MEDIA: Watercolor on paper/2009

DESCRIPTION:

Tiger-horses ( Equus ferus tigris ) are a rare breed of horse unique to Antellonia. Though physiologically they are very close to the common domestic horse, they possess a wide range of tiger-like features, the most notable of which is their coat, but also include a longer, feline tail, better vision, and a more aggressive temperament. Unlike common horses they are solitary creatures, and though completely vegetarian in diet they have been known to hunt down and kill animals— particularly large predators. They are also marginally more intelligent than common horses, making them impossible to train or ride.

Tiger-horses stand between 15 1/2 an 16 hands at the withers, and in the wild usually live between 15 and 20 years. Mares will display the high neck crest as well as stallions, and have been known to be even more aggressive—especially when in foal. They are long-coupled, with short legs, powerful shoulders, and a unique slinking walk (not unlike a tiger).

Tiger-horses are believed to be the result of a wizard's experiment when he tried to breed the compatibility of a horse into a tiger—and things went a little wrong. Tiger-horses a now found in many light forested areas, especially ones where there are wild tigers. Actual tigers are the only predators tiger-horses will not try to trample on site, and the tigers know better than to bother them.

NOTES: One of my most well-known pieces, so I thought it would be fitting that it's by debut on Weasyl. ;) It kind of exploded on deviantART, and has now made appearances across the internet on blogs and RPing sites. I don't much mind, actually, especially if people ask nicely first and attribute accordingly—as outlined in its by-nc-nd Creative Commons license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

ATTRIBUTION:

Grace Goldeen Ogawa/goldeenogawa.com OR

Agent Elrond/agent-elrond.deviantart.com

More info on the dA post: http://agent-elrond.deviantart.com/art/Tiger-horse-137119557