A Stallion is a non-castrated horse of any breed or purpose. The presence of testosterone may make stallions more physically impressive than otherwise comparable mares or geldings, but it also makes their behavior more aggressive.
Culture
The arms of House Bracken are a red stallion upon a golden escutcheon on brown.[1][2]
The stallion who mounts the world is a Dothraki prophecy about an individual who will rise to become the most powerful khal ever seen. [3][4][5]
The Stallion is a constellation.[6]
History
As a bastard of House Bracken, Aegor Rivers' took for his personal sigil the red stallion of House Bracken with black dragon wings from House Blackfyre, on a golden field.[7]
Thunder was a big brown stallion owned by Ser Arlan of Pennytree that was only ridden in tourney or battle, including the tourney at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC and the wedding tourney at Whitewalls in 212 AC.[8][6] On the latter occasion, Galtry the Green rode a white stallion with a green plume on his crinet.[9]
Abelar Hightower's grey stallion had silver-and-smoke trappings matching Abelar's attire.[8]
Barbrey Dustin gave her husband, Willam Dustin, a fine red stallion, the pride of her father's herds. Willam vowed he would return to her mounted on the steed. The red stallion, however, was returned to a widowed Barbrey by Lord Eddard Stark when he returned to the north, telling her that Willam had died an honorable death.[10]
Lord Sawane Botley bought a stallion at Lannisport in 298 AC.[11]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Khal Drogo rides his stallion to greet Daenerys Targaryen outside Pentos.[12]
Ser Gregor Clegane rides huge stallions,[13][14] one of which is as ill-tempered as its rider.[15] He reaches the semi-finals of the Hand's tourney, where he faces Ser Loras Tyrell, who rides a mare in heat to the joust, which unnerves Gregor's stallion, so Gregor falls into a rage and kills his stallion with a single blow of his sword.[13]
While dreaming of his companions at the tower of joy, Lord Eddard Stark remembers Lord Willam Dustin riding a great red stallion.[16]
At Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys is presented to the dosh khaleen, and she takes part in a ceremony for her unborn child in which she eats a raw stallion heart. The dosh khaleen predict that Daenerys will have a son, who will be "the stallion who mounts the world", a long-prophesied leader destined to unite the Dothraki into a single khalasar and conquer the world.[3] After Ser Jorah Mormont and Jhogo defend Daenerys against a poisoner in the Western Market, Drogo gives them free choice on claiming any horse from his herds, excluding his red stallion and Dany's silver mare, so Jhogo chooses a tall grey stallion.[17]
During the battle of the Whispering Wood, Robb Stark rides a grey stallion.[18] During the battle of the Green Fork, Ser Gregor's stallion is killed by Karstark spearmen, while Lord Tywin Lannister rides a stallion,[14] who has its own gilded armor.[19]
After Drogo becomes ill, he falls off his great red stallion, so Daenerys asks Mirri Maz Duur to heal Drogo using blood magic. As part of the ritual, Drogo is placed in a bath, and his stallion's throat is cut by a red bronze knife so that its blood can mix with the water in the tub.[20] Later, in a fever dream, Daenerys sees her brother Rhaegar Targaryen mounted on a stallion as black as his armor.[21] Daenerys decides to execute Mirri on Drogo's funeral pyre, which is constructed around the body of a stallion that Aggo kills with his axe.[22]
A Clash of Kings
During the tourney on King Joffrey's name day at the Red Keep, Hobber Redwyne rides a black stallion caparisoned in burgundy and blue,[23] while Ser Dontos Hollard loses his chestnut stallion, which has crimson and scarlet silks.[23]
During the Melee at Bitterbridge, Ser Loras Tyrell rides a tall white stallion.[24]
During the battle of the Blackwater, Lord Tyrion Lannister's big red stallion wears crimson silk draped over his hindquarters, while Ser Mandon Moore rides a coal-black stallion barded in white.[25]
At the House of the Undying, Daenerys has a vision of a tall lord with copper-skin and silver-gold hair beneath a banner of a fiery stallion, with a burning city in the background (this may be a glimpse at what Rhaego's future would have been).[26]
A Storm of Swords
Prince Oberyn Martell is riding a black stallion with a mane and tail the colour of fire when he arrives in King's Landing.[27]
After deserting the Battle of the Blackwater, Sandor Clegane escapes King's Landing mounted on his heavy black stallion, a courser named Stranger, but is eventually captured by the brotherhood without banners, which confiscates Sandor's horse.[28][29]
A Feast for Crows
Osney Kettleblack is given a black stallion by his brother, Osfryd, which he names Midnight,[30] while Osfryd rides a golden stallion when Cersei Lannister visits the High Sparrow at the Great Sept of Baelor.[31]
Sandor's black stallion is now in a whitewashed stable on the Quiet Isle.[32]
A Dance with Dragons
The Tattered Prince rides a huge grey warhorse, whose spotted hindquarters are covered with the same multi-colored torn rags as his master's cloak.[33]
Tristifer Botley rides a tall roan stallion.[34]
Ramsay Bolton has "Reek" see to Blood, a red stallion with a temper to match his master’s.[35]
Barbrey Dustin still resents that Eddard brought Willam's red stallion back from Dorne but not his bones.[10]
Quotes
Strength of the mount, go into the rider. Strength of the beast, go into the man.[20]
—singing of Mirri Maz Duur
He always said he'd die in a stable, but we all thought some bad-tempered stallion would be his death, not a pack of lions.[36]
Daenerys: I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, khaleesi to Drogo's riders, and queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Prendahl: What you are is a horselord's whore. When we break you, I will breed you to my stallion.[37]—Daenerys Targaryen and Prendahl
See also
References
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Riverlands
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 54, Daenerys VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 71, Daenerys X.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: The Great Bastards (December 26, 2005).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Hedge Knight.
- ↑ The Mystery Knight.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 41, The Turncloak.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 24, Theon II.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 11, Daenerys II.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62, Tyrion VIII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 38, Arya VIII.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 39, Eddard X.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 61, Daenerys VII.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 65, Sansa VIII.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 64, Daenerys VIII.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 68, Daenerys IX.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 72, Daenerys X.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 2, Sansa I.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 59, Tyrion XIII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 48, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 34, Arya VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 31, Brienne VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 25, The Windblown.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 26, The Wayward Bride.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 17, Arya III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.