as "magic", although some of them have some strange abilities, such as Shadowfax hearing Gandalf call him before it actually happens. However, that might be Gandalfs doing and not the horse. And I dont recall anything magical at all about Asfaloth, except he was a very quick horse. There is the old debate about whether Felarof was a flying horse or not, but I always thought that debate was silly: flying horses are contrary to the way Tolkien constructed ME in my opinion. The "wings" comment was either poetic license or flat out mythology for the benefit of the Rohirrim.

[KingElessar8]

Hey, Im a friggin sapling! Im not used to being so lowly! How will my ego endure?

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by KingElessar8
Hey, Im a friggin sapling! Im not used to being so lowly! How will my ego endure?

Stick around long enough and you could be an Elven Warrior just like me. No, the Arwen here is not the same as our Arwen Evenstar, but yes, there are a lot of folks here that we are aquainted with.

[Grand Admiral Reese]

Elven horses were "magic" just like Elves are magic. They come from the Deathless Realm. That puts them a cut above everything in the Mortal Realm. Though the Elves themselves wouldn't call it magic.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Grand Admiral Reese
Elven horses were "magic" just like Elves are magic. They come from the Deathless Realm. That puts them a cut above everything in the Mortal Realm. Though the Elves themselves wouldn't call it magic.

So, Asfaloth came from Valinor? And Shadowfax?

[KingElessar8]

Shadowfax certainly didnt - he came from Rohan. And to the poster who said the horses of the elves came from Valinor - where is that stated? Im not saying it isnt said somewhere, but I dont recall it. Sort of a strange idea really, immortal magic horses...

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by KingElessar8
Shadowfax certainly didnt - he came from Rohan. And to the poster who said the horses of the elves came from Valinor - where is that stated? Im not saying it isnt said somewhere, but I dont recall it. Sort of a strange idea really, immortal magic horses...

It seems that most of the acceptional horses in ME came from Rohan, and that includes the steeds of the Nazgul. How would horses have got here from Valinor? I wonder though, if the Elves didn't have their own way of breeding them, and teaching them, to make them superior than others.

[Tar-Elenion]

Yes, horses 'got here from Valinor'. Feanor brought horses to Beleriand from Valinor. After Maedhros was rescued he gave some of these to Fingolfin. These horses provided the basis for the Noldorin cavalry in the War of the Jewels. It is entirely possible that Asfaloth was from this line, and it is possible that the Mearas of the Rohirrim came from this line as well.

[Kirinki54]

'True indeed!' said Gandalf. `And there is one among them that
might have been foaled in the morning of the world. The horses of the Nine cannot vie with him; tireless, swift as the flowing wind. Shadowfax they called him. By day his coat glistens like silver; and by night it is like a shade, and he passes unseen. Light is his footfall! (FotR)

Do Gandalf refer to the morning of Middle-earth? Shadowfax could also have been a decendant also from Feanor´s Valinor horses.
Well?

[Wayfarer]

The horses of the Rohirrim may have been descended from horses in valinor. In any case, the rohirrim's exceptional skill in care an dbreeding most likely had something to do with it.

The Mereas were descendants of orome's horse. At least that's the legend.

[Kirinki54]

Originally posted by Wayfarer
The Mereas were descendants of orome's horse. At least that's the legend.

That is interesting. Do you remember a source?

[Oliver Thornton]

I think the horses were of good descent like thoroughbreds. They are bred to get good horses. It is the same with the horses of the Middle Earth.

[The Telcontarion]

I thought the horses were bread from Oromes stead in the days when you himself ride and stay in ME for some time, that's why they have supernatural abilities. I had never had the impression that Feanors horses had any special abilities above and beyond what ordinary horses had. Save that they being from the blessed realm probably had more durability and stamina and in general had better health.

[Jon S.]

Originally Posted by KingElessar8

Hey, Im a friggin sapling! Im not used to being so lowly! How will my ego endure?

Not to worry - even the mightiest oak tree was also once just a little nut ...

[Noble Elf Lord]

Originally Posted by Grand Admiral Reese

Elven horses were "magic" just like Elves are magic. They come from the Deathless Realm. That puts them a cut above everything in the Mortal Realm. Though the Elves themselves wouldn't call it magic.

Agreed. All what Men called "Magic" was just forgotten/unknown skill. So no magic horses. Let´s rather think that the horses of Men are lesser than those of the Elves and the Ainur. Men comparing their steeds and Elves´ is (almost) the same as we comparing our ostriches and the ancient hunting machine-Deinonychuses. (Dinosaurs; just in case someone hasn´t heard of them.)