Throughout history, black horses have always possessed a charm of their own. They are the mount of the bad guy – or of a really, really cool hero like Ladyhawke's Etienne Navarre. It could also be a sign of military distinction, like the Black Musketeers. But in general they are not only scary or awe-inspiring: they are downright otherwordly! It must be because they blend in with the night... you never know where that gallop is coming from, until they are upon you.

First of all, beware of horses who appear where they shouldn't, breaking all laws of physics. If you are a Germanic farmer, do not trust nice sturdy black horses rising from the sea. If you are so unwise as to hitch them to your plough, don't be fooled by the marvellous progress you will make at first... because soon the horse will just drag you over the cliff along with your plough!

But in general the first, unmistakable mark to distinguish a demonic steed from a normal Frisian horse is that red glow in the darkness. It is the glow of its eyes! Additionally it can spurt fire from its nostrils too, though generally it is more of a hot mist. Its hooves strike sparks from the rocks. According to Germanic folklore, if you look between its ears you can see the future, but I wouldn't advise getting too close. For your everyday divination needs, a common pony is enough.

Now, if you meet a dodgy black horse in full daylight and you suspect it is haunted, and you don't have the sense to run away immediately, you might find it already saddled and bridled. As though it wanted you to mount. Do not do it. Not even if you are a rabid hunter and the most beautiful stag you've ever seen is waving its tail at you from the woods. If you mount in the saddle, you might find yourself unable to dismount, and subsequently carried away and thrown in some hellish volcano or, at best, doomed to hunt forever, like Dietrich von Bern and all the kings and noblemen who are said to lead the Germanic Wild Hunt. But if you got to this point you probably like it and/or deserve it.

If you think it cannot get worse, well, as they say, it can. Because the black horse's saddle is not always empty. And the rider of such a steed is a man of wealth and taste, if you catch my drift. Otherwise, he is simply Death, who goes around to fetch his wards on horseback. A horse's head was the symbol of death in certain Germanic traditions. Death's horse ambles about the graveyard on three legs. It was said that once, every time a new graveyard was built, a horse was first buried there. It would be Death's horse. All right, I shall stop because I am scaring myself!

Now it should be clear why J.R.R. Tolkien, drawing from Germanic mythology for his "Lord of the Rings" saga, chose black steeds for his fearsome Black Riders. They look the part! Then again, do not be distrustful of all black horses. Most of them are regular guys who like to be petted and fed treats. Just watch out for that red glow in their eyes...

Credits:
Main source: Jacob Grimm, Teutonic Mythology
Other Germanic Black Horse and Wild Hunt gruesome legends, courtesy of Germania:
Wod! Wod!
The Many Deaths of Theodoric
The Lay of Theodoric
Wild Hunt icon by Anonymous, modified by Fedelm Cruithni
Background by http://www.grsites.com
Plaque by Shibori Murasaka