Sweetfoot
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 Egg tends to Sweetfoot in Ashford Meadow, by Ted Nasmith | ||||
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| Species | Horse (palfrey) | |||
| Gender | Female | |||
| Book | The Hedge Knight (appears) | |||
Sweetfoot was a mare palfrey, owned by Ser Arlan of Pennytree, and later Ser Duncan the Tall.[1]
Contents
Character
Sweetfoot was Ser Arlan's riding horse, and bore the hedge knight tirelessly over thousands of miles, up and down the seven kingdoms. She had an easy gait, was sure of foot, and was calm.[1]
History
When Dunk became Ser Arlan's squire, he would ride the knight's stot Chestnut,[2] while Arlan rode his palfrey Sweetfoot. (Arlan's destrier, Thunder, was not ridden except in tourneys and battle.) Arlan frequently told Dunk that a knight should never love a horse, since they might die under him, but he loved his horses anyway. Arlan often spent his last copper on an apple for Chestnut, or oats for Sweetfoot and Thunder.[1]
In 209 AC, the aged Arlan died from a chill on the way to Ashford Meadow, and Dunk took ownership of Sweetfoot, along with Thunder and Chestnut. At first Dunk debated selling Thunder and Chestnut, and keeping Sweetfoot, but then he decided to attend the tourney at Ashford Meadow as the knight Ser Duncan the Tall. To afford a suit of armor, Dunk reluctantly decided to sell Sweetfoot, as Chestnut was not worth much, and Thunder would be needed for the joust.[1]
Dunk rode Sweetfoot to Ashford, finding her gait easier than Chestnut's, but still tiring. On the way, he stopped at an inn, where Dunk first met Prince Aegon Targaryen, disguised as "Egg", when he asked the (assumed) stableboy to rub down Sweetfoot and feed his horses.[1]
At Ashford, Dunk first attempted to sell Sweetfoot to the master of horse at Ashford Castle, but the man refused her, saying that Lord Ashford had no need for such a horse. However, he did refer Dunk to the Henly, the stableman in the town. Henly liked the look of Sweetfoot, until he heard Dunk wanted to sell her, and then he only pointed out flaws. They bargained from Henly's first offer of three hundred silver stags and Dunk's asking price of three thousand, down to seven hundred and fifty silver stags, with a bit extra for Sweetfoot's saddle. Dunk hoped that if he won the tourney, he would return and buy back Sweetfoot, though he knew that Henly would be selling the palfrey for twice as much, with no flaws. As he left, Dunk gave a few coppers to Henly, telling him to give Sweetfoot some oats and an apple that night.[1]
Quotes
You're a good girl, aren't you?[1]
—Duncan the Tall, to Sweetfoot