Shadowfax: Does he look special?

[Kelkorian]

I don't think Shadowfax looks any more special than any other horse we've seen.
"'There are three,' said Legolas, gazing out over the plain. 'See how they run! There is Hasufel, and there is my friend Arod beside him! 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 Théoden, 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'

Even as the old wizard spoke, the great horse came striding up the slope towards them; his coat was glistening and his mane flowing in the wind of his speed. The two others followed, now far behind. As soon as Shadowfax saw Gandalf, he checked his pace and whinnied loudly; then trotting gently forward he stooped his proud head and nuzzled his great nostrils against the old man's neck."

According to the pictures we've seen, Shadowfax looks like any other horse. He doesn't shine like silver, or have great big nostrils ;).

I think PJ doesn't care much for the animals of LotR (i.e. Bill). I think Tolkien wanted to show that every race (may it be plant, beast, man, elf etc.) is special and every race has unique characteristics of it's own. That all races are equal civilization wise (i.e. leaders, heros, etc.).

I hope PJ will fix this.

[Ordain]

This is quite true. I also believe Shadowfax should be more magnificant, since:
"There is none like to Shadowfax. In him one of the mighty steeds of old has returned. None such shall return again"
But I will hold judgement until I actually see the film.

[ssgrif]

I would imagine that PJ was going for the simple approach for the representation of Shadowfax. Get yourself a nice white horse, so it stands out from the rest.

I would expect that shadowfax will indeed stand out from the other horses in the film, but there's only so much you can do to the horse before the animal welfare groups start complaining! Cant exactly go and spray it head to foot in silver paint now can they!

I think that PJ might get the horse to do certain movements or stares into the camera or to other characters, to make it look like he is intelligent and understands the speech of men.

[elvish-queen]

d'you know how hard it is to let a horse know what you are asking it? i think if they don't give shadowfax a very glorified role it will be v. disappointing to tolkien fans, especially me!!! (i luv horses and have been riding for 6 years) it'll probably be hard for them, but they gotta really give him a character, it must be hard but the story won't be complete otherwise!
hope they do a good job!!:confused:

[elvish-queen]

I know!!! they could borrow a lippizaner!!! (you know, white stallions of vienna?) they're super intelligent, outstandingly beautiful, and are trained to a very high degree! oh, and of course they're silver-white, (actually silver-gray in horse jargon). Perfect!! see, now why didn't they hire me to do the horsey bit of the movie? i would've glorified bill a bit more, and given shadowfax the biggest role in the movie...
(goes off sulking and muttering..)

(...realises something...)
??question??
have they made legolas ride bareback without a bridle? i know they can, i even know people who can train horses to do that, but can they train orlando??????:confused: :confused:

[Ged]

Well, the simple fact is that there just isn't a horse like Shadowfax in the world any longer. Because of this, Peter Jackson was forced to use the closest-looking real horse he could find.

Seriously, again we are judging the movie by a few poor quality stills. Let's give the film-makers some credit for knowing their business. I'm sure that when we see the movie in the cinema Shadowfax (and Gandalf too!) will look magnificient.

[PRH]

Shadowfax may go the way of Bill the Pony and just be along in the background. I hope not because Shadowfax was a much bigger character in the books than Bill. I certainly hope they make him into some sort of character rather than just a prop. If they do make a big deal out of him being a king among horses than surely they will alter his appearance in post-production. I wonder what kind of introduction we'll get to him.

[Kelkorian]

I hope they'll introduce him the same way they did in the book. Seeing a great silver horse running towards the company through open fields... That would be a pleasure.

[PRH]

Well, in the book Gandalf told of him at the COE (meeting him outside Edoras). We missed that already. However, like you say I hope they do introduce him the way we first saw him in the book TTT.

[I.am.Smeagol]

Actually the horse they used for Shadowfax really looked like (and had the same movement) of an Andalusian (spelling? sorry, forgot). And Andies are related to Lippies, (the aformentioned breed of horse).

[I.am.Smeagol]

http://personales.ya.com/movienews/elsenyordelosanillos2/foto40.jpg
Hmm, on second thoughts, maybe not a lippy or andy. Hmm.

[Goldberry344]

when JRRT says "Does he not shine like silver" he doesnt say "he doesnt shine like silver" he says "look at him?? doesn't he shine like silver?" indicating that Shadowfax DOES shine like silver. he is a great horse..."I have not seen his like before." indecatest that the horse is so beautiful there is no match to him. have you ever seen a "proud" horse?? they are georgeous and they know it.

then again, this could just be my interpretation. I ride horses and i have a wild devotion to them so when i read the description of Shadowfax i pictured a huge 18hand horse of pure shiny white. one you would never see in real life.

[Shadowfax]

I sincerely doubt that they would use a Lippizaner, as they are (when not in ultra collected dressage frames that are impossible to get with out a weymouth) the ugliest horses to ever walk the earth. They are incredibly short, have these huge heads, and bull necks, and incredibly short backs. I know, I have seen them in person, and i have to say that they were nothing like "The Miracle of the White Stallions". From the picture, it looks like they might have used an Arabian out of the Kemosdabe++++ line. One of my friends owns one of his grandsons, who looks just like the horse in the picture. The only problem with a "show Arab" is that you can't do anything with them except show, because their legs are so fragile. (Sorry any Arab people I have offended) Also, they could have used Twinkle Toes hoof and hair polish (or maybe showsheen) to make him shine. but then Again, that would make it very hard for Gandalf to stay on his back. (I know, I have jumped my horse bareback after putting showsheen on her. It wasn't pretty.) This is kind of switching the subject, but when I first read TTT, I wondered if Gandalf wasn't going senile, dressing all in white and with a matching horse. That's like saying "I'm a target! Shoot me!" in battle.

[Goldberry344]

I think they'll probably use either a Lippy or an arabian. A lippy would be cool for the special riding stunts they'll probably do.

[Shadowfax]

I still doubt that they will use a Lip. They are still b*tt ugly w/out that dressage frame, and it is impossible to attain that frame with out a full bridle. besides, an untrained Lipp. (At least in the NW Usa, is abt $40,000. (I know, Iam currently looking for a new horse, and I called up a local L. farm, and that's what their cheapest horse was going for.) I sincerely doubt that they are going to spend that much money on a short, (the lipp. I saw were even more runty than my mare, which is really saying something, since she is only 15hh. Maybe they will use an Anglo- or Shayga- Arab, as they are generally taller, calmer, and hardier than your average "pure" arabian, and stil have the Arab "look". Besides, they probably want a horse that will look special to non-horsey people, and even though when you and I look at an Andalusian or Lipp, and we think, "Wow! Look at those haunches, and his sturdy legs! and that neck and head would allow him to do some awsome collections!" non-horsey people, (bear in mind, I'm generalizing on them from my mom) would say,"Why does Shadowfax look so fat and short?" Thank you for leeting me run off at the mouth, I just get a little passionate where horses are concerned.;)

[I.am.Smeagol]

Bah, I hope they dont use an Arabian (Although I love Shagyas....... *dreamy look*). I always pictured Shadowfax to have a more sturdy look to him. I ride at an Andy farm and you can get Andies and Lippies cheaper than that. I'm not exactly partial to the breed, though, I dont like how they are slightly sucked in and its quite hard to get them to extend. Hmm. I think that the perfect Shadofax would be a White Friesian (if there was such a thing.) Erm, yay. my random rant for the day!

Lol, btw, Didnt Arwen ride an Andy/Lippy in FotR? Looked like it. lol

[Shadowfax]

Well, remember, I said where *I* live, which is in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, a barren wasteland for any sort of English riding (not to mention Dressage) there is only one Lippizan farm in the area that I know of, so that is where I got my price. (Now I am green w/ envy at you for riding at an Andalusian farm;) ) But I am glad tou agree with me about the Arabs.:)

[I.am.Smeagol]

*Giggles* Poor you, ah dont worry, I myself ride a good ol' Quarter Horse TB cross, no Andys for me! Bah, btw, almost all of the Andys here(wich are basicly lippies) are ridden w/ a Snaffle, no double bridles and whatnot, and they are in frame....

[Shadowfax]

:) btw- Quarter Horses rock (I have one)! I know you can get really well trained dressage mounts in frame with a snaffle, but I have never seen one do the airs in less than a weymouth (even though lipp. are ridden bareback for those!) But It would be really cool If they got a harse that could do that for a battle scene. if they do you might see me in the paper after getting arrested for attempted horse-napping ;) !<---------(joking)

[I.am.Smeagol]

*Grins* Howa bout we go stalk the crew of FotR until we find out where all the horsies came from, and we go steal them? ;P
Mauahaha

[Shadowfax]

*hehehehehe* (thinking about all the pretty ponies) "They're mine! All mine!;) PS: do you ride dressge exclusively? (I event- or I would if I had enough mithril to go to shows ;) )

And, about Asfaloth- I thought elves were supposed to be these wonderful horsemen (and women) who didn't need big curbs and to hold their horses backe behind the vertical and thump on his poor back and
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I'm sorry, I hit the key board with my fist.

[elvish-queen]

O YEAH, horsey people!! Why didn't you tell me there were horsey people??
Anyway, from the front I can't tell much, but it looks a little araby, (spelling?). oh, and arabs do not have frail legs, they were bred for hardiness and my arab never went lame once, (I'm not sure what type she was, probably spanish, definately not egyptian). Lippys aren't ugly, they're really quite beautiful but it's a different beautiful to arabs, who are the most beautiful things to walk the planet!!

oh, and (change of subject!) if you've ever heard arabs can't jump, tell whoever said that to get lost! my arab was the champion childrens (under 15) showjumper of South Africa, could jump 4 ft easily from the trot, and has jumped 4ft9 if not 5ft!!

Well, if they don't buy a Lippy, can you imagine how proud a Lippy stud would be to have, "Lippizaner horse kindly supplied (not right word, but u get where I'm aiming) by ****** stud". And Lippys kinda have a majestic huge "great" look about them. Andys would be great too.

I'll steal a horse too!! travelling 6 hrs tomorrow to find a real champion showjumper, don't know what breed, I like (as horses opposed to ponies) the Irish sport horse, Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods.

:D :D Anyway, who does showjumping around here??:D :D

[elvish-queen]

I also get over-excited when I discuss horses, (calm yourelf Becca)
Anyone here heard of Parelli natural horsemanship?? It is miraculous! Went on a course and my pony was a different pony at the end of the day!! She was so responsive. It's all about using 'horse-language' to communicate to your horse, and when you're really pro at it you can ride without anything on your horses head and (if i got the right picture) i think they naturally come into the right frame. it's amazing, go to www.parelli.com if you want to see more. I would swear by it, and when I get my horse (i grew out of my little 14.1hh arab pony, *sniff sniff*!!) I'm gonna practice it loads!! Really, you have got to try it!
well, that's my mouthful!

i.am.smeagol, i would never have guessed you were horse-mad! i'll try not to fall out with you from now on, ok?? I don't fight with horse mad people! (especially not ones which could get me an andalucian horse, do they jump?? could you send a jumping one to south africa??.... sorry, one-tracked mind:D !!)
ps, what does btw stand for, sorry, i'm a blonde!!

[elvish-queen]

I wish you could have seen my pony, everyone who sees her falls in love with her. Her name is 'Fancy' for short but her long name is really really long so don't worry about it. She's a bright cherry bay with a perfect blaze, 2 stockings on her back legs and one small vee-shape coronet marking on her near fore. Her eyes, face and nostrils (you know how arabs are) are so expressive, and when we were on a hack she danced and spooked cos she wanted to gallop. Sounds beautiful huh?? Is even more beautiful in real life...bottom lip quivers....*bursts out crying* I WANT HER BACK!! I WANT MY BABY BACK!!! does anyone know where I can go for trauma counselling??:(

[elvish-queen]

Sorry about my blab, I just get like that sometimes when I think of her, she's gone to a nice home, though. :( U got horses??:D

[I.am.Smeagol]

Muahahahahahahahaha, Horse People Unite!!!


Oh boy, well firstly, yes I most certainly am a horse person. So is Goldberry334. Secondly, btw means by the way (don’t worry, I am blonde too, ;) .) Thirdly, I know Arabians don’t have weak legs, they just look weaker than they really are. Besides (attempting to do) dressage, I do endurance, and would do almost anything for one of those Endurancy-type Arabians. ^_~. Sorry, Shadowfax, no Eventing for me, I just don’t seem to click w/ jumping even though I rode at a jumper barn for about 2 years, and did a few jumper shows. I also did hunters for about a year. Bah. My instructor events though.

[I.am.Smeagol]

Awwwe, *hugs* I am sorry you don’t have your pony any more. :( Well, I have my appendix that I mentioned earlier, I co-own him with my instructor. Just got him, he is a sweetheart, but doesn’t know anything /yet/ muahaha.
As for Andies, well they can jump, its just that are more well known for their Dressage. The barn has an azteca here (Andy x QH) that would jump the moon if you let her.

[elvish-queen]

*evil look comes into eyes* give me the az-whatever... *evil look goes* sorry, don't have those in SA (South Africa, we've got quite strong in our horse sports believe it or not). azteca, well, you learn something new every day!:) . Don't believe any-1 can't like jumping, but that's just me, I'm kinda one-track-minded. Ok, so we have an eventer, a showjumper and an endurance rider, (My pony would have been brill at endurance, never tried though) What does Goldberry do?
Have you been to the parelli site yet?? It really is excellent, I'm not making this stuff up, it's almost elvish with the nature-loving thingy!!
hey, instead of this gollum stuff we could have a Shadowfax / anti-Shadowfax post thingy! wait, no, that wouldn't work, there'd be no-one anti and we'd have no arguments, bummer. Ok, *turfs idea to the side*:D I really show my hair-colour today!!
Didn't know there were so many horsey peoples, didn't look in front of my nose!

[Shadowfax]

Hey horsey people-
Please do not think that I am anti arabian! I think they are beutiful talented horses! Unfortunately, up here in the Pacific Northwest horse desert, *show* arabs ARE frail. As I am not to deep into the arab scene, I do not know about any place else. My best friend however, shows on the Arab circuit, and she knows of a horse that broke it's leg trotting to the warm up ring. Btw, the DC (cheif) of my pony club is an endurance rider and she is on the US Equestrian team. I have ridden her arabs, and they are a dream! BUT, they do not, look like *show* arabs. Also, her daughter rides an arab PONY who can out jump most of the fancy *ss warmbloods here. Btw,elf-princess, if you want a (practically) free horse with a lot of jumping talent (and you don't mind taking your life into your hands) you could have my mare. She jumped a 4'6" wall (her stall) from a standstill! But she has flashbacks to when she was a bronco in a former life, and I am really hoping to become a senior citizen;) .
I still do not like the way Lipp. look, but hey, thats why there are different breeds of horses for different people, right? I hope the anti - Shadowfax wasn't directed at me! I think I will go off and have a good cry now *sniff*.:(
PS: Why didn't they use friesians for the nazgul horses? Anybody know?

[son of bilbo]

excuse me.......but I was just wondering where shadowfax lives.......as I live in Oregon also.

Isn't Oregon great Shadowfax.


I'm sorry....that was really irrelevant.

Forgive me

[Shadowfax]

I live just outside of Springfield, way out in the sticks. Oh yes, Oregon's great, a mudhole in the winter (one stable I worked at, and this is in all seriousness, had mud that was deeper than my Wellies were tall) and home of the nuclear, man-eating blackberries in the summer. I really think that we should change our state plant from the Oregon Grape to the Blackberry, because eventually they are going to take over the world, and we had better start sucking up to them while we have the chance!;)

[Rangerdave]

Well, since the term "fax" is ancient german for hair or mane, I would suppose he looks like a normal horse with a shadowy mane. but seiing as he is the greatest of all living horses, he would be the epitome of horse.

So not so much differet, just better
Comparing Shadowfax to normal horses is like comparing Elle Macpherson (insert fav super-model here) to Rosanne Barr.

RD

[Cian]

"... for there I got my grey horse, and I name him Greyfax. Not even the Chief of the Nine could go with such tireless speed; and by day his coat glistens like silver, and at night it is as unseen as a shadow." JRRT The Treason Of Isengard (History Of The LOTR part two)

That's from a draft of course, JRRT revising the name. And from "The Return Of The King":

"And Gandalf, too, was now riding on his tall grey horse, all clad in white ..." RotK

"At that moment he caught a flash of white and silver coming from the North, ..." RotK

Both are Gandalf atop the great Shadowfax of course, and with the latter there would seem to be a(n) (apparent) distinction between "white" and "silver". While I'm in no way learned about horses, I'm yet aware of the "horse-speak" terminolgy folk have brought up concerning "gray" (and the dictionary definition of "silver" too), yet I note that JRRT uses the word "white" to describe Asfaloth for example.

[elvish-queen]

() ()
/ \
O * O
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(o o)

Cute huh?

Anyway, no, don't worry Shadowfax, I wasn't reffering to you, I was referring to the horse, but as I said, we wouldn't be able to make up an anti- club. And definately, different breeds for different people, I am partial to arabs, of course, (no, really??;) !) but i do see a certain magnificence in Lippys. I know a pony of 12.2hh that jumped her plus minus 4 ft 3 stable door from a standstill, pity practically no-one could stay on her back! I nearly died today, went to try out a horse, and nobody told me that he hasn't jumped since last year, so I'm taking him over about 3ft6 and he starts bouncing sideways and flicking his head! Was great anyways. might get him.
Ex-bronco horse?? I think you're v. brave, in South Africa we get horses off the track, but warmbloods are slowly coming into the scene. What I don't get is people who are so interested in the breeding and looks that they don't take into consideration the horse's personality and talents.:confused:. I know an UGLY (I'm serious about that) horse that has just the most magnificent jump ever!
Don't know why they didn't use friesians, Maybe they look to kind, and they're not that tall.
I'm interested in this new Irish Sports horse, never ridden one before though.
:D :D

[Shadowfax]

Hey, all! I found a magnificent pic of a TRULY silver horse, but my scanner is on the fritz, and I don't know when it will be fixed. And, I did know that "Fax" means mane auf Deutsch. (Ich bin eine Deutsch Schulerin) My personal image of Shadowfax was always a steel gray horse, with maybe some dapples. Switch subject, I just visited a site where they have figurines of characters, and they had Aragorn with some bay horse named...ummm... I forgot, but it wasn't Hasufel or Roheryn! Grrrrrr...:mad: And, I did picture Shadowfax as an Arab.

[Gandalf]

I agree. They shoub use an arab they are the best horses in the world. If you can't do anything with them then how come they are used in races. Lipps are really unattractive so I don't think they will use one despite how "intelligent" they are.