One of the reasons I love the mounts, horses in particular, in Ultima Online. They're faster than people (unless you're a mage with plenty of skill and mana for mark/recall or gate travel), and when trained properly, can at least manage to not fucking die when faced with some opponents. Granted, unless you get something like a nightmare (no, don't think Nightmare Moon, bronies. Think the Man-Eating Horses of Diomedes), which can outclass dragons and daemons, it ain't much...but, its better than nothin, and helps if you get hit by a bola.
Oh, and I do so love nightmares in UO. They are NOT pussies, and not to be fucked with by anything less than a grandmaster tamer with some powerful magic, or powerful backup. They're also exclusive carnivores...and prefer their meat raw. They don't look like much in-game, but if you get too close, they'll kill your ass with magical fire, because they're also magic. And evil. And almost as intelligent as a god damned dragon.