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Houyhnhnm
Introduction References & Edit History
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Illustration of Lemuel Gulliver kneeling and gesturing while speaking to a large, seated horse, the Houyhnhnm, inside a rustic shelter with household items in the foreground.
Quick Facts
Key People:
Jonathan Swift
Related Topics:
horse
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Houyhnhnm

fictional character
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History

Houyhnhnm, any member of a fictional race of intelligent, rational horses described by Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift in the satirical novel Gulliverā€™s Travels (1726). The Houyhnhnms are contrasted with the monstrous Yahoos, members of a brutish humanoid race that the Houyhnhnms have tamed into submission.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.