Q: What makes a horse more or less valuable? What factors could a GM add in to increase or decrease the value of a horse that's for sale or trade?
A: What market is the horse being aimed toward? When considering value, the best indicator is how well a given horse fits the needs of the buyer. A buyer looking for a gentle saddle horse for his Lady is not going to value that snorting warhorse over there, while an up and coming knight would value that same warhorse very highly. A farmer that can only afford one horse might be willing to pay a bit more for a horse that can be ridden and is also capable of pulling his plow and wagon, rather than buy a saddle horse to ride and a draft horse to pull the wagon and plow. People with very limited funds might be willing to take a horse with vices or physical defects since such animals will generally cost less.
There are certain things that all people want in a horse? The horse should visibly be in good health. It should be able to take in plenty of air which means a broad, deep chest (lung capacity), width between the jawbones, and the area where the jaw joins the neck should not be overly meaty (plenty of space for the windpipe). The head should be wide between the eyes (space for a large brain) with large eyes (the better to see with). Since the horse is a rear engine design, the hindquarters should be well developed. Clean legs (lumpy legs can be a sign of trouble) that are straight (crooked legs are prone to all sorts of problems) and healthy hooves are important. The overall appearance of the horse should be one of balance with no one part more or less developed than the rest. The horse should move out freely with no sign of lameness.
There are some things that are considered faults in one type of horse, but not another. Cow hocks is a good example. A cow hocked horse has hocks that point in toward one another. This is an undesirable trait for a saddle horse, but not for a draft horse as it allows the draft horse to pull weight more efficiently. Another example is straight pasterns. Straight pasterns are inefficient shock absorbers that make for a very uncomfortable riding animal, but they are acceptable, if not desirable, in a carriage horse.
Beyond the basic conformation, and what is desirable for the breed type, other things that affect the value of a horse are its training, virtues/vices, its accomplishments/ability, age, appearance, and pedigree. A well trained animal is worth more than one that is untrained or poorly trained. A horse that habitually bites or kicks will be worth less than one that does not.
If you're in the market for a good hunter, a horse that jumps well is going to be worth more to you than one that can't. A horse that could out-pull anything in its weight class in its prime, but is now in the last years of its life is not going to be worth as much as its ability can no longer be utilized. A very young horse may be worth less than an animal in its prime because its potential has not been proven. On the other hand, someone may be willing to pay a great deal for that unproven yearling if its sire and/or dam are known to produce outstanding foals.
A good pedigree can be considered brownie points in a young, unproven horse. It is of less importance in the case of an aged stallion or mare that can be expected to be able to produce a few more foals. In the case of aged breeding stock, the known qualities of their previous foals are more important. For geldings, a pedigree is only worth bragging rights to the owner as a gelding cannot breed.
Appearance is the most subjective of the criteria. It is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In many societies a horse with too much white is considered undesirable, but to a Gypsy they are beautiful. Blue eyes on a dark horse crop up occasionally and are quite startling looking if you've never seen them before. Some people don't like the look and some consider them weak (untrue), but other people like them, or at least don't mind them. Double dilutes (pale cream all over with blue eyes) are viewed as "ugly" by some, while to a breeder of palominos they are worth their weight in gold. A double dilute bred to a chestnut will produce 100% palominos. This is one area the GM can play with quite a bit. What does that area of the world like or dislike? Do the locals have any beliefs regarding certain colors or markings? In the Arabic world, bay horses are believed to be sturdier than other colors, while chestnuts are believed to be faster than other colors, etc. A horse with socks on the three legs other than the left fore is considered lucky, but a horse with socks on all four feet is considered bad news.
Q: What tricks can a horse be taught? Can a horse come to you if called? What's the maximum range?
A: To give you an example of what some horses are capable of Miniature Horses (36" & under) are currently being trained in some areas as seeing eye and service animals. It takes longer to train them than dogs, but once trained they are just as capable of doing the job. They have the advantage of a longer service life and they are stronger than dogs. If their person is able to hang on to the harness, a Mini has the ability to pull them away from a dangerous situation with ease. (The Guide Horse Foundation)
Horses can be taught to sit down, bow, play dead, shake hands, count (you signal when to start and stop), attack or kick on command, roll over, and rear when cued. I have seen horses trained to line dance with their families, horses that love to chase and catch thrown Frisbees, and horses that will open a rural mailbox and place an envelope inside. They can be taught to bring something to you and come when called. The list goes on.
A horse cannot do what a horse cannot do. No horse could be taught to whistle for example. Horses don't whistle. Anything that is within the capasity of a horse they can be taugh to do on command. We recommend old westrens (Gene Autry, Roy Rogers) for horse tricks. A good look at the "airs above the ground" performed by the Spanish Riding school will show some of the extreme things horses can do. Every one of them useful in the kind of battle fought in the 17th and 18th century.
Q: What will horses do if left unattended? Is there an order of actions they'll attempt to perform or does it vary by unique, individual horse?
A: Horse priorities:
- Move away from any danger. Preferably in the direction of "home".
- If alone, look for other horses in the immediate area. If you locate any, try to join the herd.
- Graze. If there is nothing to eat in the immediate vicinity, move to an area that does.
- Keep an eye open for predators.
This is what your average horse will do if left unattended and unrestrained. As they move in search of fodder and companionship they will tend to steer a course toward what they consider to be home.
Horses can be trained to stay put for short periods of time and they will do so unless frightened. However, even in the case of a trained animal, leaving them unattended for more than a few minutes will usually result in them wandering.
Q: Any other horse GM advice?
A: Keep in mind that a horse is an animal. They are highly intelligent animals, but animals none the less. A truly malicious horse is rare. They do not have human priorities and a good horse trainer will realize this. Like dogs, you cannot train a horse like you would train a person. You have to use the horse's priorities to you advantage. To not do so is to have them at your disadvantage.
To the GM specifically, I urge you not use the horse to punish players. If the player is seeking more input into the horse in game that I would think was a good thing. they are getting into their role as a character that is concerned with horses. they are seeking reaction from the creatures they are interacting with.
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