The Intergalactic Highway

Terry Pratchett, in Witches Abroad, wrote:To his glowing forge were brought the stud stallions, the red-eyed and foam-flecked kings of the horse nation, the soup-plate-hoofed beasts that had kicked lesser men through walls. But Jason Ogg knew the secret of the mystic Horseman's Word, and he would go alone into the forge, politely shut the door, and lead the creature out again after half an hour, newly shod and strangely docile.

[Footnote: Granny Weatherwax had once pressed him about this, and since there are no secrets from a witch, he'd shyly replied, "Well, ma'am, what happens is, I gets hold of 'un and smacks 'un between the eyes with hammer before 'un knows what's 'appening, and then I whispers in his ear. I sez, 'Cross me, you bugger, and I'll have thy goodies on t'anvil, thou knows I can.'"]