And the new Tide To Go spot cleaner! They had originally used Fels-Naptha, but once they found the creator of that doughty stain remover, they gave him one of the 9 rings.
The dreaded Fels-Naptha was the 9th King of Men to be turned into a Ringwraith. This allowed them to pursue the denizens of Middle-Earth without fear of slightly oily stains.
-Cem
The first generation were supposed to pursue The Ring, but they wound up just sending V/@gr@ e-mails to everyone in Isengard and Mordor.
I think you mean it’s a Ferenghi Thing. I’ll explain it for two slips of gold-pressed Latinum.
The Ringwraiths could cross the water because they had eaten less than an hour earlier. Everyone knows you can’t go in the water for three hours after you eat.
Jumped. I have large calves.
Not necessarily. After Saruman sided with Sauron, the Ringwraiths could have used his engineering knowhow to build some kickass bicycles. Add some bitching flame decals, an ace of spades playing card in the spokes, and a Corinthian leather banana seat, and they’d have some seriously intimidating iron steeds.
Tolkien actually backs this up. As What Exit? already mentioned, their primary weapon was fear. Against an opponent who didn’t fear them, they were basically just half-decent swordsmen, perhaps with a smattering of sorcery. If anything, they’d be at a disadvantage vs. a mortal or a single-life Elf (as opposed to Glorfindel, but he had other advantages), since they wouldn’t be able to clearly see their opponent. Which explains why heroes like Aragorn (and later, Eowyn and Meriadoc) were able to fight them so easily. So they had to maintain their mystique, so they wouldn’t have to fight, and just let everyone run from them.
The more standard explanation, though, is that Ulmo is the most meddlesome of the good Valar, and his influence is still strong in any natural body of water which connects to the Sea. So creatures of evil are loathe to expose themselves to such natural bodies of water.
One thread to rule them all?
Couldn’t help myself. 
Aftey they grow beyond a certain size, I think you get to start referring to them as “cows.” And if you’ve had them for five years, that’s a pretty clear indication that’s what they are by now.
That’s bull.
–and who could kill their opponents stone dead just by breathing on them; let’s not overlook that little detail. It would probably be a mistake to undersell the ‘deadly poisonous breath’ ability, even if they didn’t always use it to greatest effect. Which is perhaps understandable-- one tends to fall out of the habit of breathing after one becomes undead. Also, no doubt that’s the sort of power you subconsciously learn to rein in after awhile:
WITCH-KING: I ssseeek Bagginsss… have you ssseen hhhim?
HOBBIT: Gak (thud)
WITCH-KING: Shit.
I’m trying really, really hard to come up with a Tom Benzadrene and his Old Lady joke, but I got nothin’.
You meant:
That raises the question whether wraiths can sweat into their material-world robes in such a way that they leave visible stains. I’d say no.
OTOH, if you were wearing the one ring I think you might be able to stain the clothes that were shifted into the spirit world with you so that they reappear stained when you take off the ring.
I guess you are right. I use them as a sort of stepping stone, jumping on top of them so that I can reach the higher level. I really should just get some steps installed.
The horses have it pretty easy, really. The wraiths can’t weigh too much, and I’m sure all the fillies love their bad boy looks.
I don’t know if I’m sold on the whole “Ringwraiths are careful about their appearance” thing. “Black Breath” doesn’t fill me with confidence that when it came to personal hygiene, those guys gave a damn. I’m thinking more along the lines of Hells Angels who piss on their own “colours” (jackets) and then never wash them till they fall apart. I think the Ringwraiths didn’t like the open water because they might fall in and get clean (a state only fit for pansies, not badass evil guys).
Maybe Wringwraithes just didn’t want to have to wring out their cloaks?
Would that lead to wring around the collar?
Ewe’re right.