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[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/LuckyLukeDaisyTown https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4038cc49c7ab541495e1f74830d2fbaa.jpg]]]][[caption-width-right:350:I can only beat him by sacrificing my knight. He finds it offensive.]]

->''"Those old war horses never shut up."''
-->-- '''[[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=323 Tom Siddell]]''', ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''

Whether [[TalkingAnimal chatty]] [[CoolHorse horses]], [[IntellectualAnimal philosophical]] [[DragonRider dragon mounts]], or [[IfMyCalculationsAreCorrect calculating]] [[CoolCar cars]], some characters have modes of transportation that talk back.

Useful because it justifies/averts AutomatonHorses, as well as providing sage advice, companionship, and enabling some really cool stunts.

Often HilarityEnsues if the rider accidentally 'forgets' this, treating their steed like a normal animal.

Subtrope of SapientPet. Compare ABoyAndHisX, LivingShip, SapientTank and SpaceShipGirl. Prone to HorsingAround if you piss them off. Likely to be a case where OnlyTheChosenMayRide. Often part of a SmartAnimalAverageHuman duo. See also: BondCreatures and MechanicalHorse.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* All the B'ts in ''Anime/BtX'': All the B'ts are [[MechanicalHorse mechanical, intelligent mounts]].
* Hermes the motorcycle from ''Literature/KinosJourney''.
* The Arbalest's AI from ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'' is milestones more advanced than the others because he's capable of learning. Sousuke is thoroughly frustrated with him because, unlike his previous mounts who merely helped operating the mecha, Al does talk back to him if he knows he's right. Once during ''The Second Raid'', '''the mecha chewed out his pilot''', saying that he's not going to operate for him properly until he treats him as a partner.
** And then in the ''TSR'' OVA, when Sousuke was glomped by his half-asleep and half-naked superior in the hangar ([[TheStoic scaring the beejesus out of him]]), Al was humorously commenting on the situation despite Sousuke's repeated orders to shut up; when she woke up and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ran away in fright]], he told Sousuke to go after her which he rebuffed with a loud "SHUT UP!"
* ''Franchise/{{Zoids}}'':
** In ''Anime/ZoidsChaoticCentury'', Organoids grant this to regular Zoids by bonding with them. Doing so replaces the Fighter Zoid's animalistic and easily controlled systems with the Organoid's more intelligent mind, as well as improving its stats across the board. Zeke, Van's Organoid, also acts as a mount for Van and Fiona pretty frequently.
** In ''Anime/ZoidsNewCentury'', this is a hallmark characteristic of Ultimate X Zoids. They're considered legendary due to their rarity, and their special cores are considered "black box" technology [[spoiler:due to, basically, being Organoid Zoid Cores inside of normal Zoid bodies]]. Liger Zero is the first to appear, and its exceptional nature goes unnoticed until after Bit becomes his pilot. Liger can think for himself and adjust strategies mid-fight, even disobeying orders and communicating to Bit through his cockpit computer screen. [[spoiler:Berserk Fury is the same, and like Liger only accepts Vega as his pilot due to an uncommon intuition and a rare love for Zoids.]]
** In ''Anime/ZoidsWild'', this is true for all Zoids. They will usually refuse to listen to a rider they don't trust, and their true power can only be unlocked by a powerful bond between rider and steed. The most effective Zoid riders are ones who work together with their Zoids to develop new attacks and strategies through collaboration. Zoids can even come up with new moves on their own. The Dark Metal Empire tends to rely on less intelligent common Zoids like Rapterrix for their {{Mooks}} due to being more easily controlled, and the Four Dark Warriors use fear to subjugate their Zoids instead. [[spoiler:Except Drake, whose Zoid Ruin allows himself to be controlled out of one-sided dedication to Drake until he [[HeelFaceTurn realizes what a jerk he's been and changes sides]].]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ComicBook/LuckyLuke's horse, Jolly Jumper, which is also really smart (sometimes he plays chess, and once he was fishing ''without Luke's help''). At one point, Luke even makes a comment implying that Jolly knows how to ''pick locks''.
* The iteration of Franchise/WonderWoman's invisible robot plane from her [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1987 post-Crisis series]] is a sentient thing made by {{sufficiently advanced alien}}s as the Amazon's technological advances were jettisoned outside of the purple ray. The craft even makes a HeroicSacrifice. Pre-Crisis issue ''ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman|1942}}'' #128 revealed it was originally a Pegasus transformed into a plane by Athena.
* Shining Knight, one of the ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiersOfVictory'', owns a white, winged, talking horse named Vanguard.
-->'''Vanguard:''' "Justin. I'm a horse. Who's ever heard of a mad horse?"
* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'': Comet the Super-Horse, introduced in "ComicBook/TheSuperSteedOfSteel", was an extremely intelligent flying white horse who had several powers like super-strength and telepathy which he used to help his owner Kara out.
* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': Panchito Pistoles' horse, Senor Martinez. He's non-anthropomorphic, but smart enough to be his own person.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fairy Tales]]
* Falada in "Literature/TheGooseGirl", in the original Grimm story and all adaptations, such as Creator/ShannonHale's [[Literature/BooksOfBayern novel by the same name]].
* The Tuvan epic poem "Boktu-Kirish Bora Seelei": Bora-Seelei borrows her brother's clever talking horse, who thinks up various schemes for Bora-Seelei [[spoiler: to win the favor of the magical Princess Angyr-Chechen, who has the ability to bring Boktu-Kirish back to life]].
* The eponymous horse in [[https://stories247.org/2020/01/fantasy/dapplegrim-the-great-horse-norwegian-folktales/ Dapplegrim]] is a massive dapple-gray horse, and speaks to his master throughout the story.
* "Literature/TheFireBirdTheHorseOfPowerAndThePrincessVasilissa": The titular horse of power not only can talk but also is smarter than its owner.
* "Literature/TheDeathOfKoscheiTheDeathless": The horse of Koschei is intelligent enough to talk, give good advice and ''brag''.
-->''But can we overtake them?'' Koschei asked.\\
''You could sow your wheat, wait for it to grow, you could harvest it and thresh it, grind it into flour, bake bread from it in five ovens, and eat the bread, and only then set out in pursuit. And even so we would overtake them,'' said the horse.
* "Literature/TheNinePeahensAndTheGoldenApples": Every time the prince attempts to rescue his wife, the dragon asks his horse if he should chase after them right now or after getting dinner and a good night's sleep.
* In the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index tale type ATU 314, "Goldener" or "The Youth Transformed to a Horse", the protagonist (a boy or a youth) is hired by an employer of mysterious origin. One day, while he is away, the hero opens a door and finds a talking horse that warns him that his employer wants to devour him. The boy and the horse escape to another kingdom, and the horse advises him to become a gardener in the king's court, and eventually helps the hero marry a princess. In some variants, the horse is actually the princess's brother, cursed into equine form:
** ''[[http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/211.htm The Magician's Horse]]'' (Lithuania).
** ''[[https://sacred-texts.com/neu/rft/rft05.htm The Hermit's Foundling with the Golden Hair]]'' (Romania).
* As an alternate form of tale type ATU 314, which exists in Iran, Middle East and North Africa, the protagonist is hounded by his stepmother, who tries to kill him. Whenever he comes back from school, his pet horse (or foal, or colt, or a mare) cries for the boy's fate and warns him against his stepmother's treachery.
* In the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index tale type ATU 530, "The Princess on The Glass Mountain" (which includes ''Literature/ThePrincessOnTheGlassHill'' and Russian tale ''Sivko-Burko''), the hero tames three wild horses of magical origin. In some variants, the horses speak: they recognize the hero as their master and give him some hairs of their manes, so they can be summoned.
* In the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index tale type ATU 531, "The Clever Horse" (which includes the aforementioned ''The Firebird, The Horse of Power, and the Princess Vasilissa'' and Russian literary tale ''The Humpbacked Horse''), the hero is helped by his faithful steed, which warns him against the perils on his journey and is ''vital'' to ensure the hero's happy ending with the princess.
* In Turkish fairy tale ''[[https://sacred-texts.com/asia/ftft/ftft20.htm Kamer-Taj, the Moon-Horse]]'', the padishah's daughter is helped by her magic talking horse Kamer-Taj, who rides with her to another land. Later in the story, the horse helps her once again by saving her and her children from execution and sacrificing itself to build them a house with its remains.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Literature/{{discworld}}'' fic ''Fanfic/ThePriceOfFlight'', the Pegasi of the Air Watch, especially the very first two who were born of magic, are described as having rather more intelligence than the average wingless horse, and are capable of communicating in more abstract ways with their mistresses. Olga's Raduga Desh, for instance, knows to bow[[note]]To non-horsey people, this is ''kneeling''[[/note]] to enable somebody getting on to the pillion who has never before been on a horse of any kind in her life.
* In the ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' fanfic ''Fanfic/TheSonOfTheEmperor'', ponies are intelligent, capable of speech and exist alongside humans. Some even hold positions in the military or are nobles.
* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': Kay'la's horse Lugnut is a fey spirit shapeshifted into a kelpie, meaning it can understand Common and generally shows more sapience than a regular horse.
* And in another fanfic, ''Wild Sweet and Cool'', 'tandem racing' is featured where one (normal-sized) pony rides another; teamwork is, of course, vital.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Donkey briefly in ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2''. Otherwise he isn't actually a steed.
* Cyril Proudbottom from ''Literature/TheWindInTheWillows'' segment of ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'' has Maximus, who goes from being the horse of the captain of the guard at the beginning to ''being'' the captain of the guard by the end. He's separated from his rider very early on but pursues Flynn throughout the whole film and even wields a sword with his mouth. He's about as badass as a horse can get. He doesn't talk, but has vocalizations provided by [[Creator/FrankWelker you-know-who]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'':
** Played with with Sven the reindeer, who doesn't talk, but instead is "voiced" through Kristoff in the manner a dog owner would imitate their pet talking. He does display considerable intelligence and even tries to directly force Kristoff to return to Arendelle.
** Hans' horse (named Sitron by virtue of AscendedFanon) also displays intelligence in his short time onscreen, "bowing" for Princess Anna and later waving at her (seeming [[InterspeciesRomance oddly interested]] in her as he does so).
* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'' had Achilles, who could sit on command, and would happily do so on pursuing guards.
* The characters in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}} 2'' don't realize that the Kikanalo beasts are this, until Nokama's [[MaskOfPower Mask of Translation]] activates and she starts having a conversation with them, after which they offer to carry her and her partners around. Although it turns out the Kikanalo could understand what they were saying anyway.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Mei in her giant red panda form gives rides on her back during Tyler's birthday party.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* At the end of ''Film/GodzillaTokyoSOS'', [[spoiler:[[TearJerker Kiryu (AKA Mechagodzilla 3) says "Goodbye, Yoshido" to the pilot inside of him before committing a heroic sacrifice by sending both himself and Godzilla deep into the bottom of the ocean]]]]. Yes, folks, this film has [[spoiler:The original 1954 Godzilla talking (Well, technically, it's a message that appears on one of the monitors inside his cyborg-body) to a human being]].
* Benny the Cab from ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' is a SentientVehicle example.
* Before there was ''Series/MrEd'' there was ''Film/FrancisTheTalkingMule''.
* ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'': the titular car is at least semisentient, rather impatient[[note]]At one point when it felt that the knob labeled PULL wasn't being pulled fast enough, it changed the label text to PULL IDIOT.[[/note]], quite brave[[note]]Near the end, it actually [[RammingAlwaysWorks rammed]] the BigBad's getaway car because he had kidnapped [[PapaWolf the children]][[/note]], and deeply loyal to its owners. Also, the driver swears that while he was restoring it, he would often find that it had been advancing its own repairs and even modifying itself while he slept.
* Cactus Jack's horse Whiskey in the western comedy ''Film/TheVillain'' doesn't talk, but he's far smarter than his nominal owner.
* Played for laughs in the film version of ''Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'':
-->'''Edmund:''' Whoa, horsie!\\
'''Horse:''' My ''name'' is Phillip!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* The Dragon-bird from ''Literature/BookOfBrownies'' is sapient, fully capable of communicating with the brownies, and visits them frequently during the weekends after the adventure is over offering his friends a ride.
* Dilvish's steed, a steel horse that's the embodiment of a demon, in Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/DilvishTheDamned''.
* Eshinarvash and other Wise Horses from the ''Literature/FirekeeperSaga'' series of books are sapient and intelligent, they only lack the ability to speak to humans other than Firekeeper (and, later, Derian). The people of Liglim can work around this somewhat, through use of rituals and divination they use to read omens of the future.
* ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium'':
** In ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', the hound Huan allows Lúthien to ride him. Although his nature is never quite clear, he is very much in animal form, obviously sentient and even speaks three times.
** ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': Shadowfax (Gandalf's horse) is at the high end of reasonable horse intelligence. He regards it as his business to see that his rider doesn't fall off, so no saddle is needed[[note]]Assuming he's willing to let you ride; if he's not, a saddle wouldn't help anyway[[/note]], and at least once he meets Gandalf as if he knew he would be needed. Old Bill, the pony the hobbits buy in Bree, also seems to be fairly bright for a horse.
** The Wargs often ridden by Orcs are an allied race with their own language and culture, not domesticated animals. Similarly the Giant Eagles that occasionally give the heroes rides.
* In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', some horses and most unicorns talk; this is most prominent in ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy''. The two main horses in that book have quite humorous personalities, especially with Bree trying to figure out what is acceptable for a talking horse, having grown up among dumb ones. Although it is slightly subverted when it's noted that in Narnia talking horses are only ridden in times of war and that suggesting they be ridden except in great emergencies is very rude.
* ''Literature/TheNeverEndingStory'' has Falcor. Artax also talks in the book.
* Late in Creator/RobertAHeinlein's novel ''Literature/TheNumberOfTheBeast'', Zebadiah Carter's spaceship "Gay Deceiver" becomes sentient and is able to talk intelligently.
** Dora (spaceship, ''Literature/TimeEnoughForLove'' and subsequent) certainly fits this trope if Gay does.
** Also in ''Time Enough for Love'', the talking mules - genetically engineered, with the most intelligent being capable of understanding human speech and producing simple words. (When one such mule dies, the protagonist and his wife bury it and put a tombstone on the grave.)
* ''A Spell for Chameleon'' and ''The Source of Magic'', the first two novels in Creator/PiersAnthony's ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' series. Bink rides Cherie Centaur, who is intelligent and can speak (like all centaurs). Unlike most versions of centaurs, those living in Xanth generally have no qualms about serving as steeds for their two-legged companions and can usually be expected to give rides to bipeds in any story featuring them (pretty much all of them). Mare Imbrium carries a few riders, as does NIMBY...
** Also, in the Incarnations of Immortality series, Death's Pale Horse "Mortis", who can also transform into a pale car (whose license plate is MORTIS), is sapient and sometimes tells stories about past riders.
* Creator/MercedesLackey likes this trope
** ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series: The Companions are Standard Issue. Those Heralds recruited late in life have occasionally expressed their annoyance, especially as said steeds are [[BondCreatures mentally bonded to their riders]]. They usually get over it pretty quickly; the advantages outweigh the drawbacks, and if you don't think so, you're not the sort to be [[OnlyTheChosenMayRide Chosen]] anyway. Strictly speaking, Companions aren't horses, and tend to get quite insulted when somebody refers to them as such. They're high-level Guardian Spirits who have taken on a four-legged form as a matter of convenience.
*** In the same series, the [[MagicalNativeAmerican Hawkbrothers]] are allies of ''[[IntellectualAnimal dyheli]]'', which they ride instead of horses. Sapient deer with PsychicPowers make better mounts in the Hawkbrothers' native forests, and allow themselves to be ridden as one of the assets they bring to their partnership with the humans.
** Her urban fantasies feature Elven Steeds, who can also turn into cars. Or motorcycles, or whatever they feel like, really. They are quite intelligent but don't actually talk. In ''Born to Run'' one of the Elven Steeds communicates telepathically with its rider to plan how to distract one of the villains.
** In ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'', any magical animal can talk, and some of those can be ridden. People who have acquired the ability to speak to animals can talk to regular horses too, but they seldom have anything interesting to say.
* In Christopher Stasheff's ''Literature/WarlockOfGramarye'' series, Rod Gallowglass's horse is actually a cybernetic body and a basketball-sized computer. His name is "Fess" and he's effectively epileptic, since there's a connection that overheats and blows when he encounters something he isn't programmed to deal with -- like magic. The reset button is in the pommel of the saddle.
* In P.C. Hodgell's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'' series, the almost immortal Whinno-hir breed of horses understand speech and frequently establish mental links with chosen Kencyr people. They do not speak, but can make themselves understood; they appear to be near human in intelligence. They appear to be able to take human form for brief periods. The carnivorous, armored unicorn-like rathorns, meanwhile, appear to be as intelligent as dolphins or chimpanzees; while they do not have anything like speech, they can still convey fairly complicated concepts over a mental link or with e.g. body language.
* The smallest dragons in the ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}'' series play this straight, while most of the others (including the title character) straddle this trope and LivingShip. Their intelligence varies between individuals and breeds, but in some cases they may actually be smarter than their captains — dragons seemingly have a natural affinity for mathematics, while the British aerial corps tends not to have much time for classical education.
* Coursers in ''Literature/TheWarGods'' series by Creator/DavidWeber. Even given citizenship, but they can't talk to any except their bonded riders or Magi.
** One of them bonded with a Champion (the series equivalent of Paladins) and as a consequence ended up becoming a Champion himself.
* Inverted in ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' with Hettar, a Horse Lord, capable of speaking to horses and understanding them in return. Since it's not tied to a specific mount, he can do it with any horse he happens to be riding.
** Garion also figures out how to do it, though the horse he tries it on is young, and not too bright, so it doesn't work too well.
** Hettar's ability is akin to telepathy. He tries it once with the steeds of the bad guys. It turns out they just ''look'' like horses. He's able to contact them, but really wishes he hadn't.
* Faran in ''Literature/TheElenium'' is a foul-tempered warhorse who only Sparhawk can ride. He's very intelligent, but also highly opinionated and quite fond of showing off. Aphrael once told Sparhawk the main reason Faran acted the way he did was because Faran knew that's what Sparhawk wanted in his steed.
* Cohen the Barbarian has a talking horse in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' short story "Troll Bridge". He hadn't known it was magical when he got it, and if he'd known it was going to complain all the time, he wouldn't have bothered. He's got rid of it by ''Literature/InterestingTimes''.
** Binky, Death's Horse might be up to this level, but it's never actually stated just ''how much'' more intelligent he is than normal. He doesn't talk, though.
** Camels, even if they can't talk, are still brilliant mathematicians and intelligent enough to pour disdain on their owners.
* In ''[[Literature/InheritanceCycle Eragon]]'', dragon-riders can talk to their dragons. Dragons can also talk to other people if they connect to that person's mind.
* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/TheDarkSideOfTheSun'', some of the {{Mechanical Horse}}s are Class 5 robots, making them human for all intents and purposes.
* Anna and her descendants in Creator/LeoFrankowski's ''Conrad Stargard'' series are guessed to be about as intelligent as a 6-8 year old. Within the books, it's indicated that they might even be smarter than that, but have been hiding their abilities since they're essentially genetically engineered slaves.
* The titular alien dragons of the ''Literature/DragonridersOfPern'' series are telepathic and intelligent. They can speak to other dragons, fire lizards (their genetic precursors), their own riders, and the very rare humans with greater telepathic potential who can communicate with ''all'' dragons. One difference in dragon and human mentality is that dragons don't have a very strong grasp of the past or the future and mostly live in the here and now.
* The [[OurCentaursAreDifferent Titanides]] of the ''Literature/GaeaTrilogy'' do not mind being ridden. Especially when the alternative is checking their speed on behalf of the [[PunyEarthlings slowpoke humans]].
* The Skybax in ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}'', although you have to either speak their language to communicate, or have a translator Protoceratops around.(with the exception of Windchaser, who did speak human.) And a ton of other dinosaurs in the series as well.
* Used a few times in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', when Cassie morphs horse. Once, she's in horse morph with Tobias in Hork-Bajir morph on her back.
* Is the case in ''Literature/TheGandalaraCycle'' by Randall Garrett. The protagonist's, (as well as other characters of the same creed), [[BondCreature bond creature]] is a '''giant''' fictional lion-tiger hybrid called a sha'um, (''which is bigger at the shoulder than a clydesdale horse!'') that has immense strength and speed. The sha'um, though extremely loyal, are also quite picky on who gets to ride them outside of their bonded, and ''will'' get insanely jealous if their selected bonded rides another without their permission. As a bonus though, they can lend their physical strength to their riders when separated in time of duress.
* The horse ridden by Xuanzang in ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest''. However, it is no ordinary horse but a dragon who is the son of a sea god doing penance for his earlier errors.
* This tradition begins in the ''Literature/TortallUniverse'' with Cloud, Daine's pony in ''Literature/TheImmortals''. The girl's wild magic means that the pony has become ''much'' more intelligent than a normal steed, able to strategize like a human and understand language. Over time, every horse (well, animal) around Daine also changes in this way. Eventually the palace's horses are basically seen as equal partners to most knights and soldiers. It's eventually revealed that Daine's not just a NORMAL wildmage with an affinity for animals--[[spoiler: she's the half-human daughter of the Gallan forest-god, Weiryn.]]
* Valadan in many of Creator/SusanDexter's books. Capable of communicating telepathically, immortal, and chooses his own rider. Incredibly fast, reasonably enough, as he's only half-horse -- the other half being ''wind''.
* Rhyshadim in ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' are stronger, faster, and bigger than regular horses, and a ''whole'' lot smarter. They pick one human, who is the only one that gets to ride them, and will not tolerate any other rider except under the most bizarre circumstances. [[spoiler:When Adolin's Rhyshadim is killed by Voidbringers in ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'', it is treated exactly like losing a very good human friend.]]
* Animals in ''[[Literature/TheWizardOfOz Oz]]'' are established as sentient and able to speak. This also applies to animals entering Oz and other fairy lands, for instance Jim the cab-horse in ''Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz''. The animated Sawhorse is also sentient and can speak; he has a debate with Jim as to which of them is superior. This does not apply to ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'', which was not written by Baum.
* The telepathic horse Maureen rides in the short story "[[Literature/MaureenBirnbaumBarbarianSwordsperson Maureen Birnbaum on the Art of War]]" (based on the ''Literature/{{Horseclans}}'' series). Because she can communicate with it, she names it Series/MisterEd.
* The Electric Monk's horse in ''Literature/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' doesn't talk, but does have some well-thought out and deeply cynical opinions on life in general and the Monk in particular. The novel states this is actually perfectly normal for horses: it's very hard to be sat on by another species every day and not come to some conclusions about them.
* ZigZagged in the ''Literature/RangersApprentice'' series. It's lightly implied at times that, although they can't talk, Ranger horses are intelligent with surprisingly expressive body language, and most shown Rangers have had a conversation with their steed at least once. It's sometimes stated that it's simply Ranger superstition, seeing "talking" where there are none on long journeys, only for a Ranger horse to do something that could be interpreted as a response to that claim. There's evidence for non-intelligence ''and'' sapience, and throughout all the books it's never explicitly confirmed one way or the other. It is worth noting, however, that Ranger horses are specifically bred for endurance and intelligence (they are trained to recognize unusual commands AND to buck any rider who doesn't know ''that particular horse's'' unique password. Moreover, you only have to give the horse the password once. It WILL remember.)
* A MechanicalHorse version in the classic 1951 sci-fi ''The Quest for Saint Aquin'' by Creator/AnthonyBoucher, specifically an artificially-intelligent 'robass', who spends a lot of time arguing with the priest it's conveying over the necessity of his quest.
-->If the prophet Balaam conversed with his ass, surely, I may converse with my robass.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* KITT from ''Series/KnightRider,'' who is arguably more TheHero than Michael at times.
* In the ''Series/Merlin1998'' miniseries, Merlin has a horse named Sir Rupert. He can talk. This is not explained in the show itself, but if you [[AllThereInTheManual read the novelization]] it'll tell you why.
* ''Series/MisterEd'' is a horse, of course.
* Yu Lung, a.k.a. "Horse", the horse who is really a dragon from ''Series/{{Monkey}}''.
* In ''Series/TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr'', Brisco seems to carry on intelligent conversations with Comet 'the wonder horse'.
* In ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'', Haku, one of the Genjuken warriors who serve Mele, is based on a horse.
* On ''Series/TheCosbyShow'', Cliff remembers a smart horse from the old Westerns he loved as a kid: "Coco the Wonder Horse, smartest horse in the world - used to roll his own cigarettes!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Manhwa]]
* ''Manhwa/{{Yongbi}}'': The titular BountyHunter rides a horse that's basically a medieval Korean version of Maximus from ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''. He's intelligent (he was able to determine the worth of a golden medallion offered by a boy they rescued just by licking it), stubborn, rather arrogant (during a stay in the emperor's stable he forces the servants to serve him hoof and foot and pushes around the other stable horses), defiant, VERY expressive, a pervert, has a sense of humor, and constantly bickers with his rider like an old married couple.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppetry]]
* In South African childrens' show ''Series/DieLieweHeksie'', Livinia the witch has Griet the magical taking horse as her sidekick.
* ''Series/SesameStreet'' has Marshall Grover's Fred the Wonder Horse and Forgetful Jones's Buster. In both cases the horses are significantly smarter than their riders.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
** The ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' setting has many dragon riders whose dragon mounts can talk.
** Inverted in one short scenario from ''Dungeon Adventures'' magazine, in which an evil spellcaster used a ''feeblemind'' spell to render a centaur druid mindless, then hitched him up to pull a wagon. The [=PCs=] must rescue this unlucky sentient being from the fate of an unspeaking beast of burden.
** Paladins' mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6 (not as smart as the average Humanoid (10) but smarter than any animal (1 or 2), and they get smarter as the Paladin gains levels. Given that Intelligence is about the only DumpStat that Paladins have, it is relatively common for a mid-to-high level Paladin's mount to be smarter than they are.
** There are quite a few creatures -- most commonly worgs or nightmares -- that are smart enough to be considered sapient or even learn to speak intelligibly but traditionally serve as mounts for other creatures.
** Subverted with Chaturani Knights from [[Magazine/{{Dragon}} Dragon Magazine]], despite being [[LivingStatue Living Chessmen]] that are carved to look like [[SeahorseSteed knights on seahorses]] they're actually one creature.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' took it a step further with Blood Lizards and Psi-Ponies, who were not only intelligent, but you could even use them as a Player Character.
* In ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'' it is entirely possible and not uncommon for supernatural horses (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) to be both as intelligent as their riders and possessing various magical powers (Aeolus, a sample character from 'Realms of Power: Magic' is a good example). Magi tend not to rider animals due to the effects of The Gift, but they make entertaining characters in their own right.
* Noble Horses, Centaurs, and others are viable character options in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}''
* Rhy-Horses in ''TabletopGame/BlueRose'' are an example of this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' has the King of Red Lions, a small sail boat, who talks. [[spoiler:But he is actually the King of Hyrule...]]
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', Midna treats Link like this whenever he is a wolf. In other words, ''you'' are her Sapient Steed.
*** True, but [[HeroicMime not really of the most talkative kind]].
*** While she doesn't have much to say, Epona is able to speak to Link while he is a wolf.
** The Oracle games feature some rather unusual mounts in Ricky, Moosh, and Dimitri, who are a kangaroo, a flying bear, and a dodongo, respectively. All of them can talk.
* In the background the Drakes, Hippogryphs and Wyverns players can fly in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' are all sentient beings. Drakes in particular are as intelligent as humans and can even speak. However ingame they act like all other mounts. However there are a few quests where the player flies on a Drake or Dragon that does speak.
* [[ADogNamedDog Yoshi]] of the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series. In his first appearance he can speak and seeks out Mario as an ally. His later appearances alternately depict the Yoshi race with a distinct language that the main Yoshi translates, or a shared common language. They've also been shown to have some culture, and build shelters as well as monuments.
** According to the first ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', the species is even said to have [[BrainyBaby a high I.Q. from a very early age]].
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** In the backstory, Morihaus, an [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Aedric demi-god]] who took the form a "[[OurMinotaursAreDifferent winged man-bull]]", appeared as an answered prayer of St. Alessia (as part of her BargainWithHeaven) to aid her armies in battle against the [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]]. It is said that Alessia rode and flew atop him.
** The Senche and Senche-raht sub-species of [[CatFolk Khajiit]] can be as tall as two men and weigh as much as four tons. They are built like apes and move as quadrupeds, and will allow their kinsmen to [[BeastOfBattle use them as steeds]] in times of war. This has led to Imperial soldiers who have faced them in battle giving them the nickname 'battlecats.'
* ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'': features an [[spoiler: AI-piloted helicopter.]]
* In ''VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere'' [[spoiler: you turn out to be one.]]
* [[OlympusMons Latios and Latias]] of ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fame are able to [[GlobalAirship give their trainers a lift]] and are {{Intellectual Animal}}s capable of communicating through {{telepathy}} ([[GameplayAndStorySegregation good luck knowing the latter from the actual gameplay though]]).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', the [[HorseBot Model H's]] can be chatty. One of them in particular recites ''Literature/ParadiseLost'' while transporting the girls to the barbershop.
* ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}'': Horses and camels are on the list of sapient animals, and will be a human's beast of burden whether they particularly want to or not.
* Ultra Car of the ''Webcomic/{{Walkyverse}}'' is kind of a {{Jerkass}} and has been known to leave his passengers in the Amazon.
* Arthur from ''Webcomic/FauxPas'' fills the role, as do some others from time to time.
* In ''Webcomic/UNAFrontiers'', there are Shiratz, an ancient alien probe built to look like a convincing horse, and the G.E.M.'s - a subspecies of genetically modified Morgan horses about as intelligent as dolphins or gorillas in general. Some of them have "high talent", i.e., psychic abilities to boot.
* Charismatic Seaweed, who is Eva's special [[CoolHorse Paladin Mount]] in ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure''.
* ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'': [[spoiler:[[BrainInAJar Nick the Osprey]]]] serves as the BlackHelicopter (well, Black V-22), heavily armed with [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F Bombs]], at least until the censorship software kicked in. (He now swears entirely in unusual euphemisms.)
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' also features Paladin Mounts, notably Windstriker (a {{white stallion}}), Argent (a [[CanisMajor large wolf]]) and Razor (a [[ThreateningShark great white shark]]). Windstriker, notably, is shown to outsmart Belkar Bitterleaf regularly, which makes the halfling develop quite the grudge against the horse.
* In ''Webcomic/YokokasQuest'', while Misha is normally just a small [[TalkingAnimal talking]] cat, she can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting shapeshift]] into a [[PantheraAwesome big saber-tooth cat]], allowing Azha to ride her.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebOriginal/BosunsJournal'': The mountpeople are quadrupedal, generally horselike posthumans and one of the first two sapient species to reemerge -- the other being their partners, the riderfolk. Riderfolk and mountpeople are of equal intelligence and communicate in the same verbal languages, and their partnership is entirely one of equals.
* ''Podcast/TheThrillingAdventureHour'': The SpaceWestern segment "Sparks Nevada: Marshal on Mars" features a horse named Mercury who gains the ability to talk and turns out to be surprisingly cognitive for a horse.
* ''Podcast/ThePenumbraPodcast'': Marc's horse appears to be this, as it can seemingly understand everything says.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Thirty/Thirty from ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' who is not just sapient, but bipedal when he wants to be.
* C.A.R. from ''WesternAnimation/TheReplacements'' (who might just be the most sensible member of the cast).
* [[TheEeyore Twinkle the Marvel Horse]] from ''WesternAnimation/DaveTheBarbarian''.
* Starlite from ''WesternAnimation/RainbowBrite''.
* Battle Cat from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' (but averted as Cringer, who doesn't act as Adam's steed).
--> "One more crack like that and you're ''walking''!"
** He doesn't talk [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002 in the remake]], but he still seems smart enough to fit the Trope there.
* Used, of course, in ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' on those rare occasions where a primary character gives a biped a ride. If the toys count, then the titular ponies of all the various animated series probably should, too.
** Such as ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'''s [[{{Unicorn}} Twilight Sparkle]] being ridden by Spike in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E19ADogAndPonyShow A Dog and Pony Show]]".
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E26TheBestNightEver The Best Night Ever]]" two stallions pull the ladies' carriage to the Grand Galloping Gala. Just like any other horse in this world, they have 100% human intelligence, and it's clear that Spike need not flick the reins.
** In the pilot, Twilight Sparkle rides a flying chariot pulled by a pair of pegasi. It seems to be Equestria's equivalent of a taxi.
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel Over a Barrel]]", when Braeburn is giving the girls a tour, he tells them that the town has "horse-drawn carriages", then we see a stallion pulling a carriage, stop, and tell the passenger that it's his turn to pull.
* ''WesternAnimation/PrincessGwenevereAndTheJewelRiders'' has Gwen and Fallon's respective unicorns, Sunstar and Moondance, as well as Grimm the Dragon for Lady Kale.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wildfire}}'', from the '80s cartoon of the same name, was a massive black talking horse whose life's mission was to protect Princess Sarah until she grew up sufficiently to get her magical kingdom back.
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'': She-Ra's horse Spirit, who can transform (with She-Ra's help) into her flying, talking unicorn Swift Wind. One episode revealed that the planet of Etheria was home to an entire ''island'' of talking winged unicorns.
** [[WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower The 2018 Remake]] sees Adora [[HowDoIShotWeb accidentally]] transform a random horse into a winged unicorn in an early episode. After a bit of a FreakOut over the new appendages (along with, presumably, the suddenly increased cognition) he periodically aids She-Ra in between learning humanoid speech and plotting equine liberation.
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': Most Autobots with vehicle modes can qualify if they take on passengers. (Some Decepticons could, too, but you're ''seriously'' better off just walking.)
* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'': Sylvia the Zbornak is Wander's steed, [[ActionGirl bodyguard]], and [[TrueCompanions best friend]] who's always there to back him up when he's helping people out (albeit sometimes with great reluctance).
* Fred from ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall'' is a talking horse who the protagonists initially took as an ordinary horse until he revealed he could talk at the end of his debut episode. He’s only briefly used as a horse by the protagonists though, since he leaves them shortly after his introduction to get a job.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* During the Spanish Conquest of America, natives often came to believe that horses were sapient creatures that collaborated with the Spaniards and were aggressive by themselves. Knowing this, UsefulNotes/HernanCortez once trolled some indigenous ambassadors by arranging for a horse to be annoyed and driven into the tent, scaring the crap out of the natives, who believed the monster was furious and coming to get them. Cortés then played his part by taking the horse away and claiming he had convinced him not to be angry at the messengers.
[[/folder]]
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