The Opare Warhorse

The Opare warhorse is a breed of heavy warhorse that is prized by knights and paladins, but is even more valued by the Dragonborn.
The Dragonborn, being created through magic from the blood of dragons, retain several traits associated with dragons. They are reptilian in features, have scales over their bodies, lay eggs to produce offspring, and have a limited breath weapon. But they also smell like dragons. This usually is not a concern as most other races that they interact with them can not detect the odor, but a lot of animals do notice the smell. For all of history, dragons have been predators of cattle, sheep, and horses. The smell of a dragon causes these creatures to panic, and if not properly trained and under control, to flee.
The Opare warhorse overcomes this problem. They have been bred by the Opare family to eliminate their sense of smell, and increase their size and strength. This makes the Opare warhorse the perfect mount not only for knights in their heavy armor, but also for the Imperial Dragonborn forces. The Opare is considered fearless, loyal, and one of the smartest of all horse breeds and owning one is a point of pride for many warriors and nobles.
The Opare family trains the colts before they are sold to insure the quality remains the high, and to give them time to insure that they gelded, so that the new owner does not breed the horse.

Origin/Ancestry

The Opare Warhorse is believed to have descended from a group of horses from the plains of Gertfyr.

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Average Height

6' at the shoulder

Average Weight

1500 - 1800 pounds

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Most of the Opare warhorses are chestnut colored with white markings. Occasionally, one is born that is nearly all white. These white Opares fetch a premium price and are often reserved for the Imperial family.