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.
creature-design
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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.
creature-design
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sean daniel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
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up vote
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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.
creature-design
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.
creature-design
creature-design
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.
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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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edited 8 hours ago


kingledion
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asked 10 hours ago


sean daniel
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362
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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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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.
sean daniel is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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
add a comment |Â
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
add a comment |Â
7 Answers
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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.)
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
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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.
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
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up vote
1
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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
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
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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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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.
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
 |Â
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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.
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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.
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7 Answers
7
active
oldest
votes
7 Answers
7
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
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.)
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
add a comment |Â
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.)
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
add a comment |Â
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.)
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.)
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
add a comment |Â
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
add a comment |Â
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.
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
add a comment |Â
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.
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
add a comment |Â
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.
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.
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
add a comment |Â
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
add a comment |Â
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
add a comment |Â
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
add a comment |Â
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
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
edited 1 hour ago
Separatrix
71.7k30170282
71.7k30170282
answered 1 hour ago


Jannis
80613
80613
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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.
add a comment |Â
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
1
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up vote
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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.
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.
answered 1 hour ago
Demigan
5,8711432
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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.
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
 |Â
show 1 more comment
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.
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
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
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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.
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.
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
 |Â
show 1 more comment
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
 |Â
show 1 more comment
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.
add a comment |Â
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.
add a comment |Â
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.
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.
answered 1 hour ago
TheStwor
263
263
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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.
add a comment |Â
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.
add a comment |Â
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.
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.
answered 12 mins ago
Wyvern
1,025518
1,025518
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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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