The word "horses" refers to large mammals from the Equidae family, typically domesticated and used for riding, racing, or pulling vehicles. In the given clue, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride", the word "horses" represents something that is desired or imagined but not easily obtainable.
Note: The provided meaning of the answer is for the latest New York Times crossword puzzle clue: "If wishes were ___, beggars would ride". Explanations are generated by AI and may be inaccurate.