Although horses play many roles in literature, this study will focus on one aspect of equine meaning: the horse as it relates to sex. Certainly, in the western world, the horse has always served as a generic symbol for sexuality and passion, but interestingly, when examples are specific to gender, the image of the horse becomes strikingly different depending on the sex portrayed. For males, the horse mirrors or foils both his heroic status and virility. The greater the hero, the more powerful or magical his mount becomes. For females, the horse mirrors some aspect of herself. The animal reflects a woman's social status, especially in regard to her level of repression or independence. Simply put, the horse, throughout time and across genre, consistently embodies sexuality, and does so differently for males and females.