J.R.R. Tolkien named Gandalf’s great horse Shadowfax in The Lord of the Rings.
Shadowfax is a lord of the horses of Rohan and is famed for extraordinary speed, intelligence, and endurance. He eventually allows Gandalf to ride him, carrying the wizard across vast distances during the War of the Ring. Tolkien presents the horse as more than ordinary transport: Shadowfax belongs to a noble lineage and seems to understand human speech.
The name combines “shadow” with “fax,” an old English word related to hair or mane. It therefore evokes a horse with a dark or shadow-like mane rather than simply meaning a horse that travels at night.
Brego and Hasufel are other horses associated with the story, while Arod is ridden by Legolas. They are not Gandalf’s famous mount. In adaptations, Shadowfax is especially associated with the dramatic ride to Minas Tirith and with Gandalf’s transformation into the White Rider.