Horses and ponies appeared frequently in Middle-earth legendarium, and just like in any fantasy world or real world, characters could not achieve their goals without their presence. However, despite the fact that they were among the most important native animals of Middle-earth, horses here were mostly mentioned as means for the characters to reach their destinations. Even with the frequent mentions of notable horses and their deeds inform us that Tolkien had great appreciation toward these creatures beyond seeing them as beasts to ride.
Tolkien bestowed names to many notable horses in Middle-earth legendarium, but the mentions of their exploits were often just about being loyal to their riders, carrying riders into dangerous situations, or dying in the battles. The Rohirrim, who were singled out for their exceptional arts of horse breeding and riding, even had a king whose major exploit during his youth was “demanding” a horse to “give up its freedom” after the said horse threw his father off its back and killed him. Eorl, the king, even called the horse Mansbane, before changing it into Felaróf after taming him. However, this was not always the case.
Some horses are described as having imposing physical characteristics and majestic deeds. The earliest mention of a horse in the legendarium history was Nahar, the legendary horse of Oromë, the Huntsman of the Valar. In fact, while Oromë was the first who encountered the first Elves right after their awakening, Nahar was the one who actually realized their presence, neighing and standing still, before Oromë followed suit. Also, after the destruction of The Two Trees that plunged the entire Valinor into darkness, the sparks struck from his hooves were the first light that returned to the land.
Asfaloth, Glorfindel’s horse, carried Frodo to safety after a Nazgul had wounded him, easily beating their horses in the process. Mearas, a race of exceptional horses, had a chief called Shadowfax, the descendant of Nahar. The horse was described as possessing great strength and intelligence, and said to be able to outpace the wind and an arrow in flight. Shadowfax received quite many praises in Tolkien’s depictions of him, including how he became the only horse that could face the Lord of Nazgul during the Siege of Gondor, instead of fleeing.
Ponies might not have as many glowing depictions as horses, but they were depicted as notable companions nonetheless. They were mostly used to carry provisions, and the Hobbits were notably fond of them. Merry had several ponies that he loved dearly, which were given charming names by Tom Bombadil in Hobbit-like nature: Sharp-ears, Bumpkin, Wise-nose, Swish-tail, and White-socks. The horses befriended Fatty Lumpkin, Tom’s pony. So great was their friendship that, when a spy deliberately released Merry’s ponies to hinder the Hobbits’ journey, they actually ran to find Fatty Lumpkin, and there was much joy when the Hobbits returned from their journey and found all their former ponies at the Prancing Pony.
While Tolkien did not specifically mention horses and ponies in World War One, their presence would have been unmistakable to him as an officer involved in the Battle of Somme. Mentioning horses who died alongside their riders in the battlefield or emphasizing the use of ponies as beasts of burden, with special bonds formed between them and their riders or owners, was based on facts, after all.
Horses, donkeys, and mules were significant powers in World War One, but they also suffered great casualties alongside soldiers. The estimated total numbers of horses, donkeys, and mules that died in World War One were around eight million. According to the National Archives of Great Wharton, Britain alone lost 484,000 horses over the course of war, or one per every two men. The massive scale of the war required constant demands of horses of various types, from strong horses for cavalry mounts to draught horses and ponies for hauling heavy artillery guns, drawing supply wagons, and carrying ammunition or communication device.
At the beginning of war, there were little sentiments in sending animals to battlefields, especially horses. In Britain, horses were first gathered from farmers and civilians, but soon, there were dire needs for imports. The British Army Remount Service even provided their stallions to farmers so they could breed their broodmares and created new supplies of horses. However, long time spent at dangerous places could create strong bonds between the soldiers and their horses, especially the ones who mounted them or had roles as their handlers. There were times when soldiers had to perform mercy kills to their horses, like when they were injured gravely or sunk deeply into the mud, which was another level of emotional burden.
Horses might be treated as instruments of war, but there is not denying the bond that happened between soldiers and the horses. Soldiers developed affection toward the horses beyond the practical care aspects, and many of them genuinely felt distraught when the horses died or were killed. Voice records in the archive of the Imperial War Museum show strong bond soldiers had with the animals they served with. British NCO Henry Reimann’s comrade, addressed as “Potter”, even put his horse’s life before his when they received gas attack:
We’d left headquarters and were on our horses going back to the transport lines when suddenly Potter said, ‘Gas!’ And it was gas and the two of us were gassed. But Potter, paying attention first of all to his horse, got far more a bigger dose than I did. We had gas masks to put on horses if we were in gas; he put his on first thereby getting more gas than he otherwise would have done. But he saved his horse; Potter’s first thought was for his horse, not for himself.
As in many wars throughout world’s history, heroic tales related to certain figures emerged, including among horses. The most famous horse from World War One was probably Warrior, the mount of General Jack Seely, whose exploits earned him the moniker “the horse the Germans could not kill”. Warrior was dug out of the mud of Passchendaele, was twice trapped under the burning beams of his stables, surviving gunfire, and becoming an inspiration to the soldiers he was fighting alongside. Dickin Medal, which was created in 1943 to honor animals that served in World War Two (bearing the words For Gallantry and We Also Serve), was posthumously given to Warrior in 2014; so legendary his exploits and legends during his lifetime.
Alas, horses in the battlefield did not always receive the care they deserved, even after surviving harrowing conditions. The surviving horses not only suffered injuries and diseases, but also shell shock. In just one year, 120,000 horses were treated for wounds or disease by British veterinary hospitals. In Animals, Use Of, Elizabeth D. Schafer noted that many horses were killed due to illness or age after the war, and even sold to the slaughterhouses, which upset the soldiers who had formed a strong bond with them.
As animals strongly associated with war, the legacy of horses was honored in various forms. A lot of them note two qualities: loyalty and bravery. However, some memorials did not forget the facts that these horses were basically drawn unwillingly into services to fulfill the needs of the army, and many died painfully.
The War Horse Memorial at St. Jude on the Hill church, for example, has these words in the inscription, which acknowledged the horses’ suffering alongside their service and loyalty:
Most obediently, and often
Most painfully, they died
Faithful unto death
Not one of them is
Forgotten before God
The Animals in War Memorial in Hyde Park, London, even addressed this directly while praising horses and other animals that served in the war. The main inscription below the memorial’s name has these words:
This monument is dedicated to all the animals
That served and died alongside British and allied forces
In wars and campaigns throughout time
And bitingly, on the right side of these words, as if to make an emphasis:
They had no choice.
That part of the inscription acknowledged the fact about how horses and all the other animals were only involved in the war because of humans. However, the horror that befell them were also shared by those who spent much time with them, interacting with them, or having the responsibilities to take care of them. The bond that resulted between humans and horses were something that was heavily noted, especially during Great Wars.
Among all the horses and ponies depicted in Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium, one that was given focus not only in its relation with its riders or owners, but also in itself, was Bill the Pony.
Unlike other horses and ponies, depiction of Bill was actually his own personal journey. Tolkien specifically mentioned him as a mistreated pony. He had been abused by his owner, Bill Ferny, to the point of starving, bony, and dispirited. Even the mention of him looked like a passing scene that would not matter much later, because he was the only horse left in the Prancing Pony after someone deliberately released Merry’s much healthier ponies, and Bill Ferny deliberately raised the price. However, this soon became the start of Bill’s personal journey, which gained its own importance beyond his function as a beast that carried provisions in the Fellowship’s journey.
Bill started as a horse that was close to dying, without hope, until Frodo made a decision to buy him regardless of the gauged price. However, it was to Samwise Gamgee that Bill became close to, since Sam dearly loved him and nursed him back to health with patience. Note that Tolkien described how Bill began to show affection to his masters (not just one person), but it was to Sam he showed the highest affection and loyalty. As if Sam’s loyalty to Frodo was reflected in him. Bill did everything in his capacity to get Frodo and his friends to safety. This led Bill to achieve something that he had probably never expected when he was still tied and abused: he arrived in Rivendell, a beautiful sanctuary with a kind Elven lord, where he received the most loving care he’d ever experienced.
Staying for two months in Rivendell and being cared for among his friends and the Elves brought great impact to Bill. Tolkien described him as “glossy, and seemed to have the vigour of youth.” He no longer looked like the abused, bony, dispirited animal we first encountered. Tolkien even used Sam’s tongue to describe Bill’s special improvement in the haven of the Elves, which also alluded to his loyalty and special bond he shared with Sam:
“That animal can nearly talk, and would talk, if he stayed here much longer. He gave me a look as plain as Mr. Pippin could speak it: ‘If you don’t let me go with you, Sam, I’ll follow on my own.'”
Interestingly, the story did not make Bill as this formidable beast who went above and beyond his power and limit. When the Fellowship arrived at the West-gate of Moria, they understood that Bill could no longer continue. Gandalf released him with beautiful words,
“You are a wise beast, and have learned much in Rivendell. Make your ways to places where you can find grass, and so come in time to Elrond’s house, or wherever you wish to go.”
It seems that it was the end of the journey for Bill, but that was because we followed the Fellowship and other characters in the story. We did not follow Bill’s personal journey, but Tolkien alluded it in different parts of the book. Bill found his way to Bree, being looked after by better masters. He later reunited with Frodo and Sam after their adventures, feeling “well content” to be with Sam again. Tolkien even gave Bill his own personal revenge against his former abusive master. Bill Ferny, the backstabbing Man of Bree, had joined the defeated Saruman (Sharkey) in lording over the Shire after his defeat. After the Hobbits defeated Sharkey’s thuggish forces, Bill the Pony gave Bill Ferny a good kick as he ran away.
In the end, Bill became the ride of Sam to and from the Grey Havens, to say farewell to Frodo and Gandalf. Thus concludes the story of a once-abused pony who later became a loving, strong, and loyal animal companion in one of the biggest tales of Middle-earth.
Interestingly, Bill the Pony’s journey was very much reflected in a work that was written long after The Lord of the Rings was released. War Horse, a novel by Michael Morpurgo that was published in 1982, tells the story of Joey, a young horse bought by Ted, a drunkard who later became abusive toward him whenever he was drunk. However, Ted’s son Albert loved Joey dearly and formed a bond with him growing up. Ted sold Joey to the army, and Albert did everything he could to bring him back. Joey’s adventures and eventual return to Albert became the focus of the story, showing the grisly images of war and how horses bonded with soldiers but also suffered the deadly consequences.
In fact, aside from actual stories shared by veterans, one of Morpurgo’s inspiration was a painting by F. W. Reed showing a British cavalry charge on German lines, with a haunting scene of horses entangled in barbed wire. In a Birmingham farm, Morpurgo also met a child named Billy, whose teacher had described as a kid with speaking difficulty and got afraid easily when someone talked to him. However, as soon as Billy met with a friendly horse named Hebe, Morpurgo witnessed how fear simply left Billy, and he began speaking nonstop to Hebe. War Horse became Morpurgo’s way to describe the horrors of war through the eyes of horses dragged into the battlefield, and the intimacy they formed with people close to them. If you think the story of Joey strongly mirrored Bill the Pony, that was probably because their stories were far too common in reality.
Middle-earth legendarium is full of characters embarked in incredible and harrowing journeys, and horses became a big part of their world. Some notable horses were remarked in history, just like how horses like Warrior from World War One achieved a near-legendary status in real world. However, it was amazing seeing the seemingly-unremarkable Bill the Pony became a horse with meaningful journey that was personal to him as much as the other characters.
In a way, the journey of Bill became a mirror of so many named and unnamed horses that embarked on their own personal journeys, whether in Middle-earth legendarium or our world, even through the horrors of war. The escape of Bill from an abusive master, to his adventure and bond he formed with loving masters, and the way he was respected despite not accompanying the Fellowship when they reached Moria, was a cathartic tale of its own, not eclipsed by seemingly grander conclusions of the other characters in the story.
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References
Ellis-Petersen, Hannah. 2014. First World War Horse Awarded Victoria Cross for Animals. The Guardian, 2 September. Retrieved: 19 March 2023.
Schafer, Elizabeth D. (1996). “Animals, Use of”. In Tucker, Spencer (ed.). The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Tolkien, J. R. R. 2002. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Sembilan Pembawa Cincin). Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka
Tolkien. J. R. R. 2003. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Kembalinya Sang Raja). Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka
Tolkien, J. R. R. 1999. The Silmarillion (ed. Christopher Tolkien). London: HarperCollins
Horse Census. The National Archives of Great Wharton. Retrieved: 20 March 2023
Horses and Mules. The United States World War One Centennial Commission. Retrieved: 18 March 2023
Horse Power in the First World War. National Army Museum. Retrieved: 17 March 2023
Voices of the World War: Animals in War. Imperial War Museum. Retrieved: 19 March 2023
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