Could a horse-sized wolf-like animal out run a horse?

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I an making a medieval society that uses a wolf-like animal as steeds instead of horses (in case it helps to have a description, think of a wolf built like a deer) and I wanted to know if it could out-run a horse within a hundred meters of each other.










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  • It can if you want it to. Really.
    – RonJohn
    10 hours ago










  • a wolf with hooves?
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago










  • over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
    – Alberto Yagos
    2 hours ago














up vote
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I an making a medieval society that uses a wolf-like animal as steeds instead of horses (in case it helps to have a description, think of a wolf built like a deer) and I wanted to know if it could out-run a horse within a hundred meters of each other.










share|improve this question









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sean daniel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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  • It can if you want it to. Really.
    – RonJohn
    10 hours ago










  • a wolf with hooves?
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago










  • over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
    – Alberto Yagos
    2 hours ago












up vote
4
down vote

favorite









up vote
4
down vote

favorite











I an making a medieval society that uses a wolf-like animal as steeds instead of horses (in case it helps to have a description, think of a wolf built like a deer) and I wanted to know if it could out-run a horse within a hundred meters of each other.










share|improve this question









New contributor




sean daniel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I an making a medieval society that uses a wolf-like animal as steeds instead of horses (in case it helps to have a description, think of a wolf built like a deer) and I wanted to know if it could out-run a horse within a hundred meters of each other.







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edited 8 hours ago









kingledion

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  • It can if you want it to. Really.
    – RonJohn
    10 hours ago










  • a wolf with hooves?
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago










  • over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
    – Alberto Yagos
    2 hours ago
















  • It can if you want it to. Really.
    – RonJohn
    10 hours ago










  • a wolf with hooves?
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago










  • over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
    – Kilisi
    9 hours ago






  • 1




    How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
    – Alberto Yagos
    2 hours ago















It can if you want it to. Really.
– RonJohn
10 hours ago




It can if you want it to. Really.
– RonJohn
10 hours ago












a wolf with hooves?
– Kilisi
9 hours ago




a wolf with hooves?
– Kilisi
9 hours ago












over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
– Kilisi
9 hours ago




over what distance? Humans (fit ones) can outrun a horse over a long enough distance. We hunted horses and other animals like antelope like this (still do in some places), just ran them into the ground and then speared them when they stop from heat exhaustion.
– Kilisi
9 hours ago




1




1




How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
– Alberto Yagos
2 hours ago




How did your riders deal with the fact wolves don't run with a straight spine as horses do?
– Alberto Yagos
2 hours ago










7 Answers
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4
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Realistically? No. Horses have skinny limbs for a reason... so there's less weight to move as their legs go back and forth, and really hefty muscles at the base of each. A horse will outrun the wolf, but their weaker limbs (limbs themselves, not the base) will make it hard to struggle if wolves surround them (as wolves generally try to do.)



Unless, of course, the horse is weak for some reason. (Already exerted, tired, old, young, etc.)






share|improve this answer




















  • As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
    – jamesqf
    9 hours ago











  • Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
    – liljoshu
    9 hours ago

















up vote
1
down vote













You'll probably find that at the same size they're about the same speed.



The smaller animals have more acceleration, the larger ones more endurance. The good old square cube rules come into play again, being taller gives you more stride length, but also more mass, that makes you slower to accelerate.



The bigger problem is feeding them. Larger predators need larger prey, a pack of wolves the size of horses will need to bring down a couple of elephants a week to survive. The largest wolves currently are the Canadian timber wolves and they mostly hunt bison, they need to be larger as a result of the size of their prey but there are still limiting factors.






share|improve this answer




















  • This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
    – Mołot
    2 hours ago










  • @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
    – Separatrix
    2 hours ago

















up vote
1
down vote













Lets see:
A horse runs about 70km/h when super speed and 50km/h when 'normal' gallop

The wolf can run about 50-60 km/h according to google.

A wolf is about 1m high, that means it grow about 50-100% due to this question.

With simple math the wolf could run 75km/h to 120km/h. (unrealistic)

To calculate realistic the legs of the wolf need to get stronger, with that the legs are getting heavier as well as the whole body. The acceleration drops hard and the top speed too. I would estimate the wolf be faster as the horse, but definitely not above 100km/h

I hope this helps






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    up vote
    1
    down vote













    Depends on the type of horse and the exact details of the wolf. Considering the average horse (according to a lightning search on Google) goes about 48km/h while certain rhino's can reach more than 55km/h I see no reason why a giant wolf couldnt do it.






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      up vote
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      down vote













      Wolves can run down a horse



      Wolves hunt and kill caribou regularly. In that video, a single wolf chases down (and kills a caribou). A caribou's top speed is 60-80 km/h according to Ultimate Ungulate, a source I am partial to. Guinness says the highest speed ever achieved by a racehorse is 70 km/h.



      Therefore, if wolves are designed to chase down caribou, and caribou are roughly as fast as horses, it is reasonable for a wolf to chase down a horse.



      If the wolf is 4 times larger, then that is even more reason for the wolf to win a footrace.






      share|improve this answer
















      • 2




        speed rarely scales well.
        – John
        5 hours ago










      • @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
        – kingledion
        5 hours ago






      • 2




        @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
        – Separatrix
        2 hours ago










      • Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
        – Mołot
        2 hours ago










      • @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
        – Mołot
        2 hours ago


















      up vote
      0
      down vote













      If you change the wolf's body a bit more then just his size ( with what I mean on his weight ) they could go faster over long distances but not necessarily in a short sprint.
      It's your world so you can give them more stamina ( and lighter body weight, because as I understand no one said that you must make them muscular and ), increase time that they can run before they get hungry and make them more "puffy" then mad stone muscle. Something like if you tried to make a werewolf.






      share|improve this answer



























        up vote
        0
        down vote













        The wolf would lose in a sprint, but could chase it down over a marathon.



        Horses have skinny legs and bodies designed for fast bursts. They need a lot of energy to keep going, and they get exhausted quickly.



        By contrast, wolves are designed for stamina. They hunt down their prey in packs over long distance. As soon the prey gets tired, the wolves close the distance.



        The horsemen would leave the wolf cavalry behind at first. But then the horses tire (especially when carrying a rider) while the wolves keep going for a lot longer.






        share|improve this answer




















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          7 Answers
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          7 Answers
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          up vote
          4
          down vote













          Realistically? No. Horses have skinny limbs for a reason... so there's less weight to move as their legs go back and forth, and really hefty muscles at the base of each. A horse will outrun the wolf, but their weaker limbs (limbs themselves, not the base) will make it hard to struggle if wolves surround them (as wolves generally try to do.)



          Unless, of course, the horse is weak for some reason. (Already exerted, tired, old, young, etc.)






          share|improve this answer




















          • As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
            – jamesqf
            9 hours ago











          • Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
            – liljoshu
            9 hours ago














          up vote
          4
          down vote













          Realistically? No. Horses have skinny limbs for a reason... so there's less weight to move as their legs go back and forth, and really hefty muscles at the base of each. A horse will outrun the wolf, but their weaker limbs (limbs themselves, not the base) will make it hard to struggle if wolves surround them (as wolves generally try to do.)



          Unless, of course, the horse is weak for some reason. (Already exerted, tired, old, young, etc.)






          share|improve this answer




















          • As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
            – jamesqf
            9 hours ago











          • Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
            – liljoshu
            9 hours ago












          up vote
          4
          down vote










          up vote
          4
          down vote









          Realistically? No. Horses have skinny limbs for a reason... so there's less weight to move as their legs go back and forth, and really hefty muscles at the base of each. A horse will outrun the wolf, but their weaker limbs (limbs themselves, not the base) will make it hard to struggle if wolves surround them (as wolves generally try to do.)



          Unless, of course, the horse is weak for some reason. (Already exerted, tired, old, young, etc.)






          share|improve this answer












          Realistically? No. Horses have skinny limbs for a reason... so there's less weight to move as their legs go back and forth, and really hefty muscles at the base of each. A horse will outrun the wolf, but their weaker limbs (limbs themselves, not the base) will make it hard to struggle if wolves surround them (as wolves generally try to do.)



          Unless, of course, the horse is weak for some reason. (Already exerted, tired, old, young, etc.)







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 9 hours ago









          liljoshu

          1,400211




          1,400211











          • As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
            – jamesqf
            9 hours ago











          • Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
            – liljoshu
            9 hours ago
















          • As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
            – jamesqf
            9 hours ago











          • Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
            – liljoshu
            9 hours ago















          As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
          – jamesqf
          9 hours ago





          As a purely practical test, my dog (about 70 lbs, probably a Plott Hound or mix: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plott_Hound ) can keep up with my horse at a canter or moderate gallop. Admittedly, the horse is a mustang with probably a good bit of draft in his ancestry, not a racehorse :-) And of course sled dogs have just about everything beat for endurance. So something bred from ancestral wolves might make a fast steed.
          – jamesqf
          9 hours ago













          Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
          – liljoshu
          9 hours ago




          Dogs are also much smaller they have less mass to move. So I don't doubt your dog could outrun a horse, same with a sled dog. Scaling them up would actually reduce their speed. Its the same situation with why you can't have giant ants. Sure at their size they can carry 10x their weight, but at large size, they wouldn't be able to carry their own weight.
          – liljoshu
          9 hours ago










          up vote
          1
          down vote













          You'll probably find that at the same size they're about the same speed.



          The smaller animals have more acceleration, the larger ones more endurance. The good old square cube rules come into play again, being taller gives you more stride length, but also more mass, that makes you slower to accelerate.



          The bigger problem is feeding them. Larger predators need larger prey, a pack of wolves the size of horses will need to bring down a couple of elephants a week to survive. The largest wolves currently are the Canadian timber wolves and they mostly hunt bison, they need to be larger as a result of the size of their prey but there are still limiting factors.






          share|improve this answer




















          • This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
            – Mołot
            2 hours ago










          • @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
            – Separatrix
            2 hours ago














          up vote
          1
          down vote













          You'll probably find that at the same size they're about the same speed.



          The smaller animals have more acceleration, the larger ones more endurance. The good old square cube rules come into play again, being taller gives you more stride length, but also more mass, that makes you slower to accelerate.



          The bigger problem is feeding them. Larger predators need larger prey, a pack of wolves the size of horses will need to bring down a couple of elephants a week to survive. The largest wolves currently are the Canadian timber wolves and they mostly hunt bison, they need to be larger as a result of the size of their prey but there are still limiting factors.






          share|improve this answer




















          • This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
            – Mołot
            2 hours ago










          • @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
            – Separatrix
            2 hours ago












          up vote
          1
          down vote










          up vote
          1
          down vote









          You'll probably find that at the same size they're about the same speed.



          The smaller animals have more acceleration, the larger ones more endurance. The good old square cube rules come into play again, being taller gives you more stride length, but also more mass, that makes you slower to accelerate.



          The bigger problem is feeding them. Larger predators need larger prey, a pack of wolves the size of horses will need to bring down a couple of elephants a week to survive. The largest wolves currently are the Canadian timber wolves and they mostly hunt bison, they need to be larger as a result of the size of their prey but there are still limiting factors.






          share|improve this answer












          You'll probably find that at the same size they're about the same speed.



          The smaller animals have more acceleration, the larger ones more endurance. The good old square cube rules come into play again, being taller gives you more stride length, but also more mass, that makes you slower to accelerate.



          The bigger problem is feeding them. Larger predators need larger prey, a pack of wolves the size of horses will need to bring down a couple of elephants a week to survive. The largest wolves currently are the Canadian timber wolves and they mostly hunt bison, they need to be larger as a result of the size of their prey but there are still limiting factors.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 2 hours ago









          Separatrix

          71.7k30170282




          71.7k30170282











          • This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
            – Mołot
            2 hours ago










          • @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
            – Separatrix
            2 hours ago
















          • This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
            – Mołot
            2 hours ago










          • @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
            – Separatrix
            2 hours ago















          This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
          – Mołot
          2 hours ago




          This basic analysis seems OK, but you omitted what was discussed above - horses are build to run fast, wolves are built to run long time.
          – Mołot
          2 hours ago












          @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
          – Separatrix
          2 hours ago




          @Mołot, a lot of that is part of the compensation for scale, the build of wolves and horses is remarkably similar, very skinny lower and fore limbs relative to a heavily muscled rump to drive forwards. Apart from the hooves/paws the builds are remarkably similar.
          – Separatrix
          2 hours ago










          up vote
          1
          down vote













          Lets see:
          A horse runs about 70km/h when super speed and 50km/h when 'normal' gallop

          The wolf can run about 50-60 km/h according to google.

          A wolf is about 1m high, that means it grow about 50-100% due to this question.

          With simple math the wolf could run 75km/h to 120km/h. (unrealistic)

          To calculate realistic the legs of the wolf need to get stronger, with that the legs are getting heavier as well as the whole body. The acceleration drops hard and the top speed too. I would estimate the wolf be faster as the horse, but definitely not above 100km/h

          I hope this helps






          share|improve this answer


























            up vote
            1
            down vote













            Lets see:
            A horse runs about 70km/h when super speed and 50km/h when 'normal' gallop

            The wolf can run about 50-60 km/h according to google.

            A wolf is about 1m high, that means it grow about 50-100% due to this question.

            With simple math the wolf could run 75km/h to 120km/h. (unrealistic)

            To calculate realistic the legs of the wolf need to get stronger, with that the legs are getting heavier as well as the whole body. The acceleration drops hard and the top speed too. I would estimate the wolf be faster as the horse, but definitely not above 100km/h

            I hope this helps






            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              1
              down vote










              up vote
              1
              down vote









              Lets see:
              A horse runs about 70km/h when super speed and 50km/h when 'normal' gallop

              The wolf can run about 50-60 km/h according to google.

              A wolf is about 1m high, that means it grow about 50-100% due to this question.

              With simple math the wolf could run 75km/h to 120km/h. (unrealistic)

              To calculate realistic the legs of the wolf need to get stronger, with that the legs are getting heavier as well as the whole body. The acceleration drops hard and the top speed too. I would estimate the wolf be faster as the horse, but definitely not above 100km/h

              I hope this helps






              share|improve this answer














              Lets see:
              A horse runs about 70km/h when super speed and 50km/h when 'normal' gallop

              The wolf can run about 50-60 km/h according to google.

              A wolf is about 1m high, that means it grow about 50-100% due to this question.

              With simple math the wolf could run 75km/h to 120km/h. (unrealistic)

              To calculate realistic the legs of the wolf need to get stronger, with that the legs are getting heavier as well as the whole body. The acceleration drops hard and the top speed too. I would estimate the wolf be faster as the horse, but definitely not above 100km/h

              I hope this helps







              share|improve this answer














              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer








              edited 1 hour ago









              Separatrix

              71.7k30170282




              71.7k30170282










              answered 1 hour ago









              Jannis

              80613




              80613




















                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote













                  Depends on the type of horse and the exact details of the wolf. Considering the average horse (according to a lightning search on Google) goes about 48km/h while certain rhino's can reach more than 55km/h I see no reason why a giant wolf couldnt do it.






                  share|improve this answer
























                    up vote
                    1
                    down vote













                    Depends on the type of horse and the exact details of the wolf. Considering the average horse (according to a lightning search on Google) goes about 48km/h while certain rhino's can reach more than 55km/h I see no reason why a giant wolf couldnt do it.






                    share|improve this answer






















                      up vote
                      1
                      down vote










                      up vote
                      1
                      down vote









                      Depends on the type of horse and the exact details of the wolf. Considering the average horse (according to a lightning search on Google) goes about 48km/h while certain rhino's can reach more than 55km/h I see no reason why a giant wolf couldnt do it.






                      share|improve this answer












                      Depends on the type of horse and the exact details of the wolf. Considering the average horse (according to a lightning search on Google) goes about 48km/h while certain rhino's can reach more than 55km/h I see no reason why a giant wolf couldnt do it.







                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered 1 hour ago









                      Demigan

                      5,8711432




                      5,8711432




















                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          Wolves can run down a horse



                          Wolves hunt and kill caribou regularly. In that video, a single wolf chases down (and kills a caribou). A caribou's top speed is 60-80 km/h according to Ultimate Ungulate, a source I am partial to. Guinness says the highest speed ever achieved by a racehorse is 70 km/h.



                          Therefore, if wolves are designed to chase down caribou, and caribou are roughly as fast as horses, it is reasonable for a wolf to chase down a horse.



                          If the wolf is 4 times larger, then that is even more reason for the wolf to win a footrace.






                          share|improve this answer
















                          • 2




                            speed rarely scales well.
                            – John
                            5 hours ago










                          • @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                            – kingledion
                            5 hours ago






                          • 2




                            @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                            – Separatrix
                            2 hours ago










                          • Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago










                          • @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago















                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          Wolves can run down a horse



                          Wolves hunt and kill caribou regularly. In that video, a single wolf chases down (and kills a caribou). A caribou's top speed is 60-80 km/h according to Ultimate Ungulate, a source I am partial to. Guinness says the highest speed ever achieved by a racehorse is 70 km/h.



                          Therefore, if wolves are designed to chase down caribou, and caribou are roughly as fast as horses, it is reasonable for a wolf to chase down a horse.



                          If the wolf is 4 times larger, then that is even more reason for the wolf to win a footrace.






                          share|improve this answer
















                          • 2




                            speed rarely scales well.
                            – John
                            5 hours ago










                          • @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                            – kingledion
                            5 hours ago






                          • 2




                            @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                            – Separatrix
                            2 hours ago










                          • Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago










                          • @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago













                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote










                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote









                          Wolves can run down a horse



                          Wolves hunt and kill caribou regularly. In that video, a single wolf chases down (and kills a caribou). A caribou's top speed is 60-80 km/h according to Ultimate Ungulate, a source I am partial to. Guinness says the highest speed ever achieved by a racehorse is 70 km/h.



                          Therefore, if wolves are designed to chase down caribou, and caribou are roughly as fast as horses, it is reasonable for a wolf to chase down a horse.



                          If the wolf is 4 times larger, then that is even more reason for the wolf to win a footrace.






                          share|improve this answer












                          Wolves can run down a horse



                          Wolves hunt and kill caribou regularly. In that video, a single wolf chases down (and kills a caribou). A caribou's top speed is 60-80 km/h according to Ultimate Ungulate, a source I am partial to. Guinness says the highest speed ever achieved by a racehorse is 70 km/h.



                          Therefore, if wolves are designed to chase down caribou, and caribou are roughly as fast as horses, it is reasonable for a wolf to chase down a horse.



                          If the wolf is 4 times larger, then that is even more reason for the wolf to win a footrace.







                          share|improve this answer












                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer










                          answered 8 hours ago









                          kingledion

                          68k22225385




                          68k22225385







                          • 2




                            speed rarely scales well.
                            – John
                            5 hours ago










                          • @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                            – kingledion
                            5 hours ago






                          • 2




                            @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                            – Separatrix
                            2 hours ago










                          • Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago










                          • @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago













                          • 2




                            speed rarely scales well.
                            – John
                            5 hours ago










                          • @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                            – kingledion
                            5 hours ago






                          • 2




                            @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                            – Separatrix
                            2 hours ago










                          • Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago










                          • @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                            – Mołot
                            2 hours ago








                          2




                          2




                          speed rarely scales well.
                          – John
                          5 hours ago




                          speed rarely scales well.
                          – John
                          5 hours ago












                          @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                          – kingledion
                          5 hours ago




                          @John ... but a horse is faster than a rabbit...
                          – kingledion
                          5 hours ago




                          2




                          2




                          @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                          – Separatrix
                          2 hours ago




                          @kingledion: not over the rabbit's preferred racing distance of about 8 feet
                          – Separatrix
                          2 hours ago












                          Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                          – Mołot
                          2 hours ago




                          Wolves can run after caribou long enough for it to drop dead from exhaustion, but they cannot run as fast as caribou on short distance.Speed of wolf is only 50 – 60 km/h. Plus, smaller coyotes are faster. Big heavy horses are slower. Fastest dogs are skinny, rather small ones like harts. So scaling wolf up might not allow to even keep its speed.
                          – Mołot
                          2 hours ago












                          @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                          – Mołot
                          2 hours ago





                          @kingledion Horse: 70.76 km/h. Jackrabbit 72 km/h. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals -- So your comment might be quite opposite to truth, if we are to compare fastest horse to fastest rabbit.
                          – Mołot
                          2 hours ago











                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote













                          If you change the wolf's body a bit more then just his size ( with what I mean on his weight ) they could go faster over long distances but not necessarily in a short sprint.
                          It's your world so you can give them more stamina ( and lighter body weight, because as I understand no one said that you must make them muscular and ), increase time that they can run before they get hungry and make them more "puffy" then mad stone muscle. Something like if you tried to make a werewolf.






                          share|improve this answer
























                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote













                            If you change the wolf's body a bit more then just his size ( with what I mean on his weight ) they could go faster over long distances but not necessarily in a short sprint.
                            It's your world so you can give them more stamina ( and lighter body weight, because as I understand no one said that you must make them muscular and ), increase time that they can run before they get hungry and make them more "puffy" then mad stone muscle. Something like if you tried to make a werewolf.






                            share|improve this answer






















                              up vote
                              0
                              down vote










                              up vote
                              0
                              down vote









                              If you change the wolf's body a bit more then just his size ( with what I mean on his weight ) they could go faster over long distances but not necessarily in a short sprint.
                              It's your world so you can give them more stamina ( and lighter body weight, because as I understand no one said that you must make them muscular and ), increase time that they can run before they get hungry and make them more "puffy" then mad stone muscle. Something like if you tried to make a werewolf.






                              share|improve this answer












                              If you change the wolf's body a bit more then just his size ( with what I mean on his weight ) they could go faster over long distances but not necessarily in a short sprint.
                              It's your world so you can give them more stamina ( and lighter body weight, because as I understand no one said that you must make them muscular and ), increase time that they can run before they get hungry and make them more "puffy" then mad stone muscle. Something like if you tried to make a werewolf.







                              share|improve this answer












                              share|improve this answer



                              share|improve this answer










                              answered 1 hour ago









                              TheStwor

                              263




                              263




















                                  up vote
                                  0
                                  down vote













                                  The wolf would lose in a sprint, but could chase it down over a marathon.



                                  Horses have skinny legs and bodies designed for fast bursts. They need a lot of energy to keep going, and they get exhausted quickly.



                                  By contrast, wolves are designed for stamina. They hunt down their prey in packs over long distance. As soon the prey gets tired, the wolves close the distance.



                                  The horsemen would leave the wolf cavalry behind at first. But then the horses tire (especially when carrying a rider) while the wolves keep going for a lot longer.






                                  share|improve this answer
























                                    up vote
                                    0
                                    down vote













                                    The wolf would lose in a sprint, but could chase it down over a marathon.



                                    Horses have skinny legs and bodies designed for fast bursts. They need a lot of energy to keep going, and they get exhausted quickly.



                                    By contrast, wolves are designed for stamina. They hunt down their prey in packs over long distance. As soon the prey gets tired, the wolves close the distance.



                                    The horsemen would leave the wolf cavalry behind at first. But then the horses tire (especially when carrying a rider) while the wolves keep going for a lot longer.






                                    share|improve this answer






















                                      up vote
                                      0
                                      down vote










                                      up vote
                                      0
                                      down vote









                                      The wolf would lose in a sprint, but could chase it down over a marathon.



                                      Horses have skinny legs and bodies designed for fast bursts. They need a lot of energy to keep going, and they get exhausted quickly.



                                      By contrast, wolves are designed for stamina. They hunt down their prey in packs over long distance. As soon the prey gets tired, the wolves close the distance.



                                      The horsemen would leave the wolf cavalry behind at first. But then the horses tire (especially when carrying a rider) while the wolves keep going for a lot longer.






                                      share|improve this answer












                                      The wolf would lose in a sprint, but could chase it down over a marathon.



                                      Horses have skinny legs and bodies designed for fast bursts. They need a lot of energy to keep going, and they get exhausted quickly.



                                      By contrast, wolves are designed for stamina. They hunt down their prey in packs over long distance. As soon the prey gets tired, the wolves close the distance.



                                      The horsemen would leave the wolf cavalry behind at first. But then the horses tire (especially when carrying a rider) while the wolves keep going for a lot longer.







                                      share|improve this answer












                                      share|improve this answer



                                      share|improve this answer










                                      answered 12 mins ago









                                      Wyvern

                                      1,025518




                                      1,025518




















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