post horse

American  

noun

1. a horse kept, as at a station on a post road, for the use of persons riding post or for hire by travelers.

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post horse British  

noun

1. (formerly) a horse kept at an inn or post house for use by postriders or for hire to travellers

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Etymology

Origin of post horse

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

D'Artagnan and Planchet took each a post horse, and a postillion rode before them.

From The Three Musketeers by Dumas père, Alexandre

Edwards's observation, that a worn-out horse is not proper for Atlas to mount in battle, is impertinent; the horse here mentioned seems to be a post horse, rather than a war horse.

From Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies by Sherbo, Arthur

At the moment he entered the vestibule, another man was entering likewise, dusty, out of breath, leaving at the gate a post horse, which, on reaching the palace, tumbled on his foreknees.

From The Three Musketeers by Dumas père, Alexandre