Horse

Horses are the primary and most common mode of transportation in the American west at the time of Red Dead Revolver as well as Red Dead Redemption.

Horses are fast, adaptable, carry equipment and allow the rider to utilize weapons while riding. In-game horses come in a vast variety of breeds, appearances and colors; several of which have different pattern variations.

Horses can be purchased from ranchers/stores, or stolen by force or guile. Additionally, the player can locate wild herds and attempt to tame a captured horse. When you tame a new breed of horse, it will be available in the General Store for purchase. The player can lasso enemies from horseback, gun down foes or even trample them with the mount. Horses, just like the characters, will each have unique personalities, temperaments and performance characteristics.

Horses can be killed in combat or by wild animals. If the player is stranded in the wilderness without a horse, they are presented with a situation to attain one.

Horses can jump over obstacles such as fences. It has been said that the player may also purchase new horses with a "fast horse" costing $1,500 to obtain. However, with high enough honor these horses will cost $750. Buying a fast horse is advisable as you can re-spawn it using the deed in your satchel and whistling for it if it dies, hence there is no need to go looking for another one unless you want a different breed. Using the horse deed can act as a quicksave as well when you are anywhere. Even if your horse is still alive. This is an easy way to save without having to search for a place to camp (NOTE: Need confirmation that this is considered the same horse when the deed is used as it may affect one of the achievements/trophies.)

Overview
The horses in Red Dead Redemption utilize the Euphoria engine to create realistic procedural animation, an engine also utilized by GTA IV and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Depending on where you acquire your horse, there are varying levels of loyalty between you and your steed. Essentially, if you choose to lasso a wild horse and break it in for riding, this horse may not be too keen on the idea and may buck you off. However, after some time passes between the horse and Marston, the horse will learn to trust its rider. Apples are a good way to build trust. A loyal horse is much less likely to buck or rear. Of course, the way you treat your horse will also play a role in their loyalty. If you spur your horse nearly to death, your horse may opt to buck you off. The same goes for a horse that is forced to run for very long periods of time without any rest. Basically, don't allow your horses to become jaded and they will have much more positive feelings on you. The origins of your horse also plays a part in how much health the horse starts off with, i.e. a horse that was taken from a farm will have more health than a horse taken from a roaming gang.

Horses are very realistic in their movement and behavior. Unlike cars in Grand Theft Auto games, horses are living, thinking animals which have some degree of self-preservation. For example, a horse will not jump off a cliff despite attempts by the player to guide it over.

Horses may wander if they have not been tied and shy away from gunfire and animals, especially snakes. However, it is possible to recall horses that have wandered away using the game's whistle function, which will prompt the horse to come to the player. If the horse does not trot to your side, then it is likely that the horse has been killed or died in some way or another. If the horse has died, you will have to continue on foot until you can find another horse.

Note: You can not go through water on horses, just like you can't go through water whilst dismounted.

Tack
There is no known way to modify the tack of your mount.

When you break a wild horse, it will be shown without a bridle or saddle. However, once hitched, the horse will have a saddle after the game is saved.

Breeds
Please visit the Horse Breeds article for more detailed information on Horse Breeds, behaviours, abilities and locations.
 * Kentucky Saddler - New Austin
 * American Standardbred - West Elizabeth
 * Hungarian Half-Bred - Mexico
 * War Horse - Pre-Order
 * Dark Horse - Road Agent
 * Lusitano
 * Turkmen
 * Infested Ardennais
 * Jaded Tersk
 * Lusitano Nag
 * Ardennais
 * Cleveland Bay
 * Dutch Warmblood
 * Highland Chestnut
 * Painted Quarter Horse
 * Painted Standardbred
 * Quarter Horse
 * Standardbred Pinto
 * Tersk
 * Tobiano Pinto
 * Welsh Mountain

Horse Taming
The player is able to capture and tame horses for later use. Visit the Horse Taming page for more information on this activity.

John can only maintain one horse at a time. If you tame a wild horse while actively using another, the newly tamed horse will not become John's primary mount (comes when you whistle) until it has been hitched at a town.

Quality is important when taming a horse, a horse with a shiny coat and muscle definition will be much faster and more reliable than a horse with bones sticking out and a thin neck.

Horse Power
Horses also provide the physical power for stagecoaches, wagons and carts. Between one and four horses pull the weight of vehicles of various weights, and at various speeds. The player can drive these horses by occupying the driver's seat of the trailers.

It is confirmed that the player can detach horses from wagons, carts or stagecoaches.

Other Mounts


It has been confirmed that other ridable mounts included in the game are Mules, Donkeys and sometimes Bulls.

Although, there is a Dark Horse if you get extremely low honor. On-line Multiplayer you can obtain two different bulls, a buffalo ,an albino buffalo, a donkey, a zebra, and a horse.

Achievements
The taming and riding or killing of horses are included in the completion of the following two available achievements:
 * Buckin Awesome: Break the Kentucky Saddler, the American Standardbred, and the Hungarian Half-bred.
 * Unnatural Selection: Kill one of every animal species in the game in any game mode (note: only wild horses apply towards the achievement).