Horse Dragons have equine-shaped bodies and hooves instead of claws, which allow them to be fast runners. They specialize in running takeoffs, which are quicker than taking off from a stand-still. Horse dragons are able to stalk their prey from the ground then quickly execute an aerial attack for the kill.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Sprinnera can't run. When she hatched, she got too close to the violent dragon Kekkio and suffered her father's fate: being injured. But instead of being rendered flightless, Sprinna can't run fast. Two of her legs were broken, and she can only limp pitifully along. She chooses to take to the air and hide on mountaintops. She feels as if her legs make her a drain on society, and will go off without food for days at a time.