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If I understand the timeline correctly, Geralt’s horse Roach must have also lived for several (horse) lifetimes.

Is Roach enchanted or magical, or does Geralt simply replace him with a horse of the same name and coloration?

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    From the games, I think it's just that every horse he owns is named Roach
    – HorusKol
    Commented Feb 6, 2022 at 6:35
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    Apparently it wasn't an immortality enchantment
    – Valorum
    Commented Feb 6, 2022 at 8:16
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    @HorusKol That is also how it’s explained in the books.
    – Cubic
    Commented Feb 6, 2022 at 9:32
  • Yes, the question title isn't particularly well posed.
    – Mithoron
    Commented Feb 6, 2022 at 20:26
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    Geralt names all his horses Roach out of tradition. According to the Witcher Wiki, "Roach" does not refer to cockroach, but to the fish Common Roach. So this is another "brilliant" translation of these books. There's an episode in one of the books where Geralt needs a new horse and comments about it being a bit skittish for a roach or some such, I can't bother to track down the quote or I'd post an answer. Also, every Roach he has in the books (and games) is a mare.
    – Amarth
    Commented Feb 7, 2022 at 18:52

1 Answer 1

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It’s not the same horse. Geralt does indeed name each horse he owns “Roach”. At least in the books he didn’t have a particular fondness or dislike for certain horse breeds or colouration, so the horses he owned didn’t all look the same, but if the horse always looks the same in the TV show chances are that’s a production convenience rather than an intentional statement about Geralt or Roach.

That said, the Netflix show has deviated from both the books and the games in several points already, some of which pertain to magic and how it works, so it’s not completely unthinkable they just decided to make Geralt's horse magic, but it’s unlikely.

Also, perhaps worth noting: It's Roach as in the fish, not as in the bug.

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    “It's Roach? Roach was a bay, this one is chestnut.” “All of my horses are named Roach. You know that very well.” — from The Sword of Destiny
    – Revolver_Ocelot
    Commented Feb 6, 2022 at 19:04
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    @Revolver_Ocelot - shouldn't that be an answer? It seems quite authoritative.
    – RoboKaren
    Commented Feb 7, 2022 at 21:08

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