A (relatively) quick reference sheet for an animal that plays a rather prominent role in the Small Gods canon: the varkha.

AKA the horse that will maul and trample you if you so much as look at it wrong. And yeah, I know that it is TECHNICALLY a pony in terms of height, but whatever. Icelanding horses don't count as ponies, so this thing doesn't either.

It doesn't even count as a "horse" really - it has multiple toes instead of one large hoof, in addition to a dewclaw. Essentially, the varkha is the result of divergent evolution - in this world, early horses branched out into the animals we know and love today, and into multiple-toed ungulates better adapted to high altitudes and cold weather. The varkha's feet allow for surprising agility and the ability to scale sheer cliffs like nobody's business - they're not QUITE as good at it as mountain goats, but a really smug pony looking down at you from some impossible-looking rock is a relatively common sight in the wild. The dewclaws and long canine teeth are both for mauling the hell out of wolves and for displays - both are more prominent in males, however, females tend to be larger and bulkier overall.

I have no idea how did these hellbeasts get domesticated in the first place, but the point is, these are what the mountain folk in Aalit's doman ride.