[Mithalwen]

But don't forget that Bill the Pony made it back to Bree despite Snakes and Wolves (though why he headed back to Bree not Rivendell can only be surmised - may be he was out for revenge). Goodness know what skills he learned on that remarkable journey. My theory is that he made a detour to the mystic east and learnt martial arts from a great master (cf the Matrix cow) and where his hooves were shod with metal from a renowned sword (The Green Dragon Destiny). Thus one blow from a hoof thus shod and wieded with such lethal skill could indeed prove fatal.