Hippogriff

A Hippogriff is a mythical beast, supposedly the incredibly rare offspring of a griffin and a filly. The reason for its great rarity is that griffins despise horses, which they regard with the same feelings a dog has about a cat. In medieval times there was an expression, "To mate griffins with horses," which meant about the same as the modern expression, "When pigs fly." The hippogriff was therefore a symbol of impossibility and love.

The hippogriff seemed easier to tame than a griffin. In the few medieval legends when this fantastic creature makes an appearance, it is usually the pet of either a knight or a sorcerer. It makes an excellent steed, being able to fly as fast as lightning. One appears in the legends of Orlando Furioso.

The hippogriff is said to be an omnivore, eating either plants or meat. The only creature known to hunt hippogriffs is the griffin, its own parent species.