TheHorses of the Æsir arehorses present in Norse mythology which are ridden by theÆsir. Their main purpose is to be ridden daily toYggdrasil in order for their riders to pass judgements.[1] They are said to crossBifröst along their journey. Among them is the famousSleipnir which is the strongest one. They are mentioned in thePoetic Edda and theProse Edda.
The horses of Æsir are listed twice:
In theEddic poemGrímnismál the following names are listed:
— Grímnismál(30),Thorpe's translation,[2]
Snorri Sturluson the author of the Gylfaginning paraphrases this stanza in hisGylfaginning:
Each day the Æsir ride thither up over Bifröst, which is also called the Æsir's Bridge. These are the names of the Æsir's steeds:Sleipnir is best, which Odin has; he has eight feet. The second is Gladr, the third Gyllir, the fourth Glenr, the fifth Skeidbrimir, the sixth Silfrintoppr, the seventh Sinir, the eighth Gisl, the ninth Falhófnir, the tenth Gulltoppr, the eleventh Léttfeti. Baldr's horse was burnt with him; and Thor walks to the judgment.
— Gylfaginning(15),Brodeur's translation,[3]
Apart from Odin's eight-legged horseSleipnir, andGulltoppr, who belongs toHeimdallr according to theProse Edda,[4] nothing is known about these horses, especially their owner other than that they are ridden by the Æsir. These names aren't listed in theþulur.
Other horses are mentioned elsewhere:Gullfaxi, which originally belonged toHrungnir. Who was given byThor to his sonMagni after he killed thejötunn (Skáldskaparmál,17),Blóðughófi, which belongs toFreyr (Kálfsvísa) andHófvarpnir, which is ridden byGná (Gylfaginning,35).