My first PC, Ven, had a warhorse named Boros. Back in those days, there was no "party of four" garbage, and we had enough PCs to split the party into two groups, one outside with the horses, and another to go down into the dungeon. Boros survived many years, as Ven rose through twentieth (AD&D) level, and eventually went south to establish his own kingdom with some of the PCs from his early adventuring years. If he still survives, all these years later, I'm sure old Boros has a whole herd of great-great-grand-horses, and was put out to stud and a life of ease, long ago... Or maybe not. Ven did have the Chalice of Life, so maybe Boros still goes to war. I haven't seen them since Ven hit 33rd level.
My current PC, Eredave, has had a strange life. His light warhorse, Arrohir, was either gained at first level as transport for Eredave's group of volunteers for a city under seige, and then later trained up from just a riding horse to a warhorse, or was acquired when the first mount was traded in at second level... Anyway, he has been with Eredave as he has been pulleds from world to world, cursed by a goddess, escaped, and now picked up and swooped off to The Forge by one of The Feathered Flock... During the "cursed and unable to leave this bubble" period, Eredave gained his first spell. This was Speak With Animals, and he went out to the stables to talk to Arrohir,and ask if he wanted to become his Animal Companion. The horse agreed, and so it is. Currently, Eredave is searching for a Druid who can Awaken Arrohir. Unfortunately, 3.5e says that he needs the Leadership Feat to do that, so the GM hasn't allowed him to find one capable of casting the spell. They've discussed the possibility, though, and Arrohir has agreed to that, too (although Eredave isn't so sure that he understands the burden of intelligence).
