| Zorse | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Equine | ||
| Average height | Size of a zebra | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Aggressivity | High | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Far Eastern Essos | ||
| Habitat | Yi Ti and Leng | ||
| Diet | Herbivore | ||
| Locomotion | Movement using four legs | ||
| Related species | Horses | ||
| Status | Data Deficient | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire | ||
| Created by | George R.R. Martin | ||
Zorses are a striped black-and-white equines that lives in the far eastern Essos.
Overview[]
Zorses are bred by the Jogos Nhai, who live on the plains north of Yi Ti, east of the Dothraki Sea and the Bone Mountains. They were originally created by breeding normal horses with a striped, horse-like animal found in southern Yi Ti and Leng (possibly equivalents to real world zebras), but are now bred as if they were their own species. They are hardy beasts, supposedly capable of surviving on weeds and devil grass for many months and travel long distances without food or water.
There is no mention so far of anyone in a khalasar riding a zorse.
Zorses are ridden by members of the Brave Companions, and were likely transported to Westeros with the sellswords as their personal mounts when they were brought over by Tywin Lannister. Thus far there has been no mention of any other sellsword companies having zorses.
As a highborn child Arya Stark received a good education and is well acquainted with horses, but she was still not able to identify the zorse by name when she first sets eyes on some of them, so presumably they may be unknown among even well-educated Westerosi. Maesters know of them, however. But zorses remain very rare beasts on Westeros.
The differences between riding a zorse, as opposed to a horse, is not known. Dany has ridden with the Dothraki so if she thinks the zorse fierce it should be safe to say that they are more aggressive than horses. The Dothraki opinion of a zorse is not known, other than to say they do not seem to favor riding them over a horse
Recent events[]
A Game of Thrones
In the Eastern Market of Vaes Dothrak, Dany sees the striped black and white horses of the Jogos Nhai.
A Clash of Kings
While at Harrenhal Arya witnesses the arrival of the Brave Companions and sees that some of them ride strange black-and-white horses, including their captain, Vargo Hoat.
In Qarth a pair of Jogos Nhai present Daenerys Targaryen one of their striped zorses, as a token to the Mother of Dragons. She describes it as black-and-white and fierce. Dany sells the zorse along with other gifts received in Qarth in order to gather wealth needed for petitioning the Pureborn.
A Storm of Swords
A mile from the gates of Harrenhal, Jaime and Brienne are tied to the pommel of Vargo Hoat's saddle so that he can parade Jaime into the castle. Jaime and Brienne stumble along side by side behind the Qohorik's striped zorse.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- "Zorse" is not the term used within the narrative for what would be called zebras in real-life. The World of Ice and Fire made clear that the Jogos Nhai create zorses by breeding regular horses with what are apparently actual zebras, which live in southern Yi Ti and on Leng. In fact, "Zorse" is the real-life term for a horse-zebra hybrid. Like most animal hybrids, real life zorses are sterile.