A jennet is a small Spanish horse known for its smooth, comfortable gait and sure-footedness. These horses were bred centuries ago in Spain and became prized throughout Europe for their ability to carry riders smoothly over long distances, especially on rough or mountainous terrain.

The jennet's special way of moving, often called an ambling gait, made it feel almost as if you were gliding rather than bouncing in the saddle. This made jennets especially popular with nobility and wealthy travelers in medieval times, who might spend hours on horseback. Knights appreciated them for travel between battles (though not for the battles themselves, where larger warhorses were needed), and ladies of the court favored them for their gentle, steady movement.

Spanish explorers brought jennets to the Americas in the 1500s, where they influenced the development of several modern horse breeds. While pure jennets are rare today, their genetic legacy lives on in breeds known for smooth gaits, like the Paso Fino and the Peruvian Paso.

The word can also refer to a female donkey, though this meaning is less common. When you see jennet in historical novels or stories set in medieval times, it usually means the comfortable Spanish riding horse.