The Prophet ﷺ said, "Horses are of three kinds. For one man they are a reward, for another they are a covering, and for a third they are a burden.As for the one for whom they are a reward, it is a man who tethers them for the sake of Allah and lets them graze freely in a meadow or pasture. Whatever they consume from that meadow or pasture while tethered will count as good deeds for him. If they break loose and gallop one or two stretches, even their droppings will count as good deeds for him. And if they pass by a river and drink from it without him intending to water them, that too will count as good deeds for him.The second is a man who tethers them seeking self-sufficiency, dignity, and freedom from begging, without forgetting the right of Allah upon their necks and backs. For such a man, they are a covering.The third is a man who tethers them out of pride, showing off, and hostility toward the people of Islam. For such a man, they are a burden."The Prophet ﷺ was then asked about donkeys, and he replied, "Nothing has been revealed to me concerning them except this single, comprehensive verse, 'So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it'" [Zalzalah 99:7–8].
حدثنا عبد الله بن مسلمة عن مالك عن زيد بن أسلم عن أبي صالح السمان
عن النبي ﷺ قال الخيل لثلاثة لرجل أجر ولرجل ستر وعلى رجل وزر فأما الذي له أجر فرجل ربطها في سبيل الله فأطال لها في مرج أو روضة وما أصابت في طيلها من المرج أو الروضة كانت له حسنات ولو أنها قطعت طيلها فاستنت شرفا أو شرفين كانت أرواثها حسنات له ولو أنها مرت بنهر فشربت ولم يرد أن يسقيها كان ذلك له حسنات ورجل ربطها تغنيا وسترا وتعففا ولم ينس حق الله في رقابها وظهورها فهي له كذلك ستر ورجل ربطها فخرا ورياء ونواء لأهل الإسلام فهي وزر وسئل النبي ﷺ عن الحمر فقال ما أنزل علي فيها إلا هذه الآية الجامعة الفاذة {فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيرا يره ومن يعمل مثقال ذرة شرا يره}