Capaill uisce


 * "The water horses are hungry and wicked, vicious and beautiful, hating us and loving us."

The capaill uisce (singular: capall uisce) are native to the seas around the island of Thisby, emerging from the sea every year in the autumn.

Behaviour
The water horses are wild and vicious, unable to resist the magic of the November sea. They have to be fed with blood.

Appearance

 * "They are every color of the pebbles on the beach: black, red, golden, white, ivory, gray, blue."

Water horses come in every colour that normal land horses do and similarly, most are bay or chestnut. More unusual colours are dun, palomino, black, grey and piebald.

Defence

 * "These are not ordinary horses. Drape them with charms, hide them from the sea, but today, on the beach: Do not turn your back."

Men hang the bridles of their water horses with red tassels daisies to lessen the effect of the sea on their horses so that they can stay in control. They despise iron.

When threatened by a water horse, the islanders are careful to remain motionless, as they love a moving target and the thrill of a chase.

Pronunciation
(singular) Capall uisce: CAPple ISHka

(plural) Capaill uisce: COPple OOSHka

Origin
Based on the legends of the eich uisce — the Celtic water horse