Pishal Species Sheet

This Species is currently CLOSED, and can only be obtained through breeding, imports, or adoptables. I will be making adoptables for them but I'm probably going to make them art adoptables since I don't really care for Points at the moment. So keep an eye out for some that might just pop up.

Origin

First found in the mountains to the Far to the East of Sira and Avalah, a few were brought east and used in the steep slopes of the Apalva Mountains. They are harder to imprint on than the Avalkre Warhorses so they are not as common as mounts. They are normally kept in the mountains where even the surefooted warhorses lose their footing. They have been brought to different places by the Hunters who can change what dimensions they are in.

Appearance

With a long, thick neck with an arch that is characteristic of the species. Their ears are large and can flick in many directions, but when they are relaxed the ears are back. The males grow two long swept back horns that can reach up to five feet (152 cm), these horns grown the first three feet quickly in the first twenty years of life with the last two feet of growth taking nearly thirty years to grow. Their chest is deep and wide, housing large lungs and a large heart. Their forelegs are well muscled and strong; they end in hand like paws with sharp claws. The back legs are longer than the forelegs giving them a spine swaying walk. Their thick tails are longer than their body and are held stiffly behind them for balance. While they might look stiff but they are quite flexible and it is as prehensile as a monkey’s tail. The tail tip is used to communicate to other Pishal without making too much noise if there is a treat near, though the tip is almost contently moving. Normally they make deep throated noises; growls, bugles, and roars; but they also make softer noises of coos, purrs, and clicks.

Pishal can be any natural horse coat color, though darker ones are seen more often with Muroe and lighter coats with Stav so they can show off to their mates. This does not mean that there can’t be a palomino Muroe or a black Stav, they just aren’t as common. Most Pishal have white markings on them, each is unique and is a way for family members to locate each other when large groups get together. Patterns can be passed down from Parent to Pup, but even the rare set of twins aren’t completely identical. These markings are a mix of Sabino, Splash, Tobaino, Overo, Tovero, or any other white markihg, with each individual having a mix of any of the markings listed either shown or not. These markings can be full body or just socks and a face marking, when breeders started to categorize the different markings they had a hard time since only a few markings were passed down to be similar from parent to offspring. They just made the generic term mm for minimal markings, mM/Mm for medium markings, and MM for near full body markings.

Imprinting, Reproduction, and Temperament

There is a strain of nature magic that runs deep in the veins of the Pishal that if activated can drastically change the lifespan of the individual. This magic can only be activating if the individual finds a rider that they can imprint to. The imprinting is done with natural magic that is released with a rider and a Pishal that are meant to be together, it is a once in a lifetime find most of the time. When the imprinting is completed both Pishal and rider will live to over several hundred years. If the bond is severed by the death of one of them, the other will age normally except for a little longevity until they die. It is rare for the remaining partner to re-imprint, and it is only a one in a million chance.

Not every Pishal imprints, these wild Pishal only live to be around a hundred years in age, showing the large gap between the two types. Wild Pishal can be captured from the wild and trained to a regular rider, these riders only have a shallow bond with the Pishal. This bond is similar to horses and their riders, they will follow the rider and accept commands from them but they won’t have the soul deep bond of the imprinted Pairs.

In the wild Pishal gather in packs of mated pairs and single Pishal, with a between fifteen to thirty individuals all told. These packs carve out a territory that they hunt and graze in; they can become severely territorial and they don’t tolerate strange packs entering their territory without forewarning. Wild Pishal have been known to attack interlopers with very little warning, which is reasonable when a person can see obvious territory markings of hung bones and runes. Imprinted and tame Pishal turn this natural territorial instinct into a way to protect their rider and the place they are set to guard. If a tame but not Imprinted Pishal is brought into a herd of normal horses, they will protect them from thieves or natural predators. Pishal are not known to be friendly to humans who are not introduced to them as friends, or humans who don’t have the treat they are trained to. If a human has both the Pishal will never forget their face and will help protect them as well.

When in packs in the wild, Pishal hunt in groups focusing on several animals that could feed the entire pack. Much like a pack of wolves or a pride of lions, the pack will track a herd and then separate off members of the herd to kill. When a kill is made the lead pair will feed first, then the other pairs and single Pishal will feed. The pups will feed with their parents. Though meat is not the only part of their diet, a Pishal will forage individually or with their mate for fruits, vegetables, and other plants. Adults will teach pups what to eat and what to not eat, what can be stored for the winter months and what needs to be eaten then.

Use, Disciplines, and Tack

Pishal can be used for plenty of different disciplines, though they will more likely be found in a Cross-Country event than a Dressage event. With their ability to jump vertically thirty or more feet (9 m) they should be used on custom obstacle courses that mimic mountainous terrains. Pishal can also reach speeds of near 70 mph (112.7 kph) though they are more likely to go around 30 mph (48 kph) over rough terrain. Their amazing ability to climb and even survive falls of over sixty feet (18.3 m) with no injuries and as well as their phenomenal sense of smell, a good Discipline for them is Search-and-Rescue. Their tack consists of a saddle that looks much like a racing-jockey saddle, a belly strap, a chest strap, and a neck strap that is used as a hand-hold. The stirrups are short and the riders sit much like a racing jockey. Balance is a big requirement when riding a Pishal for they can change direction in an instant and tilt and slide when they are moving around a landscape. If a rider doesn’t have the right reaction time or even right reactions to the movement of a Pishal they can go flying.

Breeding

Pishal can be described as a monogamous species when it comes to breeding, pairs can stay together for anything from half a decade to their entire lives. The wild Pishal and un-imprinted Pishal have different breeding habits that those Pishal who have imprinted with a rider.

Wild/Un-imprinted Pishal

These Pishal begin to breed between the ages of seven and ten, a few years after they leave their parents’ care and head out to join other packs. When a Muroe decides she wants a mate, she leaves a curtain scent marking at the edges of the territory that she inhabits with other single Muroe and mated pairs, to attract young Stavs to the area. The Stavs must prove to the female that they can protect her and her future pups, help provide food, and help raise the pups to come. This list of ‘requirements’ is because of the bond that is formed between Sire, Dam, and Pup. Being very social creatures, Pishal teach their pups all the species traditions in the first three to five years of the pup’s life. After the pup is mature enough to be allowed to hunt on its own, the mated pair can either leave each other or stay together for another breeding.

Imprinted Pishal

When a Pishal is imprinted, another set of preferences needs to be taken into account when searching for a mate. These Pishal don’t start breeding until their rider is of an age and mind to find a mate as well. It is more difficult and yet easier for Imprinted Pishal to find mates, because not only are they looking but their rider is looking as well. The requirements are the same though, the mates must be able to help protect, provide, and help raise any young that might come from the union. Also unlike the Wild Pishal, these matings are usually for life unless both pairs agree that they should part.

Crossbreeding

While it is rare for Pishal to cross-breed with other breeds, it is possible. The only crossbreed’s that have been recorded are sired by another breed, with the dam being a Muroe. This is probably because of the size that the foal/pup and the claws they are born with could kill the females of other species. When crossed with large horses, the resulting foal looks severely different from full blooded Pishal. Their tail is only a third of the length of a full blooded Pishal, with long fur cascading from the last half of the tail. The neck is shorter and the body is thinner than the mother, with the legs longer and slimmer. The toes of the paws start to fuse together looking much like prehistoric horse hooves. The horns of the males only grow to half the length of a full blooded Pishal.

FAQ

(If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, it helps me to get the information that I know from my head, to this page where it is needed for you all.)

(Thanks *Ettid for this batch)

Is it more like a horse or what?
Pishal are more cat-like than like horse-like, though their tail is more like what you would expect from a dragon, its mostly stiff (can bend a little and curve) for 2/3 of the length with the last 1/3 being able to freely move. When they move their tail moves with their spine.

Can they do pace?
While its a little more difficult for them to do the movements horses can do they can do them, their spine is much more flexible than that of a horse, allowing for more movement.

Can they do things like rearing and bucking?
They can rear up and with their tail they can balance for a while on their hind legs, for instance if they want to look over a wall. But if they want some one off, they will do all sorts of contortions to get them off.

When they jump, is it then like a horse or what?
When they jump they are quite like cats, they gather and leap, but they can participate in all jumping competitions the rider just needs to keep in mind the tail.

Are they good swimmers and how do they feel about it?
They are amazing swimmers, much like big cats they love a dip in the water and can hold their breath for a long time. They hunt for fish which is a good additive for their diet. They also are much like cats in their grooming. They like their pelt in order.

Do they stand up when they sleep or do they prefer to curl up like a dog or cat might?
They curl up to sleep, or stretch out, or contort in all sorts of strange positions, again much like a cat.


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This is a species that I have worked long and hard on and have gone through several different looks for them.


The Pishal Species and all art here are (C) to me.

1st Batch of Adopts CLOSED
2nd Batch of Adopts CLOSED
3rd Batch of Adopts OPEN