Riddle: “Thirty white horses on a red hill, first they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still.” What are they?

Introduction / Context:
This riddle is a famous verse that also appears in classic fantasy literature and children's puzzle books. It uses vivid imagery, comparing something in the human body to “thirty white horses on a red hill”. The riddle then describes how they move and finally stand still, inviting you to connect the imagery with a familiar physical feature.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• There are “thirty white horses”.
• They stand on a “red hill”.
• First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still.
• The options include Teeth, Sheep, Soldiers, and White stones.

Concept / Approach:
The “white horses” symbolise teeth, which are white or off white in colour. The “red hill” symbolises the gums inside the mouth. When a person chews food, the teeth move up and down, which can be poetically described as champing and stamping. When the mouth is closed or resting, the teeth are still. This is a classic metaphorical description used in riddles to represent teeth.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Interpret “thirty white horses” as something white and numerous, arranged in rows. Step 2: Consider that an adult human has around thirty to thirty two teeth, which are small white structures. Step 3: Interpret the “red hill” as the gums or the inside of the mouth, which are reddish in colour. Step 4: Connect “champing” and “stamping” to the motion of chewing. Step 5: Realise that when chewing stops, the teeth “stand still”, fitting the final part of the riddle.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check each option against the imagery. Sheep and soldiers can be white and may stand on hills, but they are not fixed at thirty, nor do they fit the sequence of champing, stamping, and resting in such a compact metaphor. White stones can sit on a hill but do not move. Teeth are the only option that are white, roughly thirty in number, located in the red gums, and known for moving when a person chews food.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Sheep” and “Soldiers” might be imagined as white figures on a hill, but the riddle's reference to thirty and to the inside of the mouth is stronger. They also do not typically “chomp” in the exact rhythmic way described. “White stones” have colour but lack movement. These alternatives do not closely match the full set of clues and are included to test careful reading rather than to be serious answers.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners focus only on the hill image and imagine a literal landscape scene, missing the symbolic nature of the riddle. Others might be thrown off by the exact number thirty versus the usual thirty two teeth, forgetting that riddles often use rounded numbers and poetic license. The key is to match all descriptive elements, not to insist on perfect numeric precision.

Final Answer:
The “thirty white horses on a red hill” are Teeth on the gums inside a person's mouth.