Nazgul horses

[Nilore]

I'm puzzled about the "horses" that the ringwraiths ride on. In the film they seem to have teeth and i've never heard a horse make noises like there's!
Also, what are the winged Nazgul, I don't understand that properly either!

Please don't say I'm dumb because I don't know these things!!!
Afterall i'm asking for help!:mad:

Nilore

[Fred Baggins]

Tolkin never gave a very descriptive description of the Winged creatures the Nazgul ride when there horses are destroyed, that I know of anyway. They just rode dark winged creatures.

I don't understand your question about the horses though.

[Khamûl]

Even though you mentioned the movie, I'm going to move this to the books forum since you are curious about the winged Nazgûl.

[Urksnik the Sleek]

As I understand it, the horses were just normal horses, bred in Mordor by the servants of Sauron, this is why they were able to be destroyed by the flood Elrond loosed at the ford of Rivendell.
As to the winged steed, there is a brief descriptive passage in RoTK which makes them seem almost prehistoric in appearance, sort of a cross between a dragon, a bird and a dinosaur, but even then, Tolkien states that nobody knew exactly what they were or where they came from.
Apart from Sauron himself presumably.

[webwizard333]

I'm puzzled about the "horses" that the ringwraiths ride on. In the film they seem to have teeth and i've never heard a horse make noises like there's! Also, what are the winged Nazgul, I don't understand that properly either!

The average horse does have teeth, and in the book the horses are normal except for being specially trained so that the Nazgul could ride them, as normal, untrained animals would run away in fear. I'm unable to explain sounds horses make. The winged Nazgul is just the name given to the Nazgul when they rode their flying steeds, which I visualize as pterdactyl-like. It's my personal theory that Tolkien meant they were wyvern.

[bropous]

The horses the Nazgul rode were stolen from the Rohirrim by Orc raiding-parties. They sought especially for the all-black horses, and of course the Rohirrim steeds were descended from a very old line of horses indeed.

As for the "winged steeds", just visualize a long-necked pteranodon or pterodactyl. Tolkien seems to intimate an almost prehistoric origin.

[Rían]

Hi Nilore! I'm a "horse-person", and I can tell you that horses do indeed have teeth - in fact, I've been bitten by one! :) Also, horses can make some strange sounds - all of the horse sounds on the movie I have heard from real horses, especially stallions (they make that 'screaming' noise). However, I think you're also thinking of the screaming-type noise that I would say the Ringwraiths are making - the sound that's a little more bird-like. That isn't a horse noise. Does anyone remember where the reference is in the book about how the wraiths sound? It's some bird-like screaming, I think, but I can't find the reference right now.

[Claenoic]

I believe it was somewhere between Buckland and Hobbiton, when Frodo, Sam, and Pippin were resting. They heard a long, high pitched scream, mixed with what seemed like words. It was a way for the Nazgul to communicate.

[Rían]

Thanks, Claenoic, that helped narrow it down - and here it is: Ho! Ho! Ho! they began again louder. They stopped short suddenly. Frodo sprang to his feet. A long-drawn wail came down the wind, like the cry of some evil and lonely creature. It rose and fell, and ended on a high piercing note. Even as they sat and stood, as if suddenly frozen, it was answered by another cry, fainter and further off, but no less chilling to the blood.

[Erawyn]

Oh thats one of my favourite parts of the book! So creepy!
Anywho, i agree, i think most of the horse noises in the movie sounded pretty real.

[Rían]

Stallions can make some really wild noises, can't they, Erawyn! (so temperamental! :D)

Yes, that's a really creepy part - they're singing along, then that creepy wail .... *hides under covers*

[Firekitten2006]

I'm into horses too and every sound the horses made in the movie were real sounds horses made. And yeah they do have teeth. ;) lol I know what youre talking about in the movie. That scene when frodo jumps onto the ferry after merry and pippen had just joined them, the horse and naz gul both start making sounds. I had to watch that part a couple of times because it does seem like its the horse making all of those sounds at once!

[Agburanar]

I was annoyed to see in the film that if you look closely the horses are actually brown and have cuts all over them for some reason. Peter Jackson really has to move on from unconvincing zombies sometime.

Having said this, John Howe who did the design for the film does draw some really good flying steeds. I hope they'll get featured as they are in the paintings. (He does, however, do quite a few drawings without including details mentioned in the book...)

[Firekitten2006]

Yeah, i noticed too that when they do a close up on the hooves or the face the horses are brown. I think the cuts were probably makeup for effect tho. Like the red eyes :)

[Agburanar]

I like the horses having little versions of the eye of Sauron. Don't like the cuts though.

[entss89]

to answer one of your ? of the winged nazgul, well lets just take a normal black rider and give it wings, thats pretty much how i see a winged nazgul. and also i believe they are much stronger then the normal ones.


:p

[bropous]

QUOTE: "to answer one of your ? of the winged nazgul, well lets just take a normal black rider and give it wings, thats pretty much how i see a winged nazgul. and also i believe they are much stronger then the normal ones."

D'huh??

"normal ones"? "Black rider and give it wings"? The winged Nazgul are somehow pegasi spray-painted black?

I must be misreading this.

The MOUNTS which the Nine Nazgul used which "converted them into winged nazgul" were reptilian long-necked dinosaur looking things. The Nazgul RODE these creatures, they did not spout balrog wings and fly off. As for their strength as compared to the "normal ones", since they were BOTH the same thing, non-sequitur.

Maybe we need a new thread: "Do Nazgul gots wings?"