The Messenger of Allah 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, he is the man who keeps them tethered for the cause of Allah, letting them graze on a long rope in a meadow or pasture. Whatever they consume from that meadow or pasture during their grazing is recorded as good deeds for him. If they were to break loose and gallop one or two stretches, their tracks and droppings would be good deeds for him. If they passed by a river and drank from it without him intending to water them, that too would be good deeds for him. So for this man they are a reward.Another man keeps them tethered out of self-sufficiency and to refrain from begging, while not forgetting Allah's right concerning their necks and their backs. For him they are a covering.And another man keeps them out of pride and showing off. For him they are a burden."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was then asked about donkeys, and he replied, "Allah has revealed nothing to me about them except this unique, all-encompassing 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 إسماعيل حدثني مالك عن زيد بن أسلم عن أبي صالح السمان
أن رسول الله 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 فما أصابت في طيلها ذلك من المرج أو الروضة كان له حسنات ولو أنها قطعت طيلها فاستنت شرفا أو شرفين كانت آثارها وأرواثها حسنات له ولو أنها مرت بنهر فشربت منه ولم يرد أن يسقي به كان ذلك حسنات له وهي لذلك الرجل أجر ورجل ربطها تغنيا وتعففا ولم ينس حق الله في رقابها ولا ظهورها فهي له ستر ورجل ربطها فخرا ورياء فهي على ذلك وزر وسئل رسول الله ﷺ عن الحمر قال ما أنزل الله علي فيها إلا هذه الآية الفاذة الجامعة {فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيرا يره ومن يعمل مثقال ذرة شرا يره}