# Is Arwens horse in the FOTR faster than shadowfax?



## Meselyn (Aug 11, 2003)

1-Yes

2-No

3- To hard to tell


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## Beorn (Aug 11, 2003)

> 'True indeed!' said Gandalf. 'And there is one among them that might have been foaled in the morning of the world. The horses of the Nine cannot vie with him; tireless, swift as the flowing wind. Shadowfax they called him. By day his coat glistens like silver; and by night it is like a shade, and he passes unseen. Light is his footfall! Never before had any man mounted him, but I took him and I tamed him, and so speedily he bore me that I reached the Shire when Frodo was on the Barrow-downs, though I set out from Rohan only when he set out from Hobbiton.





> He spoke a word to Shadowfax, and like an arrow from the bow the great horse sprang away. Even as they looked he was gone: a flash of silver in the sunset, a wind over the grass, a shadow that fled and passed from sight. Snowmane snorted and reared, eager to follow; but only a swift bird on the wing could have overtaken him.



Don't forget that Arwen didn't _have_ a horse in FotR, but rather Glorfindel, or should I move this to the Movie forum? Glor's horse was Asfaloth



> 'You shall ride my horse,' said Glorfindel. 'I will shorten the stirrups up to the saddle-skins, and you must sit as tight as you can. But you need not fear: my horse will not let any rider fall that I command him to bear. His pace is light and smooth; and if danger presses too near, he will bear you away with a speed that even the black steeds of the enemy cannot rival.'





> The white horse leaped forward. The hobbits ran down the slope. Glorfindel and Strider followed as rear-guard. They were only half way across the flat, when suddenly there was a noise of horses galloping. Out of the gate in the trees that they had just left rode a Black Rider. He reined his horse in, and halted, swaying in his saddle. Another followed him, and then another; then again two more.
> 'Ride forward! Ride!' cried Glorfindel to Frodo.
> He did not obey at once, for a strange reluctance seized him. Checking the horse to a walk, he turned and looked back. The Riders seemed to sit upon their great steeds like threatening statues upon a hill, dark and solid, while all the woods and land about them receded as if into a mist. Suddenly he knew in his heart that they were silently commanding him to wait. Then at once fear and hatred awoke in him. His hand left the bridle and gripped the hilt of his sword, and with a red flash he drew it.
> 'Ride on! Ride on!' cried Glorfindel, and then loud and clear he called to the horse in the elf-tongue: noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth!
> At once the white horse sprang away and sped like the wind along the last lap of the Road.



Wind hardly compares to a fleeting shadow, so my answer is No.


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## Meselyn (Aug 11, 2003)

well than who's horse was she ridding?


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## Beorn (Aug 11, 2003)

In the movie, Peter Jackson took out a character Glorfindel, and put Arwen in.

In both the movie and the book, I'm willing to bet that Shadowfax was faster.


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## Meselyn (Aug 11, 2003)

yah he was bred in the land were horse are like royalty.


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## FoolOfATook (Aug 11, 2003)

> yah he was bred in the land were horse are like royalty.



Shadowfax _was_ like royalty- he was one of the Mearas.



> For Gandalf took the horse that is called Shadowfax, the most precious of all the king's steeds, chief of the _Mearas_, which only the Lord of the Mark may ride. For the sire of their race was the great horse of Eorl that knew the speech of Men.



-_The Two Towers_, "The Riders of Rohan"



> "But there is another that strides ahead: a very great horse. I have not seen his like before."
> 
> "Nor will you again," said Gandalf. 'That is Shadowfax. He is the chief of the _Mearas_, lords of horses, and not even Theoden, King of Rohan, has ever looked on a better. Does he not shine like silver, and run as smoothly as a swift stream? He has come for me: the horse of the White Rider. We are going to battle together."



-_The Two Towers_, "The White Rider"



> These were the _mearas_, who would bear no one but the King of the Mark or his sons, until the time of Shadowfax. Men said of them that Bema (whom the Eldar call Orome) must have brought their sire from West over sea.



-Appendix A, "The House of Eorl"


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## elithraniel (Aug 11, 2003)

Really... speaking strictly Tolkien... Arwen's horse is ficticious (well, hahaha, so is Shadowfax) if you know what I mean. Arwen's horse was created by PJ, and I doubt PJ meant for it to be faster than shadowfax, given that Shadowfax is more of a main character (horse).


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## Flammifer (Aug 12, 2003)

All those quotes pretty much sum everything up. The fact that Shadowfax is "chief of all horses" is good enough to say to me that he is the fastest. No doubt Asfaloth is up there in the top few along with Snowmane, but Shadowfax is the greatest! 

Perhaps by some Elvish power Asfaloth became an especially great horse, and obviously Asfaloth (he or she?) understands Elvish and maybe some Westron.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 13, 2003)

My instinct was Asfaloth, but I voted for Shadowfax because my intelligence said it was just that Glorfindel made Asfaloth seem that way. . .and that he sounded very light with all those bells and how white he was. . .whereas Shadowfax was a battle horse and sounded heavier. . .

But this is all mental images.


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## Flammifer (Aug 13, 2003)

> My instinct was Asfaloth, but I voted for Shadowfax because my intelligence said it was just that Glorfindel made Asfaloth seem that way. . .and that he sounded very light with all those bells and how white he was. . .whereas Shadowfax was a battle horse and sounded heavier. . .
> 
> But this is all mental images.



Hmm good point Elgee. I guess that Shadowfax (when he was in battle with Gandalf) was wearing all his battle-gear which would have slowed him down a bit even though Shadowfax was pretty strong.............

But Shadowfax is also as fair or fairer than Asfaloth......he is remember akin to Orome and his steed........


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## Wolfshead (Aug 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by elithraniel _
> *Really... speaking strictly Tolkien... Arwen's horse is ficticious (well, hahaha, so is Shadowfax) if you know what I mean. Arwen's horse was created by PJ, and I doubt PJ meant for it to be faster than shadowfax, given that Shadowfax is more of a main character (horse). *


 Arwen's horse wasn't created for her, she was just swapped with Glorfindel, so the horse stayed the same. But Shadowfax was fasted, without a shadow of a doubt.


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## Meselyn (Aug 13, 2003)

yah the elves are more of a arrow fireing type not a horse breeding type.


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## HLGStrider (Aug 13, 2003)

I'm sure Shadowfax was pretty, but he didn't look. . .Magical? Not to me, anyway.


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## Turin (Aug 13, 2003)

I wonder, how fast could Shadowfax run?


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## Meselyn (Aug 14, 2003)

i think he was sort of 'magical'. Shawdowfax could run from a camp close to isengard to Gondor in roughly two days.


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## Turin (Aug 14, 2003)

I wonder if he could run faster than 45 mph.


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## Stridir (Aug 14, 2003)

*no*

no, shadowfax is the king of like all horses. arwens is slower.


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## Beorn (Aug 15, 2003)

*Re: no*



> _Originally posted by Stridir _
> *no, shadowfax is the king of like all horses. arwens is slower. *



Arwen doesn't have a horse


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## Celebthôl (Aug 15, 2003)

*Re: Re: no*



> _Originally posted by Beorn _
> *Arwen doesn't have a horse  *



Good call


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## Flammifer (Aug 15, 2003)

> I'm sure Shadowfax was pretty, but he didn't look. . .Magical? Not to me, anyway.



Hmm yeah I dunno Elgee but like I said he was the chief of the _mearas_ and they were related to Nahar, and he was a "magical" horse, it just seems to make sense. Besides, Shadowfax can understand the speech of Men, and lives as long as them (approx).

I dunno if he looked "magical" per se, but certainly bearing a Maia would have some effect on a horse, as would Asfaloth have had Glorfindel's effect. And I believe occasionally Shadowfax is described as kind of 'glowing' with a white light, but maybe this is just Gandalf's radiance. Not sure about this though and I can't be bothered to look it up coz I wouldn't know where to start!


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## Meselyn (Aug 17, 2003)

I agree with what Flammifer was saying. If Shawdowfax was carrying a Maia would maybe have an effect.


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