Obstacles in Our Path

Obstacles in Our Path is a mission in Red Dead Redemption. In this mission, John gets to race with Bonnie MacFarlane and is introduced to horse riding, a fundamental element of the game. There is not a lot of story in this mission as it's more of a tutorial.

Story
Bonnie asks John of his connection to Bill Williamson but John would rather not talk about that time, lest it bring trouble. Bonnie then insinuates that a city man like John must have some exotic secrets, but John responds saying 'no city man'. Bonnie then challenges him to a horse race, and afterward suggests that he see the Sheriff in Armadillo.

Mission Prerequisites
Before this mission becomes available, the player must complete:
 * Bonnie MacFarlane mission strand: "New Friends, Old Problems"

Mission Objectives
To complete this mission, the player must:
 * Mount up and meet Bonnie at the race starting point.
 * Race Bonnie through the waypoints.

Mission Details
Race Bonnie. The player has to follow a path marked by beacons of smoke, which can also be seen on the radar map. The player may experience problems like being thrown from the horse if it's overworked, so keep an eye on that blue meter. Just follow the marks until the end. The mission does not fail if the player loses.

Rewards
Whether the player loses or wins the race, the reward is 20 fame.

Mission Failure
The mission will fail if the player:
 * Assaults Bonnie.
 * Kills his own or Bonnie's horse.
 * Gets too far behind Bonnie.
 * Leaves MacFarlane's Ranch.
 * Abandons the race.
 * Breaks the law.
 * Kills a dog.
 * Commits vandalism.
 * Assaults or kills townsfolk.
 * Dies.

Mission Complete Unlockables

 * "Let No Man Put Asunder" Stranger side-mission
 * Marshal Leigh Johnson mission strand

Trivia

 * Interestingly, apart from the three racing missions given to you during the story (Obstacles in Our Path; &quot;Liars, Cheats and Other Proud Americans&quot;; &quot;The Sport of Kings, and Liars&quot;), the opportunity to race never presents itself again. However, racing is now available online in the Liars and Cheats DLC.
 * It is somewhat difficult to beat Bonnie considering your horse's low stamina but, it can be done. If you win, you receive no extra bonus from beating her.