Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the favourite games of many gamers out there. It is an adventure game that was developed and published by Rockstar Games and released on the year 2018. The game is unique in many ways with a great story, gameplay and graphics. One such unique elements in the game are the various varieties of horses that are available in it for your protagonist’s commute.
The game is set in 1899 and follows the protagonist, Arthur Morgan who is an outlaw. In such a setting, it is obvious that Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses are the best way the protagonist can travel from one place to another. However, you cannot just pick one horse from the side of the road and ride it to wherever you want to go. You must either calm a wild horse down and tame it well so that the horse would let you ride it or buy a tamed horse from the many stables that are scattered throughout the map.
Rockstar was able to craft a masterpiece with Red Dead Redemption 2 and went all out with the details of everything, the same is the case with horses in the game as well. There are a wide variety of horses and each with its own specifications and this is what this article, Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: A Complete Guide will try to cover to provide you with a complete guide on the various horses seen in the game. That much being said let us jump right in.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: Introduction
There are a total of 19 breeds of horses available in Red Dead Redemption 2. Each one of these horses is unique in its own way and they are all customizable with different accessories to give you players a feeling that it is your own horse.
Basically, you can give a name to your horse, and look after it like it’s your own new pet by feeding it, petting it, cleaning it etc. You can even sell it if you want to. Furthermore, you can customize how they look and also buy upgrades for their tack.
You can not only ride a horse but can also use it to store your essential gear and loot in its saddle. You can also toss pelts, bounty targets and other kills over the back of your horse or take them into a town or camp.
Only after Chapter 2 and getting taught by Hosea about selling and buying new Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses will Arthur Morgan be able to do so. However, he will have a horse to help him commute which he meets early on in the game.
After unlocking the stables, you will be able to see what horses you can buy from new towns and compare which all are better and worth it.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: How to get them?
There are mainly three ways you can get a horse in Red Dead Redemption. They are, catching and taming them in wild, buying them from town or stealing from travellers. No matter how you are obtaining them, it is important to gain the horse’s trust before you can use them. This can be achieved by approaching them slowly without scaring them and then petting them to calm them down. If the horse dislikes you, it will get agitated and may kick you in the face.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: Rankings
As mentioned above, there is a total of 19 horses in the game. Along with each of them looking visually different, their strengths, weaknesses, the way they react, etc. all differ depending on the breed they are. Considering all the stats, we have ranked below the top five breeds of Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses.
1. Arabian
Arabian is undoubtedly the best horse breed in Red Dead Redemption 2 when all stats are considered. While they are very hard to tame, once you manage to get one as your horse, you will not have to look for a different horse. Arabians may be the best companions of Arthur Morgan. They can be trusted to get you where you want to be on time and they are also extremely loyal to you.
You can find White, Black and Rose Grey Black-coated Arabians in Red Dead Redemption 2. Out of these, the White Arabian is the rarest and the prettiest. The Speed Base and Accel Base of Arabians is 6 meaning they have great speed and acceleration. They also have great health and stamina combined with excellent intelligence.
If you are looking to tame and make one Arabian your companion in the game, it will be best for you to look them either on the Blackwater Stable (Epilogue 1) or on the Saint-Denis Stable (Chapter 4). You might also spot them roaming freely in the Wild. White Arabians are only available in the Wild. If you are looking to buy one, it will cost you over $1000.
You will find that Arabian Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses are generally owned by the wealthiest in the game.
The White Arabian can be found in the wild in the mountain region next to Lake Isabella in one of the northernmost point in the map. It is very difficult to find her as she blends very easily with the snow in her surroundings.
2. Turkoman
In the second position of the best horse breeds of Red Dead Redemption comes the Turkoman. The horses belonging to the breed are the best for both racing and working. Arthur Morgan can have great use with Turkomans as they do not mind travelling long distances and can efficiently perform different tasks like carriage pulling.
You can find Silver, Gold and Dark Bay coated Turkoman in Red Dead Redemption 2. The Speed Base is 6 and Accel Base is 5 of Turkoman meaning they have great speed and acceleration. They also have great health and stamina allowing them to perform tedious tasks easily. However, a problem with Turkomans is that they get impatient very easily.
If you are looking to tame and make one Turkoman your companion in the game, it will be best for you to look them on the Saint-Denis Stable (Chapter 4) or the Blackwater Stable (Epilogue 1) or the Tumbleweed Stable (Epilogue 1). You can buy this horse by spending $950.
3. Missouri Fox Trotter
Missouri Fox Trotter is easily one of the best horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. This horse breed comes in two categories, one good for races and the other for work.
The main reason why they are one of the best horses in the game is that they are very fast. The Speed Base is 7 and Accel Base is 5 of the Missouri Fox Trotter meaning they have great speed and acceleration. You can find Silver, Gold and Dark Bay coated Turkoman in Red Dead Redemption 2. The two coats available for the breed in the game are Amber Champagne and Silver Dapple Pinto.
If you are looking to tame and make one Missouri Fox Trotter your companion in the game, it will be best for you to look them on the Scarlet Meadows Stable (Chapter 4) or the Blackwater Stable (Epilogue 1). The breed of horse is known to have great stamina and thus they are great Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses for Arthur to travel long distances faster. A Missouri Fox Trotter can also give you a good riding experience that is smooth making it one of the best breeds for hox riding.
4. Nokota
Nokota is another fast breed of horse available making it another one of the best horses in the game. Arthur Morgan can have good use with this breed of horse, especially to get away from trouble as fast as possible. These Nokoto Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses also have good health and stamina and their surefootedness makes them great for travelling long distances.
The Speed Base is 7 and Accel Base is 5 of Nokota meaning they have great speed and acceleration. The breed of horse mainly has three coats which are Blue Roan, White Roan, and Reverse Dapple Roan, the third being the best kind of Nokota. You can tame Nokotas with the first two kinds of coat from the wild while you can only purchase Reverse Dapple Roan from the Saint-Denis Stable (Chapter 4).
5. Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred breed is another great breed of horse in the game that has great speed, acceleration, stamina and agility. Arthur can have good use with a thoroughbred horse if he wants to sprint short distances. However, these horses can get clumsy if you use them way past their endurance level.
The Speed Base is 7 and Accel Base is 5 of Thoroughbred meaning they have great speed and acceleration. You can find this breed of horses in mainly three coats which are the Dapple Grey, the Brindle and the Blood Bay. Among these, only The Brindle is available to be purchased from Strawberry Stable (Chapter 3). You will have to tame the other two kinds of the breed from the wild to obtain those horses.
SPOILER ALERT – John Marston, the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption and the main character we play as in Epilogues 1 and 2 after the death of Arthur Morgan at the end of Chapter 6 has a horse named Rachel. Rachel is John’s main horse which the game provides the player with and this good lady is a thoroughbred.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: Details of Other Horses
Above we have discussed the best five Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses. Now, the below table will give you all the basic details that you must know about all the other horses that are available in the game.
| BREEDS | COATS | TYPE | COST | LOCATIONS |
| American Standardbred | Black, Buckskin, Palomino Dapple, Silver Tall Buckskin | Race Horses | $130 – $400 | Tumbleweed Stable (Silver Tall Buckskin)Valentine Stable (Palomino Dapple)Great Plains (Black and Buckskin) |
| American Paint | Grey Overo, Overno, Splashed White, Tobiano | Work | $130 – $425 | Tumbleweed Stable (Grey Overo)Caught from the wild (Overno, Splashed White, Tobiano) |
| Andalusian | Dark Bay, Rose Grey | War | $140 – $440 | Van Hor Stable (Rose Grey)Strawberry Stable (Dark Bay) |
| Appaloosa | Blanket, Brown Leopard, Leopard, Leopard Blanket | Work | $130 – $450 | Tumbleweed Stable (Brown Leopard)Van Hor Stable (Leopard)Caught from the wild (Leopard Blanket, Blanket) |
| Ardennes | Bay Roan, Strawberry Roan | War | $140 – $450 | Van Hor Stable (Strawberry Roan)Scarlett Meadows Stable (Bay Roan) |
| Belgian | Blonde Chestnut, Mealy Chestnut | Draft | $120 | Caught from the wild |
| Dutch Warmblood | Chocolate Roan, Seal Brown, Sooty Buckskin | Work | $150 – $450 | Valentine Stable (Chocolate Roan)Scarlett Meadows Stable (Sooty Buckskin)Strawberry Stable (Seal Brown) |
| Hungarian Halfbred | Dapple Dark Grey Flaxen Chestnut, Piebald Tobiano | War | $130 – 150 | Valentine Stable (Dapple Dark Grey)Caught from the wild (Flaxen Chestnut, Piebald Tobiano) |
| Kentucky Saddler | Black, Chestnut Pinto, Grey, Silver Bay | Riding | $50 | Valentine Stable (Grey)Caught from the wild (Black, Chestnut Pinto, Silver Bay ) |
| Morgan | Bay, Bay Roan, Flaxen Chestnut, Palomino | Riding | $15 – $55 | Valentine Stable (Palomino, Bay Roan)Caught from the wild (Bay, Flaxen Chestnut) |
| Mustang | Grullo Dun, Tiger Striped Bay, Wild Bay | War, Work | $130 – $450 | Found South of Armadilo (Tiger Striped Bay)Caught in the wild (Grullo Dun, Wild Bay) |
| Tennessee Walker | Black Rabicano, Chestnut, Dapple Bay, Flaxen Roan, Mahogany Bay, Red Roan | War, Riding | $60 – $150 | Tumbleweed Stable (Flaxen Roan)Valentine Stable (Red Roan)Caught from the wild (Black Rabicano, Chestnut, Dapple Bay, Mahogany Bay) |
| Shire | Dark Bay, Light Grey, Raven Black | Draft | $120 – $130 | Unlocked after “Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego” (Raven Black)Caught from the wild (Dark Bay, Light Grey) |
| Suffolk Punch | Red Chestnut, Sorrel | Draft | $120 | Caught from the wild (Red Chestnut, Sorrel) |
You may have noticed that each breed of horse belongs to different types. These types indicate the kind of horse breeds are, what they can be used the best for and what their stats are. The different types indicate the following:
- Draft – Acceleration, Health, Stamina and Speed Stats average
- Race – Health and Stamina Low but Speed and Acceleration High
- Riding – Acceleration, Health, Stamina and Speed Stats below average
- Superior – Acceleration, Health, Stamina and Speed Stats high (Arabian horse breed belongs to this type)
- War – Health and Stamina are High but Speed and Acceleration are Low
- Work – Acceleration Low, Health and Speed Average and Stamina High
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: Bonding
As mentioned above, it is important that you gain the trust of any horse before you can make it your own. This is done by approaching Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses, especially those that are loose in wild slowly and treating it with care to make them accustomed to you. Then you can pet and feed it to tame one and make it yours.
Once you own a horse, it is important that you continue to take good care of it to increase the bonding level with your horse. Increasing Horse Bonding Levels come with special rewards like Increased Stamina and Health of your horse, better ability to travel in difficult terrains and deeper waters, and increased distance from which you can call for your horse.
You can increase the Horse Bonding Levels of your horse in the following ways:
- Calm your horse, pet it whenever you can, and let it know you care for your horse.
- Clean and groom your horse well.
- Feed your horse regularly.
- You can gain more XP letting you level up your horse bonding by riding, travelling or even walking with your horse.
- Treat your horse like your true companion.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses: Essential Items
Just having a horse and bonding with it is not enough to use it to the best. Saddles and Stirrups are essential items to increase your horse’s levels and Healing items are important to treat your horse in necessary situations.
Among all the essential items, saddles may be the most important that can increase the stats of your horse the most. The below table will give you an idea of how all the important saddles in Red Dead Redemption will be useful to you and how much they cost.
| SADDLE | STAMINA REGEN | CORE STAMINA DRAIN | CORE HEALTH DRAIN | COST |
| Gerden Trail (Regular) | +8% | +10% | +4% | $48 |
| Gerden Trail (Upgraded) | +16% | +18% | +12% | $80 |
| Gerden Vaquero (Regular) | +8% | +8% | +6% | $51 |
| Gerden Vaquero (Upgraded) | +16% | +16% | +14% | $85 |
| Kneller Dakota (Regular) | +6% | +8% | +4% | $43 |
| Kneller Dakota (Upgraded) | +14% | +16% | +12% | $72 |
| Kneller Mother Hubbard (Regular) | +4% | +4% | +6% | $39 |
| Kneller Mother Hubbard (Upgraded) | +12% | +12% | +14% | $65 |
| Lumley McClelland (Regular) | +4% | +6% | +4% | $42 |
| Lumley McClelland (Upgraded) | +12% | +14% | +12% | $70 |
| Lumley Ranch Cutter (Regular) | +6% | +4% | +8% | $45 |
| Lumley Ranch Cutter (Upgraded) | +14% | +12% | +14% | $75 |
Another important item in the game that enables you to increase the Speed and Acceleration of Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses are Horse Stirrups. The below table will give you an idea of how all the important horse stirrups will be useful to you and how much they cost.
| STIRRUP | SPEED AND ACCELERATION | CORE DRAIN | COST |
| Baroque Stirrup | 0 | +5% | $12.50 |
| Belled Oxbow Stirrup | +1 | +25% | |
| Bell Stirrup | +2 | +35% | $28.50 |
| Deep Roper Stirrup | +1 | +20% | $20 |
| Fillies Stirrup | 0 | 0 | $10 |
| Hooded Stirrup | +2 | +50% | $36 |
| Oxbow Stirrup | +1 | +30% | $24.75 |
| Safety Stirrup | +2 | +40% | $30.25 |
| Slim-line Iron Stirrup | 0 | +10% | |
| Slim-line Stirrup | +1 | +15% | $18.50 |
| Tapaderos Stirrup | +2 | +45% | $32.50 |
Now, it is important that you own different healing items that can help your horse to regain its health in case of any problem. They are:
- Horse Reviver: Helps to revive your horse. It costs $9.50.
- Orchard Apple, Hand Picked Corn, Local Carrot, Fresh Peach, Bartlett Pear: It is essential to feed your horse these items often. They can help in raising the health and stamina of your horse. They mostly cost $0.40 to $0.65 for a unit.
- Classic Oatcakes: It is also an item that you must give your horse often to raise its health and stamina. The will cost you $4 for a unit.
- Horse Stimulant: Helps slightly raise your horse’s stamina. It costs $2.50 for a unit.
- Potent Horse Stimulant: Helps moderately raise your horse’s stamina. It costs $4 for a unit.
- Horse Medicine: Helps slightly raining your horse’s health. It costs $1.50 for a unit.
- Potent Horse Medicine: Helps moderately raise your horse’s health. It costs $3 for a unit.
All of these items can be purchased from either a stable or a General Store.
Note – it is to be noted that if your Arthur Morgan has high honour he will get various levels of discount at the various General stores and Stables. Sometimes it does pay to be good in RDR2 or in this case you pay less.
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Conclusion
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive open World game which is impossible to complete without a trustful horse companion, and the game knows that. This is why it provides you with a Kentucky Saddler very early on in the game to use and keep and later a Morgan which he can buy with Hosea in Valentine’s. However, these are very basic horses and if Arthur wishes to upgrade he can with ease. Either by taming a wild horse or purchasing a better one once you have enough money.
Whatever your choice Red Dead Redemption 2 Horses are essential to having an incredible experience. Everything that you will need to know regarding the horses has been covered in this article in an attempt to help you get a better idea on this essential aspect of the game so you can make an informed and educated decision the next time you decide to put on your cowboy hat and boots.
Hopefully, this article has been able to give you a better understanding of your companions in Red Dead Redemption 2 and would lead to you having a better appreciation for what Rockstar was able to craft with this masterpiece as well as help you have a better gaming experience.
Happy Gaming!
