Warhorse

For the paladin mount, see [Summon Warhorse] and [Summon Thalassian Warhorse].

Reverence, the warhorse of High King Anduin Wrynn.

Warhorses are a type of horse used as war mounts. Unlike ordinary horses who would be unsettled by the scent of blood or bodies, and avoid stepping on other creatures, warhorses are trained to act counter to their instincts. They are a breed apart, used only for specific purposes at specific times.^[1] In battle, they serve as an extension of their riders and an additional weapon, running down and trampling enemies.^[2] Knights are traditionally horse-mounted warriors wading into combat astride their noble warhorses, and renowned for cutting bloody swathes through enemy ranks.^[3] War steeds are armored to withstand collisions in battle, and trained to withstand brutal hand-to-hand combat in the fiercest battlefields.^[4] These trusty steeds have carried their masters to battle since before the First War and are known for their swiftness and spirited temperaments, they are thus perfectly suited for their heroic riders.^[5]

Possessed of a noble spirit and deceptive intelligence uncommon among its kind, the warhorse is a regal charger that only the most inspiring of paladins can call to service. Once it pledges its service to a worthy master, the warhorse holds to its responsibility as a loyal mount and steadfast companion with a devotion that cannot be found in its lesser cousins. The paladins' warhorse is more than a steed; it is a tireless cohort for its valorous master, carrying the paladin across Azeroth on a ceaseless crusade to vanquish evil wherever it may lurk.^[6]

The strong bond between the humans of Azeroth and their warhorses has existed for generations. However, since the fall of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, only select varieties continue to be bred throughout Alliance-controlled lands. Most prized among these are the stately Evendales of Elwynn Forest, renowned for their loyalty and even tempers. These horses command a hefty sum, but they reward their owners with steadiness and speed.^[7] They are also used by the Forsaken as resurrected creatures and by other Horde races if exalted with the Undercity.

The knights, priests, and nobles of Lordaeron had the informal tradition of naming their steed by a quality they admired.^[8]^[9] A tradition later taken up by the Knights of the Silver Hand.

Types of warhorse

Paladin Warhorse

Cariel's Warhorse in Hearthstone.

Paladins learn both [Summon Warhorse] and [Summon Charger], which are spells located in the Mounts tab. In World of Warcraft: Classic, the Warhorse is granted by completion of The Tome of Nobility questline. The Charger is granted by a much longer and more resource-intensive questline as it rides faster than its counterpart, and starts with [60] Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker.

Forsaken Warhorse

The Forsaken warhorses are used in name only. The ones available are the [Forsaken Warhorse] (Argent Tournament), [Green Skeletal Warhorse], [Ochre Skeletal Warhorse], [Purple Skeletal Warhorse], [Red Skeletal Warhorse], and [White Skeletal Warhorse].

Argent Warhorse

Dame Evniki Kapsalis at the Argent Tournament Grounds offers the [Argent Warhorse] to all players that have attained the rank of <Crusader> with the Argent Tournament.

Paladins can also purchase an additional [Argent Charger], another mount-summoning spell.

Celestial Steed

The [Celestial Steed], available to all players, is said to be a supernatural warhorse.

Notable warhorses

Named

Unnamed

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Heavy warhorse as seen in the Alliance Player's Guide.

Light warhorse

These animals are similar to light horses, but are trained and bred for strength and aggression. They usually are not ready for warfare before age three. A light warhorse can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he is good at riding. A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231–460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461–690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.^[11]

Heavy warhorse

Muscles ripple beneath this animal’s white coat. It snorts and paws the ground. Heavy warhorses are trained and bred for strength and aggression. Human knights ride such beasts into battle. A heavy warhorse can fight while carrying a rider. In battle, a heavy warhorse lashes out with its hooves and, if one gets lucky, it bites off the enemy’s face.^[12]

Warpony

A pony that is trained for war. It can use its hooves to attack. This animal's statistics would fall between a Light Horse and a Light Warhorse.^[13]

Trivia

The Fiery Warhorse was one of the most vicious steeds stabled in Karazhan.^[14]
The Argent Warhorses are given only to those who prove themselves a champion in the Argent Tournament.^[15]
Awarded to only the most skilled champions from the Trial of the Crusader, the Crusader's White Warhorse and Crusader's Black Warhorse were respectively chosen for Alliance and Horde members from Tirion Fordring's own personal stable.^[16]
Invincible was not bred to be a warhorse, but after he was brought back from the dead and made immune to hunger, pain, and exhaustion, he became the perfect steed for Arthas Menethil.^[17]