Kanthaka

According to Buddhist legend, Kanthaka (in Pali and Sanskrit) (6th century BC, in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India) was an eighteen cubit long, favourite white horse and royal servant of Prince Siddhartha, who later became Gautama Buddha.

[1] In the court of King Śuddhodana, Kanthaka was the most skillful and able horse, and the favourite of Crown Prince Siddhartha whenever he needed to go outside the palace.

This was done due to a prophecy of the ascetic Asita, who predicted that Siddhartha would renounce the throne to become a spiritual leader were he to contemplate human suffering.

By the customs of the kshatriya Sakyan clan, a prince must prove his worthiness in warrior related skills such as horse-riding, mounted archery and swordplay by defeating other royals in such contests.

After initially protesting and refusing to accept that Siddhartha would leave him, Channa saddled Kanthaka,[2] guiding him out of the town aboard the horse to a forest by the edge of the Anoma River.