Background
Talking Horses are one of the most memorable kinds of creature in the Chronicles, especially in The Horse and His Boy. They are not ordinary horses with a fantasy gimmick laid on top. They are persons, capable of loyalty, pride, fear, vanity, humor, and love of country.
How the Race Functions in Narnia
The books use Talking Horses to explore freedom, dignity, and character. Bree and Hwin both spent time in Calormen, but their deepest identity is tied to the free northern world. Lewis takes seriously the idea that a Talking Horse should be treated with honor, not as property. That is part of what gives their story emotional weight.