Talk:Horses

I am no confident in my memory of Ultima III, but couldn't you ride horses in this game? Which games let you ride horses?

I clearly remember you could ride horses in U5 and U6, and you could not in U7 onwards. I don't remember horses in U4, but it's been a while. U1 had several modes of transport I can't remember precisely, and I have no idea about 2 and 3. You could definitely ride in 5 and 6 though. :) Shadow of Light 03:42, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

Description
Horses are large fleet-footed mammals who are frequently employed as domesticated beasts of labor by humankind and as food sources by gargoyles. Native to a number of worlds, including Britannia, Serpent Isle and Earth, these generally docile creatures appear in Ultima I,  II,  III,  IV,  V,  VI,  VII and  VII Part Two.

Age of Darkness
Riding horses were commonplace in the earliest days of Sosaria, and were frequently hired by travelers seeking to quicken their journeys across the often perilous wilds of the realm. While horse husbandry appeared to fall into a slight decline during the era of Exodus, canny adventurers could still locate and subdue riding steeds should they travel to the distant lands of Ambrosia, where herds of wild horses still roamed the grasslands (although these swift Ambrosian mounts would frequently require either powerful magic or hard-to-locate items to tame).

Age of Enlightment
Eventually, however, with the end of the Age of Darkness, groomsmanship slowly reemerged as a profession, and horses were a common component of day to day Britannian life for much of its history - serving to plough fields, draw carriages and convey travelers for many centuries.

The Horse Plague
Sometime during the catastrophic years of the Imbalance and Great Cataclysm, a far reaching and deadly plague affected all the equine species of Britannia, killing all horses throughout the realm. By the time of the Avatar's last journey through the realm, such poor creatures could often be found hanging outside of the boundaries of towns and cities. While a woman known as Cleo was arrested and imprisoned for the creation of this contagion, its exact origin and vectors of travel were never made clear.

Horse Breeds
Several distinct breeds are identifiable, plough horses, mountain horses, steppes horses, and the prominent Valorian steeds.

Valorian Steeds
This distinctive horse hail from the Valorian Isles. Trained Valorians make the best warhorses, and are often sought by knights.

Valorians are notorious for having quirks: some chew wood, necessitating special stabling; other work themselves into a frenzy if left alone, often requiring a smaller animal such as a dog to act as a stall companion; many bite or kick anyone who passes unaware.

What do you think?