History Main / HellishHorse

* The horses in the anime short ''[[Creator/FranzKafka A Country Doctor]]'' look pretty damn [[UncannyValley creepy]].

* Entei from ''Manga/InuYasha'', an horse yōkai that obeys only the most powerful of yōkai.

* Albedo from ''LightNovel/{{Overlord}}'' finds out that she has actually has one of these she can summon, a Bicorn in fact. It's played for laughs when its revealed the thing won't let its succubus ride it because it's the EvilKnockoff of a unicorn and she doesn't meet the [[VirginPower qualifications]]. Both Shalltear and Aura can't help but laugh.

* In a ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' episode, Mr. Burns tries to bribe Lisa with three beautiful ponies. When Lisa regretfully refuses, they reveal their true nature...

* On ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', after lying about his level of horsemanship expertise to impress Patti, Doug gets [[{{Pun}} saddled]] with a black horse named [[FluffyTheTerrible Sugar]]. Sugar is stubborn and unfriendly, but calms down when Patti takes the reins.
* In [[WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil Star vs. the Forces of Evil]], [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Tom]] has a skeleton horse. Apparently, he didn’t know he was dead, and seems quite distraught by the realization.

* In [[WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil Star vs. the Forces of Evil]], [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Tom]] has a skeleton horse. Apparently he didn’t know he was dead, and seems quite distraught by the realization.

* It should perhaps be noted that in ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'', Washington Irving does ''not'' describe the Headless Horseman's "goblin horse" as being anything other than "a black horse of powerful frame," though it does have a tendency to vanish in a "flash of fire and brimstone."

* Near the end of Creator/PoulAnderson's ''Literature/ThreeHeartsAndThreeLions'', an unseen Hell Horse stalks the hero, shortly after he escapes from the Wild Hunt. Note that from 1941-1944 there was an art journal in occupied Denmark called The Hell-Horse [Helhesten]). Anderson's story features a Danish man who falls into a magical world after being shot by Nazis in WWII.

* It should be noted that [[SadlyMythtaken despite how it's generally portrayed in modern fantasy]], the mythological creature known as the "Nightmare" is ''not'' this trope, but rather a sort of small goblin thing that brings bad dreams by sitting on your chest while you sleep. It's from German mythology, and the word "mare" doesn't refer to a horse in German but instead [[ShapedLikeItself the mythological creature known as the "Nightmare"]].

* Bad Horse, the leader of the Evil League of Evil in ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' is supposedly like this, according to other characters' descriptions, including having a terrible Death Whinny. Please note that [[spoiler: he isn't a horse-themed villain, as much as an ''actual horse'']].

** Downplayed with Ponyta and Rapidash. Both of them look like horses with flaming manes, but don't look that scary. Rapidash even combines this trope with the {{Unicorn}}, by being a unicorn with flaming manes.

Many examples were inspired by the horse in the painting ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare The Nightmare]]'' by Henry Fuseli, which in turn was based on the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_(folklore) "Mare,"]] a goblin or HornyDevil that [[SleepParalysisCreature sat on a sleeper's chest and gave them bad dreams.]]

* D's horse in ''LightNovel/VampireHunterD'' in at least one incarnation is actually some sort of cyborg, but can appear pretty monstrous. A memorable caption in ''Anime Insider'' had someone ask D what was wrong with it, and all he could say was "I don't know." According to the light novels his horse is a perfectly ordinary cyborg horse that can be bought from any livery stable in the Frontier, but D's influence will make it gallop faster and longer than any other, at least until its inevitable demise from the wildlife or from D riding it too hard.

* ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': In chapter 11 of the third story, ''Diplomacy Through Schooling'', [[spoiler: Twilight's full-powered form as the Lady of Magic certainly resembles one… but at heart, she's still good.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'': One of the four spirits Elsa has to battle is the Nokk, a horse made out of water that guards the Dark Sea. It has GlowingEyesOfDoom, and it doesn't play around, repeatedly dragging her under the water every time she tries to breathe.

** Later in the manga, a horse that Guts used to kidnap supporting character Farnese gets possessed by one of the demons after him, which wants to "mount" her (yes, in ''[[{{Squick}} that]]'' way). Unlike [[AnimalsLackAttributes many of its peers]], the demon-horse comes [[BiggerIsBetterInBed fully equipped]], because that's just the kind of manga ''Berserk'' is. She is only saved when [[spoiler:Guts ends up [[FlashbackEcho flashbacking]] to Casca's rape during the Eclipse at that very moment, serving to [[BerserkButton set him off]] in a ''[[UnstoppableRage big]]'' way; with [[OffWithHisHead very messy results]] for the once-helpful steed]].

Standard accessories include [[GoodWingsEvilWings menacing wings]], {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}, {{horns|OfVillainy}}, {{fangs|AreEvil}}, and split hooves like a goat (alternately, claws). Horses that are [[RaisingTheSteaks nothing but skeletons]] are also popular choices for TheUndead to ride, and you can increase the glam with a [[WreathedInFlames fiery aura]] or hooves that leave burning prints behind. Usually either truly untamable or ridden by villainous characters, but sometimes TheHero can subvert expectations and take one for her mount.

Putting the 'mare' in [[{{Pun}} 'nightmare']]...

* In the "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence of Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'', the evil spirits summoned by TheDevil Chernabog ride various horrific sorts of supernatural steeds, from airborne goats and boars to horned skeleton horses. One of these horses makes a reappearance in ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron''.
* Gaston's horse from ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''.
* Jafar can be seen riding on one of these at the very beginning of ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''.
* [[FluffyTheTerrible Snowball]], the horse of Judge Claude Frollo from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', the horses ridden by the Huns (particularly Shan-Yu's) have demonic red eyes, thick black bodies, and, of all things, ''fangs''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'', one of the four spirits Elsa has to battle is the Nokk, a horse made out of water that guards the Dark Sea. It has GlowingEyesOfDoom, and it doesn't play around, repeatedly dragging her under the water every time she tries to breathe.
* The nightmares created by [[BigBad Pitch Black]] in ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' take the shape of black demonic horses.

* Zebras are among the stampeding animals in ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'', and they will trample anything in sight.
* The mounts of the Nazgûl in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' look pretty monstrous (and later they upgrade to riding vulture/dragon "fell beasts") and have been specifically bred to withstand the Nazgûl's presence.
* The Caretaker/old Ghost Rider in ''Film/GhostRider2007'', as per [[ComicBook/GhostRider the comic]], transforms his horse from an ordinary steed to a burning horse skeleton.
* [[ScaryScarecrows The Scarecrow]] briefly rides around on a police horse in ''Film/BatmanBegins''. Due to the hallucinogens covering the area, the horse (and the Scarecrow) appears to be demonic from the point of view of a young boy.
* The Headless Horseman in ''Film/SleepyHollow1999'' has a horse like this.
* The spiderweb horse in ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm''.
* Ilmarinen the blacksmith from the Finnish film ''Sampo'' (better known as ''Film/TheDayTheEarthFroze'') forges a horse so that his buddy can plow an [[WickedWitch evil witch]]'s field full of snakes. It comes out of the flames a bright and, err, rather ''fiery'' red. Yes, this film is based on a folktale, why do you ask?
* In the ''Film/TombsOfTheBlindDead'' horror series, the titular undead monks ride equally undead horses.
* The undead gunslinger villain of ''Film/HouseIITheSecondStory'' rides a stop-motion skeleton horse to the climactic showdown.
* The Puca from ''Film/BehindTheWaterfall'' might qualify, even though he doesn't burst into flames.

* Odin rode a rare heroic example of one in ''Film/{{Thor}}''. His horse, Slepnir, is a giant black horse with eight legs. Considering it was shown inside of a pillar of exploding light, it invoked this trope quite a bit.
* The Dutch horror movie ''Film/{{Sint}}'' has a horse that doesn't look too hellish at first sight, more like a bit of a zombie horse, but it definitely has hellish powers, and runs across the rooftops.

* In the ''Literature/ForgottenRealms'' [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt]] novels by R.A. Salvatore, Jarlaxle has an obsidian figurine which he can use to summon a [[PunnyName nightmare]] from the lower planes. Later on, he gives another figurine to his dwarf companion [[AxCrazy Arthogate]], allowing him to conjure a demonic, fiery war pig hellbeast to serve as his mount. It should go without saying that this makes him the envy of every other height-deprived character in the series.

** A ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' article in issue #243 introduced the Equars, nine intelligent magical horses from the Outer Planes that represented different [[CharacterAlignment alignments]]. They included the handsome, black Banecourser (LawfulEvil); the sickly, ratlike Roasinante (NeutralEvil); and the monstrous [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyed]] Charnalbalk (ChaoticEvil).
** ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' has the [[http://www.lomion.de/cmm/unicblac.php Black Unicorn]], which is a ChaoticEvil jet black unicorn that relishes the taste of meat (preferring human, elven and ''especially'' unicorn flesh).
** ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' has corrupt unicorns called [[http://www.lomion.de/cmm/unicshad.php Shadow Unicorns]], which are the NeutralEvil spawn of a fallen unicorn named Addar and one of the above-mentioned Nightmares.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'':

** The Vampire counts in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' have mounts called Nightmares, which fits this trope (the exact look of the Nightmare can vary, since it's cobbled together out of corpses, but it tends to be at least ''vaguely'' horse-like). There's also the Felsteed, which is a winged Nightmare (and, in previous editions, was named exactly that).

** Also from Warhammer, special character Archaon rides a daemonic steed called Dorghar. Its other name? ''[[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse The Steed of the Apocalypse]]''. It's basically a horse so powerfully evil that whoever rides it is foretold as the man who will finally allow the world to be consumed by Chaos.
** ''Age Of Sigmar'' adds a few more, including the Varanguards' massive, kinda horse-like ''things''.
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has a creature called [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=401461 Nightmare]], as well as [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=84502 Thundermare]].
** [[ReligionOfEvil The Cult of Rakdos]] in ''Return to Ravnica'' gave us [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=270963 Carnival Hellsteed]]. It has six legs and two heads.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'', the Four HorsemenOfTheApocalypse ride demonic horse-like mounts called Nether Beasts. Though Pestilence's Nether Beast looks like a giant beetle.

* In ''{{TabletopGame/Battletech}}'', one of the Clans alludes to this; the "Hell's Horses", named after a transgenic equine species that was carnivorous.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', the Nightmares are evil horse-like creatures that inhabit the plane of Abaddon and are used as mounts by the NeutralEvil race of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent fiends]], daemons. The leaders of the daemons, HorsemenOfTheApocalypse, each rude an exceptionally powerful unique nightmare, with powers and appearance based on its rider's aspect. The Apocalypse Horse of death looks like a decaying corpse and can cause RapidAging, the apocalypse horse of pestilence is covered in leaking sores and can inflict enemies with leprosy and other awful diseases, the apocalypse horse of famine is emaciated and drains strength, and the apocalypse horse of war appears alive and hearty and possesses an AgonyBeam.

* In the prologue of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'', Venom Snake and Ocelot are chased by the Man in the Flames using a Horse- in the Flames. Later in the game you can even develop a alternative skin for D-Horse dressed just like him called Furicorn (without the flames, unfortunately).
* The ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' series has Nightmares - essentially horses / unicorns FROM HELL! True to their name, their very proximity lowers enemy morale and their attacks have a chance to send the enemy running away in terror. The debuted in IV aligned with the Asylum faction, before becoming part of the Inferno faction in V.
* The summon Ixion from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has been described as a unicorn on steroids, and that's fairly accurate. The horn alone looks more like something one would see on a can opener - [[{{Dissimile}} a can opener from hell that's used for scalping tortured souls.]] Fittingly, Dark Ixion from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' is an endgame BonusBoss.
* A pre-order bonus for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' grants you a mount called the "bog unicorn." It is so called because, rather than being a literal unicorn, it is an undead horse with a sword driven through its skull that gives the appearance of a horn. Rather than being brought back from the dead by mystical means, much of the dialog surrounding it implies that it simply ''willed itself back to life'' just to help.
* While not evil, Odin's Gestalt Mode in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' qualifies for this trope.

* Nightmare, an enemy from ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'', is exactly t;his. It is a ghost horse that is immune to non-elemental attacks.
* Kazak the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Blood Covered One]] from ''[[VideoGame/{{Drakensang}} Phileasson's Secret]]'' is a demonic humanoid horse demon who can walk on his back legs and carries a giant scythe.
* The Brook Horse, from ''VideoGame/YearWalk'', is a pale, [[SharpDressedMan Sharp-Dressed Horse]], halfway submerged in a river. According to folklore, it's quite infanticidal and, as it happens, during the game it wants the player to fetch it four Mylings, souls of murdered infants, in exchange for a key... The Brook Horse would make quite the perfect mount for [[Franchise/TheSlenderManMythos Slender Man]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'' has one of the new demons, Diomedes, as a giant horse that can be summoned as a finisher for some of the enemies. Did we mention that Diomedes is a Hellish [[VertebrateWithExtraLimbs eight-legged]] {{Unicorn}} with a {{BFS}} rather than a horn?
* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' has the Executioner's Chariot, an optional boss that spends its time torturing Undead endlessly for sport. It's a chariot pulled by a massive two-headed horse with glowing red eyes and is shrouded in darkness. The kicker? The description of its boss soul indicates that the ''horse'' was the thing in control of the chariot: the rider in the chariot itself was possessed by the horse's murderous will to inflict pain and torment upon its victims.
* ''VideoGame/Dota2'' gives us Abaddon, the Lord of Avernus, whose unnamed steed seems to be a translucent spectral horse, although it is never really mentioned in-game.

* Nightmare, one of Comicbook/DoctorStrange's recurring foes, rides a gaunt black unicorn named Dreamstalker.
* Caleb, the 19th century ex-slave turned ''Comicbook/GhostRider'', has one of these as his ride, as do other Riders of roughly the same era. As befits the Ghost Riders, these horses are usually on fire.
* A Marvel villain called Dreadknight who first fought ComicBook/IronMan early in the hero's career (and has been infrequently seen since, opposing the ComicBook/FantasticFour, ComicBook/SpiderMan, and Captain Britain) has a bat-winged flying horse called Hell Horse, which was sired via genetic engineering.

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': Dark Rider's shadow mount is a horse with glowing red eyes, fire around its hooves, a spiked whip for a tail, the ability to fly, and is an intangible summon made of shadow and fire that only its summoner can touch.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', the horses ridden by the Huns (particularly Shan-Yu's) have demonic red eyes, thick black bodies, and, of all things, FANGS.

* The Caretaker/old Ghost Rider in the 2006 ''Film/GhostRider'' movie, as per the comic, transforms his horse from an ordinary steed to a burning horse skeleton.
* [[RoguesGallery The Scarecrow]] briefly rides around on a police horse in ''Film/BatmanBegins''. Due to the hallucinogens covering the area, the horse (and The Scarecrow) appears to be demonic from the point of view of a young boy.

* Ilmarinen the blacksmith from the Finnish film ''Sampo'' (better known as [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]'s ''Film/TheDayTheEarthFroze'') forges a horse so his buddy can plow an [[WickedWitch evil witch's]] field full of snakes. It comes out of the flames a bright and, err, rather ''fiery'' red. Yes, this film is based on a folktale, why do you ask?

** Kelpie is a malicious [[FairFolk fairy]] horse that likes to drown and eat humans. It appears as the front half of a green, water-soaked horse that trails off into tendrils of interweaving water weeds, as a ShoutOut to ''TabletopGameDungeonsAndDragons''.[[note]]In one of the creator's {{Incredibly Lame Pun}}s, kelpies in D&D are traditionally presented as [[ManEatingPlants carnivorous water weeds]], or ''kelp'', that shapeshift into the form of humans and horses to grab prey.[[/note]]

** There are multiple fiends who appear as humanoid horses. Orobas is a fire-wielding demon price from the Goetia. Kumbhanda is a life-sucking evil spirit from Japanese Buddhist mythology. Mezuki is a horse-faced {{oni}} from the Chinese Buddhist {{hell}}s. The Kinnara and Kinnari are male & female spirits (respectively) from Indian Hindu beliefs. Hayagriva appears as a humanoid, fang-mouthed zebra with its arms either missing or bound behind its back. Indara is the embodiment of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac and appears as a crimson humanoid horse wielding two maces or a sword.

** Kelpie is a malicious [[FairFolk fairy]] horse that likes to drown and eat humans. It appears as the front half of a green, water-soaked horse that trails off into tendrils of interweaving water weeds.

* Apaosha is the demonic personification of drought in Zoroastrian mythology, and appears as a horse with bat's wings and a fanged human skull for a head.

*** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart2 "A Canterlot Wedding"]] has the Changelings, black insectile ponies that [[EmotionEater feed off of love]]; they have large, solidly colored eyes, frills instead of manes, chitinous-looking skin, [[GoodWingsEvilWings fly-like wings]], twisted horns, and holes in their legs.
*** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crystal Empire"]] introduces King Sombra, who is, in theory, just a very powerful and evil unicorn, but his flowing shadowy mane, glowing eyes and wickedly curved and pointed horn push him definitively into Hellish Horse territory.

** Later in the manga, a horse that Guts used to kidnap supporting character Farnese gets possessed by one of the demons after him, which wants to "mount" her (yes, in ''[[{{Squick}} that]]'' way). Unlike [[AnimalsLackAttributes many of its peers]], the demon-horse comes [[BiggusDickus fully equipped]], because that's just the kind of manga ''Berserk'' is. She is only saved when [[spoiler:Guts ends up [[FlashbackEcho flashbacking]] to Casca's rape during the Eclipse at that very moment, serving to [[BerserkButton set him off]] in a ''[[UnstoppableRage big]]'' way; with [[OffWithHisHead very messy results]] for the once-helpful steed]].

As horses these days are kept mostly for recreation and sport, and are often seen as oversized pets for little girls, it can seem odd to think of them as dangerous. But make no mistake, a horse can weigh half or ton or more, and an angry or panicked animal can easily kill a man. In the medieval period, horses were bred and trained as BeastsOfBattle who could rear or kick on cue -- and a horse capable of carrying a medieval knight in full armor was very large and strong indeed. They were the Sherman tanks of their day, and it's not a surprise that horses in the cultural imagination of the time were elevated from military equipment into legendary monsters.

** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials'': The pilot for the original series featured the EvilOverlord, Tirek/Tirac, a hellish centaur that kidnapped some ponies and turned them literally into nightmare horses for his own chariot.
** Nightmare Moon from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is a straight example, though instead of a demonic motif she has a shadowy appearance appropriate for a moon goddess, including black armor and a mane that resembles the Milky Way.
** Luna's guards may also qualify. [[DarkIsNotEvil Not evil]], but you wouldn't confuse them for any run-of-the-mill Royal Guard, what with their reptilian slit-pupiled eyes and [[GoodWingsEvilWings bat-like wings]].
** PlayedForLaughs in the episode [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E15FeelingPinkieKeen "Feeling Pinkie Keen"]], where Twilight Sparkle becomes [[BurningWithAnger so angry]] she turns pale and her mane and tail ignite in flame for a few moments.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve "Hearth's Warming Eve"]] gives us the Windigos, malevolent winter spirits who feed on hatred and appear as a trio of spectral horses.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart2 "A Canterlot Wedding"]] has [[spoiler: the Changelings, black insectile ponies that [[EmotionEater feed off of love]]; they have large, solidly colored eyes, frills instead of manes, chitinous-looking skin, [[GoodWingsEvilWings fly-like wings]], twisted horns, and holes in their legs.]]
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E1TheCrystalEmpirePart1 "The Crystal Empire"]] introduces King Sombra, who is, in theory, just a very powerful and evil unicorn, but his flowing shadowy mane, glowing eyes and wickedly curved and pointed horn push him definitively into Hellish Horse territory.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E10ARoyalProblem "A Royal Problem"]] introduces one that isn't real but a literal nightmare: [[spoiler:Daybreaker, the hypothetical SuperpoweredEvilSide of Celestia. Unlike Nightmare Moon, Daybreaker does have a demonic motif, including [[EvilIsBurningHot a literally fiery mane]] and burnt-red sclerae in her eyes. While Nightmare Moon is the result of Luna giving in to envy, Daybreaker is what Celestia would become if she stopped caring about others and decided ItsAllAboutMe.]]

* Geryon from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'' is a Hellish Horse boss. It's so badass that its drawn carriage can fire ''missiles''.

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'''s HorsemenOfTheApocalypse each rides one of this. White Rider's covered in [[EyesDoNotBelongThere eyes.]]