Horse and Cart

[Lady Cregga]

In Redwall, a horse is mentioned in the beginning, pulling a cart. In the rest of the series there is no mention of horses or carts. The horse is also shown on the cover of some editions.

Am I the only one curious about this? Where do you guys think the horse and cart are from, and why are no horses mentioned since?

Personally, I think horses are only found far south in the Redwall world, and that is why the main characters never see them, because they never go to the regions where they live. And that horse might have been captured by Cluny's horde or something and forced northward.

[Izeroth]

 Brian stated that, since Redwall was his first novel and he never expected to do a series, he removed a lot of things later on. Basically, much of what is in Redwall could be considered "non-canon" for the rest of the books.

[Lady Cregga]

Ah, ok. So that explains the solitary beaver as well.

[The Skarzs]

There is a topic on the solitary beaver in Character Discussion, if you are so inclined.

Like Izeroth said, Brian Jacques had not intended to continue the series, so he added stuff in that, had he known he were to write several books after it, would have stayed out. For example, the town dog that Old Methuselah cared to, and when there was a rumor that Cluny had run a herd of pigs off a cliff.

[MeadowR]

I find it difficult to dismiss what was written in that book. If it wasn't a horse, if we have to forget there was a horse, what was pulling that cart? He's kind of hard to forget when he's on a lot of Redwall front covers, as well! I just can't disregard things like that which were written in the book. So I guess by that opinion I would say similar, that the horses are in one place quite far from the woodlanders (same as I think with the deer).

[Jukka the Sling]

My take on the horse (and any other first-book anomalies) is that Redwall records of that time were lost, damaged, or mistranslated before they came down to us.

[Wydran Riverpaw]

My take on the horse (and any other first-book anomalies) is that Redwall records of that time were lost, damaged, or mistranslated before they came down to us.

I think this is an interesting idea, but then how would they know what a horse was in the first place?

[Jukka the Sling]

My take on the horse (and any other first-book anomalies) is that Redwall records of that time were lost, damaged, or mistranslated before they came down to us.

I think this is an interesting idea, but then how would they know what a horse was in the first place?

Maybe it was just a creature of legend. Or maybe they didn't mention a horse at all; the records might've been mistranslated years later.

[MeadowR]

Interesting idea there, Jukka!

Does that book start with someone else retelling it? Can't remember.

[Jukka the Sling]

Interesting idea there, Jukka!

Does that book start with someone else retelling it? Can't remember.

I don't think so.

[MatthiasMan]

I thought about this for a bit.

I've come to the conclusion that the animals in the Redwall series aren't exactly completely animals. Yeah, they are mice and everything, but they have more human aspects to them which makes them kind of "above" animals, if you will.

They are more like anthropomorphic animals really. Half human half animal. This makes sense as least.

So there are still animals but they are kinda like "advanced" animals.

[Izeroth]

 I would beg to differ with you. Human characteristics are never described in the books (example: paw always replaces hand, and beast is always used in place of person), and all the illustrations depict Redwall animals as normal animals in human clothing.

[MeadowR]

The horse may be named and shown, but clearly there are pigs somewhere, too! They get mentioned indirectly quite a few times in books after Redwall. There must have been a livestock farm of sorts at some time, and maybe that became derelict and the animals went to various places to live out their lives, and from there the horse was taken for thingybob's service, but gradually these animals became less known yet the idea of them continued somewhat through the generations. Eh... I dunno.

[Blaggut]

Are Redwallers furries then? Are the furry haters coming to Jill us and spam yet another forum?!

[Izeroth]

 I... uh.. don't consider the Redwallers to be furries..

But, back on subject, I stand by my claim that the later books make the horse and cart irrelevant. Besides stuff that the other books mention, we can't really take anything in Redwall seriously.