Epona

Epona appeared in The Legend of Zelda series as Link's steed. She made her debut in the first 3D Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, for the Nintendo 64. She also appeared in its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, as well as a small cameo in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance. Link is also riding a horse, which is persumably Epona in the opening intros of both The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. Epona also appears in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and plays a major role in Link's adventures. She is liked by many characters, including Colin, and Ilia, who frequently takes Epona without asking for baths in the Spirit's Spring in Ordona Province. She is named after the celtic goddess of horses, Epona.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time Epona is first encountered when she is just a pony, at Lon Lon Ranch where she was raised by Malon. She is wild and untamed, running away when Link approaches, and only Malon can get close to her. After Malon teaches Link "Epona's Song" for his ocarina, Epona stops running away and approaches Link. Malon then says that Epona has taken a liking to Link. Link next encounters Epona seven years later, when she has become a mare. Unfortunately things have taken a turn for the worse at the ranch and Ingo is now in charge. At first Epona runs away from Link again, but once he plays "Epona's Song" she remembers him and trots to his side. Link then participates in a horse race against Ingo, with Epona as his steed, and wins, much to Ingo's astonishment. Ingo then challenges Link again, to try and counter the shame of losing by winning this time, and to persuade Link, bets Epona herself on the outcome of the race. Needless to say, Link wins, and Epona is his. However Ingo is not to be trusted, and attempts to prevent Link from leaving with Epona by shutting the gates. This is not a problem for Epona though, who just jumps straight over and out to freedom. From that point on she will willingly carry Link anywhere she can, and will run to his side whenever he plays "Epona's Song" on his ocarina.

Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask Link is seen riding on Epona at the start of the game, both of them still young. Epona is then startled by two fairies, Tatl and Tael, and Link is thrown to the ground and knocked unconcious. Skull Kid then appears, wearing Majora's Mask, and searches Link's unconcious body, finding the Ocarina of Time and taking it. Link gains conciousness to see the Skull Kid standing above him, playing on his ocarina. The Skull Kid attempts to hide the ocarina but Link has already seen it, an lunges for him to try and get it back. However Skull Kid leaps out of the way and onto Epona, before galloping away. Link leaps but only manages to grab onto Skull Kid's leg. Epona continues to gallop along, dragging Link along the ground, until he looses his grip as Epona goes round a bend, and is forced to watch her gallop off with Skull Kid on her back. When Link finally catches up with Skull Kid again he tells him that he got rid off Epona as she was a "stupid horse" and didn't listen to a word that was said to it. Link does not encounter her again until he makes his way to Romani Ranch in Termina. There Romani teaches him "Epona's Song" and gives Epona back after Link practices shooting aliens from horseback.

Twilight Princess
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, it is possible to rename Epona. In the beginning, Epona is already usable by Link, and in the beginning is taken by Ilia for a bathe in the Spirit's Spring. Shortly after, Fado, a rancher in the Ordon Ranch calls on Link to go with him, but take Epona with him. After Link finds Epona, he rides to the ranch, and uses Epona to herd goats. The next day, Colin says that it is Epona's day off, so Link can not use Epona until the children Talo, Malo, and Beth see a monkey that had been troubling the village, and Link rides Epona to chase after them. The third day in the game, Epona herds goats again at Ordon Ranch, then Link is informed by a swordsman named Rusl that he has to go to Hyrule Castle and deliver a gift to the royalty, representing Ordona Province. When Link gets back to the town, the mayor of Ordon Village, Bo, reminds him of the task he must do, and then begins talking with Link. Meanwhile, Ilia, his daughter, walks up to Epona and sees that her front right leg was injured while Link was jumping fences. She takes Epona to the Sprit's Spring for the second time, when Bo says that without Epona, he will never make it in time to Hyrule Castle. Link chases after Ilia, with Colin at his side, when he is stopped by Talo and Malo. In order to pass, Link gives them his wooden sword and continues with Colin on his way. When Link reaches the entry, he sees that Colin has got ahead of him, into the spirit's spring, but the gates are locked. Link, after going through a tunnel, reaches Epona, where Ilia makes him promice not to do anything "Out of his League." Link agrees, then is about to mount Epona, when green-skinned creatures riding large Boars burst through the fence, kidnap Ilia, Colin, and Epona and leave Link.

The next time Link sees Epona is when he is leaving Kakariko Village. Epona has gone quite mad and wild, and is being ridden by the same green men as before. Epona raises onto her hind legs and throws them off, and goes dashing in Link's direction. Link hastily mounts, and has to calm Epona back down before he can ride her again. When he returns to Kakariko after telling the people of Ordon that he found the children, Colin gets kidnapped, and Link charges after the kidnappers (Again the green-skinned people) to rescue him. Here in the game, the first real horse-fight happens, when Link is trying to throw off the kidnapper while more of his brethren start attacking Link. When he finishes the fight, he follows the kidnapper to a bridge with no sides, and has a jousting match against Link, but with swords rather then spears.

When Link rescues Colin, he must go to Death Mountain, where the first part contains a large wall Epona can't climb, so Link must leave her behind. When Link returns, he must go to the next part of the Twilight, and leaves Epona at the entrance, for he can not ride her as a wolf. If Epona is talked to as a wolf, she will state that she can still understand you and tell you to hurry up and become your true self. Epona mainly plays as a faster way to get around in human form.