The Germanic peoples abandoned the ancient PIE word for horse and replaced it with one meaning 'runner' — possibly out of reverence.
A large domesticated hoofed mammal (Equus caballus) used for riding, racing, and carrying loads, characterized by a flowing mane and tail.
The word 'horse' comes from Old English 'hors,' from Proto-Germanic *hrussą, meaning 'runner.' This is thought to derive from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥s-, from the root *ḱers- meaning 'to run.' The original PIE word for horse was *h₁éḱwos (which gives Latin 'equus' and Greek 'híppos'), but the Germanic languages