Tolkien himself was a great lover of all things rural and natural. He loved to wander in the woodlands of England, and always longed for the days of his childhood before he moved to the industrialized city of Birmingham.
Along with his love of nature came a love of its creatures, and he had a particular fondness for horses that is mirrored in many of his famous writings. In every journey, the heroes are accompanied by a host of remarkable stallions and mares who make the hardships they go through possible and more bearable.
Bill the Pony
Bill the pony is the most underrepresented horse in the Lord of the Rings film adaptations by Peter Jackson. There are many mighty horses that are seen throughout the films, including the whole host that storms into battle with the men of Rohan at Pelennor fields, but one famous horse from the books who was definitely not represented fairly in the films is Bill.
Arguably the 10th member of the fellowship, Bill helps the companions all the way from the Prancing Pony to the Mines of Moria, traversing many dangerous lands, and carrying them through many perils. Bill is a dear friend of Samwise the brave, who later moves into Bag End when Frodo goes to the Undying Lands, and finally gives Bill the safe and peaceful life he deserves.
Myrtle
Not every Tolkien fan knows this, but Myrtle is the loyal steed of Bilbo Baggins, and journeys with him and the 13 dwarves on the quest to reclaim Erebor. Despite Thorin not wanting Bilbo to go on the quest in the first place, Bilbo proves his worth over and over again, with the help of his quick and loyal horse at his side. She is one of the horses taken by the trolls who try to eat the band of travelers, and is later rescued when the trolls turn to stone in the sunlight.
Snowmane
Snowmane is the brave and courageous steed of the King of Rohan. During the battle of Pelennor fields, Snowmane rallies the other horses, leading them swiftly and gloriously on safe paths through the battlefield. However, both the horse and Theoden meet a tragic end, when Snowmane is pierced by a poison arrow shot by the Witch King.
The poor steed falls on top of his master, crushing him and breaking his bones, and then to make matters worse a Fell Beast swoops in and digs its claws into the horses body. Eowyn defeats both the beast and the Witch King, and once the battle is over and the war is won, the Riders of Rohan return to bury their king. They also dig a grave for Snowmane, the most honored horse of their army, and write upon it the words ‘Faithful servant yet master’s bane, Lightfoot’s foal, swift Snowmane.’
Hasufel
In the books, Aragorn's noble horse is named Hasufel. He is the horse that bore Theodred, the king of Rohan’s son, into the battle from which he did not return. The horse is presented to Aragorn by Eomer in the plains of the realm as he journeys with Legolas and Gimli to reclaim the hobbits from the orcs that are taking them to the corrupted Isengard. Hasufel goes with Aragorn into many battles, and bears him through many dangers.
However, in the film adaptations, he dies at the attack of Wargs on the way to Helm’s Deep, and is replaced by Brego, who finds Aragorn at the river Anduin and returns him to safety. Kenny, the chestnut horse who played Brego in the films, was famously so bonded to Viggo Mortensen who plays Aaragorn, that the actor bought him after the close of filming, and took him back to live out the rest of his days on Mortensen’s farm. The actor also bought Florian, the white Stallion who plays Asfolath, Arwen’s horse in the Fellowship of the Ring, and gifted him to her stunt double.
Shadowfax
But of course the most famous of the horses in the trilogy is Shadowfax, the mearas of a long ago world, who bears Gandalf the Grey. The two are kindred spirits, existing from a time long before the ages of the world, and Shadowfax will not be ridden with a saddle, and will bear no other master than Gandalf himself.
Said to run faster than the wind, Shadowfax is a legendary horse who can never be tamed, and only comes to the call of Gandalf because he holds the wizard in such high esteem. According to their history, Theoden was much aggrieved when Gandalf borrowed the beautiful horse from the stables of Rohan, but soon came to know that they were meant for one another, and that no other pairing would have made such a formidable force against the enemy.
