Old Gunpowder is a horse that Ichabod borrows from a farmer named Hans Van Ripper at his farm to travel to the Van Tassel Farm for the Halloween Party and back home. Ichabod is first seen riding the poor old horse to the party and then at the end, Ichabod is seen riding his old plow horse back home through Sleepy Hollow nervously after hearing the scary story of the Headless Horseman who rides through Sleepy Hollow every Halloween night looking for a new head. As Ichabod and Gunpowder ride through the woods, they hear voices from frogs, owls, and crows screaming "Headless Horseman! Headless Horseman! Headless Horseman! Beware! Beware! Beware!" Ichabod then hears hooves and looks down at Gunpowder's hooves to realize he's not moving and that's when he believes that someone is following them. He tries to push Gunpowder in order to get him moving, but fails when tired old Gunpowder is too tired to move and doesn't move and stays still. Ichabod tugs on the bridle, but snaps it off Gunpowder's snout, then hits a log with cattails hitting it. After finding out its just cattails hitting a log, Ichabod and Gunpowder temporarily share a laugh until another laugh joins them. They stop in alarm, then turn around, and see none other than the Headless Horseman himself. He is a headless rider of large dimensions and mounted on a giant black horse of powerful frame, feel so enormous, and is wrapped in a long flowing cloak, but is not only carrying a sword in his hand, and also has carrying his head in his other hand. The Horseman chases them through the woods and, while trying to cross the bridge, the terrified horse has accidentally turned around back in the Horseman's direction and crashes into the Horseman's horse. When this happens, Ichabod looks into the Horseman's cloak and sees that the Horseman really doesn't have a head. Ichabod and Gunpowder then cross the bridge, but not before Ichabod looks back and screams when he just has to see the Horseman rise and throw his flaming pumpkin at him. Ichabod tries to dodge the horrible missile, but fails when it is too late. He ends up being struck with a tremendous crash and is sent tumbling him off his tired old horse into the dust as either Gunpowder has been hit too or has passed by his owner with the black steed and monster rider following him like a whirlwind. It is unknown what happens to Gunpowder after Ichabod is spirited away by the Horseman, although it is possible that he is spirited away as well or he may have been returned to his owner, Van Ripper, and soberly cropping the grass at his master's gate.
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Old Gunpowder is a broken down plow horse.
The hanging tree! Oh no! Somebody's there!
Come on, Gunpowder. Let's get across here quickly.
Huh?
Who's there?
Keep running, Gunpowder!
Aaaaaghhh! Keep away!
Gunpowder whines in terror
Jump, Gunpowder! Jump!
Ichabod and Gunpowder run.
He's going to cut Ichabod and Gunpowder's heads off!
Turn around, Gunpowder!
Gunpowder panics in alarm
Ichabod clings desperately to the neck of Gunpowder as they race along for their dear life.