A Clear Explanation of ‘The Horses’ by Ted Hughes

This is one of Hughes’ most famous and accomplished poems. The speaker is walking in a field at the crack of dawn - he looks up to a ridge, and sees horses silhouetted against the sky. Hughes seems to have a deep understanding of animal instincts. The speaker raises alarm at the offset with the phrases 'evil air' and a 'frost-making stillness'. Having sensed danger, the speaker reassures the readers with the words 'brightening grey.' In the poem ‘The Horses’, Hughes has created a life-force and distinctly non-human expression. He observes man's reluctance to acknowledge the sources of energy; the horses have endured severe conditions all night long, yet they accept the new day graciously.