Tag: mare

Breed Spotlight: Brumby Horse

Breed Spotlight: Brumby Horse

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Brumby Horse

Another wild horse, the Brumby is the result of horses escaping, running wild, and forming new family groups called mobs or bands in Australia as it was being settled. While this makes them a bit tricky to identify, they are welcome additions to Astranar. They are a bonus horse, so in order to own one, you’ll need to purchase it with real-world currency.

Some of the Brumbies’ ancestors date back to lost or runaway horses of the European founders, but there are always more recent additions too. For the most part, they are a combination of “Capers”, Timor ponies, various mish-mash of British pony and horse breeds, and, to quote Wikipedia, “a significant number of Thoroughbreds and Arabians.” While the mobs inhabit many places across Australia, including national parks, they are widely regarded by some environmentalists, governments, and ecologists as pests. Other supporters however consider their survival necessary as preserving Australian history.

Brumby 1

Because they are such a mixture, there is no “breed standard,” and their pest/wild status appears to have prevented any kind of registry or breed book from being established either. One brumby may look very different from another, though depending on where in Australia the mob is from, they may lean one way or another. Because of them being good stock horses and Pony Club horses when domesticated, Astranar has offered to take on some of the population to help with the more densely populated areas. They live in the Citrine district, which has lush moors that must feel like home to these rugged horses.

Brumby 2

Breed Characteristics:
As a sign of their mixed heritage and breeding, brumby come in all varieties of coats, from solids to paints and all markings in between. Much like other breeds however, there is the presence of graying genes that can make some markings different than others. Because the brumby are imported to help with the population in Australia that are becoming too prevalent and into problem territory, Astranar only has geldings and mares for sale.

Starting Stats: *
Speed:                    3                                              Discipline:       3
Endurance:         4                                               Agility:             3
Strength:             4

* Note, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are Becca’s way of trying to reduce her knowledge/research of breeds and their particular skills and traits into numbers so when animators and programmers have to look at these horses, they can go, “Oh, this horse can’t turn worth beans but this one can on a dime, noted!”

Breed Spotlight: Chincoteague Pony

Breed Spotlight: Chincoteague Pony

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Chincoteague Pony

A hardy breed of survivors descended according to local legend from shipwrecked Spanish horses, the Chincoteague pony is the hardiest of the ponies available in Astranar. One of the quests in game does provide coin to buy a pony before you continue! Will you pick the Chincoteague?

The wild horses and horses raised in care from breeders are a little different in terms of size, but for sake of our poor coders, they are still very much being counted as ponies. Of sound, sturdy build with straight legs and broad body, their noted for a straight or concave facial profile and broad forehead. An intelligent breed, they very much have minds of their own and their own personality. They can get a bit spunky if they have other plans, but they are also eager workers who want to please.

Chinco 1

While the Chincoteague penning, swims, and auctions still take place as part of population control, to continue that goal and to help with genetic diversity, breed books were established in the U.S. and through careful negotiation (and maybe a pirate or two), Astranar as well. Astranar very carefully regulates their own breeding stables to make sure everything remains healthy. With their hardy natures, they do well as endurance horses, but they are very nimble which suits them well to the agility and pony events in Ruby District. They can also be trained to pull a small trap, buggy, or cart.

Chinco 2

Breed Characteristics:
Chincoteague ponies come in several colors, including sorrel (red with blonde mane for Mystic Rider purposes), chestnut (red with red mane for Mystic Rider purposes), bay, brown, buckskin, palomino, black, and grey. While paint coats are highly prized due to the book series that popularized this breed, they are also more expensive even in Astranar since the graying gene is still present.

Starting Stats: *
Speed:                    1                                              Discipline:       2
Endurance:         5                                               Agility:             4
Strength:             3

* Note, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are Becca’s way of trying to reduce her knowledge/research of breeds and their particular skills and traits into numbers so when animators and programmers have to look at these horses, they can go, “Oh, this horse can’t turn worth beans but this one can on a dime, noted!”

Breed Spotlight: Tennessee Walking Horse

Breed Spotlight: Tennessee Walking Horse

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Tennessee Walking Horse

Originally bred from crossing the Mustang with several different pacer-breeds, Astranar was eager to bring this gaited horse to their shores. They are considered a secondary horse, meaning in order to own one, you’ll have to spend real-world funds in addition to the purchase price of the game.

The Tennessee Walking Horse is described as a refine, elegantly built horse, though solid and middling in terms of muscle. With short backs, long shoulders and hips, and small, well-placed ears, breed books allow for their hind legs to be slightly over-angulated. They are well known for their sweet and calm temperaments, though don’t be surprised if they show a little bit of sass. Their personalities match their different styles of leg movements well!

TWH 1

With their smooth, rolling gaits, the Tennessee Walking Horse is largely regarded as a pleasure-riding horse, meaning they are great for long rides and endurance type events. Because they have a special gait referred to as a “running walk” that gives them a higher step, they are also used for some dressage events. There are laws and stiff regulations about how you train this horse to pick up its feet for dressage in order to avoid abusing them. Ruby District is home to this breed, since with all their gorges, valleys, and farms, you sometimes want a horse who has the ability to go all-day without leaving you sore afterward!

TWH 2

Breed Characteristics:
Tennessee Walking Horses come in several colors, including sorrel (red with blonde mane for Mystic Rider purposes), chestnut (red with red mane for Mystic Rider purposes), bay, brown, buckskin, palomino, black, and grey. The breed also allows for all varieties of markings and paints. The big requirement for this horse is the presence of the running-walk gait, with trotting being an optional gait as a result.

Starting Stats: *
Speed:                    2                                              Discipline:       4
Endurance:         5                                               Agility:             3
Strength:             2

* Note, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are Becca’s way of trying to reduce her knowledge/research of breeds and their particular skills and traits into numbers so when animators and programmers have to look at these horses, they can go, “Oh, this horse can’t turn worth beans but this one can on a dime, noted!”

Breed Spotlight: American Quarter Horse

Breed Spotlight: American Quarter Horse

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

American Quarter Horse

Named for their famed status in running quarter-mile races in the American Mid-West and Western frontiers, several breed books have started in Astranar to bring this fast-stepping horse into the fold. They are considered a secondary horse, meaning in order to own one, you’ll have to spend real-world funds in addition to the purchase price of the game.

With small, refined heads, and broad hindquarters, the American Quarter Horse has a compact, powerful frame meant for short bursts of energy. While not the tallest horse, they aren’t ponies either. Most have calm, even temperaments and are a pleasure to work with. Others can get a sticker under their blanket and be a grump, but they’ll get the job done, and some can be as timid as deer and need some gentle convincing. It all depends on the horse! Their ears and faces are very good at conveying their personalities, worming their way into riders’ hearts.

AQH 1

The breed books that predominantly came over to Astranar are of the “racing” variety of AQH rather than the working ranch variety, meaning that they are fast in short bursts, rather than being wired to chase cows all day. They are still good cattle horses, they just aren’t the famed “cow-minded” like some of the breed are known for. Astranar just isn’t big enough for those kinds of ranches, and those horses aren’t always the safest for young riders as they are very job-oriented. But the ability to chase after cattle so well is part of what makes the AQH particularly well suited for the agility racing of Ruby District.

AQH 2

Breed Characteristics:
AQH come in several colors, including sorrel (red with blonde mane for Mystic Rider purposes), chestnut (red with red mane for Mystic Rider purposes), bay, brown, buckskin, palomino, black, and grey. In Astranar, there aren’t separate breed books between American Quarter Horses and American Paints, so all manners of white markings are acceptable.

Starting Stats: *
Speed:                    4                                              Discipline:       3
Endurance:         2                                               Agility:             5
Strength:             2

* Note, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are Becca’s way of trying to reduce her knowledge/research of breeds and their particular skills and traits into numbers so when animators and programmers have to look at these horses, they can go, “Oh, this horse can’t turn worth beans but this one can on a dime, noted!”

Breed Spotlight: Astranar Wild Horse

Breed Spotlight: Astranar Wild Horse

by Rebecca M. Horner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Astranar Wild Horse

Your starting horse, the Astranar Wild Horse is a unique breed with plenty to offer and secrets that the locals are careful to keep away from the rest of the world.

Physically similar to the Fjord horses of Norway, a possible sign the two breeds developed independently in similar fashions, the Astranar Wild Horse can only be found on the continent of Argentum, with the wild herds only being sighted in the country of Astranar. Some horses paired with a rider will travel the other countries on the continent, but most wild horse sightings in Zablana or Nospos are written off as false sightings.

Fjord 2

Curiously enough, this breed is well known for only bonding with female riders. While occasionally one will tolerate a male rider, it is usually with ill grace and doesn’t last long. Locals have stopped trying. But when they find the right person, these horses are the most loyal mount one could ask for, and they will always try their hardest for them.

The biggest secret about the Astranar Wild Horse is known only to locals or their riders: they are the only breed of horse that can cross between the barrier between our world and that of the Mirror World. On our side, they are handsome horses, but on the other, they reveal their real, bright colors…and snarky comebacks. (Yep, they talk, and they are bursting with opinions.) Herd hierarchy can get a bit biting at times, but really, you get a group together of anything that can talk, and gossip is going to follow.

Because of their magical traits, Astranar Wild Horses are considered a banned export–they rely on the magic of the Mirror World to exist, so they can’t leave the continent. This makes them highly sought after mounts by new arrivals who don’t always realize what they are getting into. They learn.

                   Fjord 1           Fjord 3

Breed Characteristics:
A solid all-around horse, the breed comes in all shades of dun, with a thick mane and tail of usually a mixture of a lighter color and a darker color. (Exact mixing and matching will be customizable by the player at start up.) Their manes can be cut into patterns similar to a Fjord, or allowed to hang loose and mixed, depending on theirs and their rider’s preferences. While the occasional blaze or sock can be seen, most horses have solid coats. Because they are a such a rare breed and require as high of genetic diversity as possible (at least on paper), geldings are not available. (Players will be able to pick between mares and stallions.)

Starting Stats: *
Speed:                    3                                              Discipline:       3
Endurance:         3                                               Agility:             3
Strength:             3

* Note, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are Becca’s way of trying to reduce her knowledge/research of breeds and their particular skills and traits into numbers so when animators and programmers have to look at these horses, they can go, “Oh, this horse can’t turn worth beans but this one can on a dime, noted!”