Horses are incredibly important in Red Dead Redemption 2. Not only does Arthur Morgan bond with his horses, but you can brush their manes and give them treats. They also serve a very practical purpose: They let you travel across RDR2′s large, open world. You’ll ride to mission objectives by horse, shoot enemies on horseback, and probably even run into some trees with your buddy. While we love all of our horse friends, some perform better than others in RDR2. Here’s how to get the best horses in the game. For more on Red Dead Redemption 2, check out our review, beginner’s guide, fast travel guide, and cheat codes guide. Unlocking stables In order to buy horses, you’ll need to unlock stables. This is done after completing the Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego mission in chapter two. Once you finish it, you’ll have a handful of horse-related options to choose from. These include the ability to customize your steed, buy additional horses, and purchase any provisions to keep your horse healthy. As you progress throughout RDR2, it’s a good idea to visit stables often to ensure your horse is well-kept. At stables, you can also sell horses, which is a lucrative way to make money. Though many of them don’t have extraordinary sale prices, it’s easy enough to round them up and make a few extra bucks. So, if you’re strapped for cash, consider selling wild horses. The four types of horses There are 19 horse breeds in RDR2, but other than appearance, you should only be concerned with handling. Throughout your adventure, you’ll come across four different types of horses, graded by handling. Standard handling: Typically these are average horses with average stats, but they do vary widely in both price and performance. In most cases, standard handling horses are solid all around. Typically these are average horses with average stats, but they do vary widely in both price and performance. In most cases, standard handling horses are solid all around. Race handling: As the name suggests, these are the fastest horses you can find. They do tire rather quickly, though, and are more susceptible to damage. Don’t let the often cheap price tags fool you. Race horses sound cool, but we think they are the worst class in the game due to their extremely specialized stats. As the name suggests, these are the fastest horses you can find. They do tire rather quickly, though, and are more susceptible to damage. Don’t let the often cheap price tags fool you. Race horses sound cool, but we think they are the worst class in the game due to their extremely specialized stats. Heavy handling: The types of horses that you’ll see pulling stagecoaches and caravans. Heavy horses are naturally bulkier, move slower, but can take more damage. They’re tanky but can be annoying when you want to move around the world quickly. The types of horses that you’ll see pulling stagecoaches and caravans. Heavy horses are naturally bulkier, move slower, but can take more damage. They’re tanky but can be annoying when you want to move around the world quickly. Elite handling: The best all-around horses in the game. They have robust stamina and health meters, making them both speedy and strong. Elite handling horses are rare and will cost you the most money. Each horse has speed and acceleration ratings that can be upgraded to a certain point, as well as health and stamina that goes up as you bond. Handling is the key stat that you should pay attention to, though. To be quite honest, it’s hard to recommend spending money on either race horses or heavy horses (unless you’re swimming in cash). Your horse is highly unlikely to be shot to death (it didn’t happen to us once during our 60 hours reviewing the game) and unless you have horse stimulants stocked at all times, using a race horse can be a burden. You start off with a standard horse, which is soon replaced by another standard horse that you can name. From there, we recommend sticking with your pal until you can get a quality upgrade, i.e. an elite steed. That said, if you struggle with horse handling (you constantly run into stuff), you may want to try out a Heavy handling horse. You can try before you buy by simply stealing one from a stagecoach. And if you have made a habit out of being dastardly, you may want to look into race horses for quick getaways. For general all around use, we think jumping from standard to elite is the proper play. Buy yourself an Elite handling horse Your best bet for finding a great horse is to visit the nearest stable. You can find stables in nearly every town, represented on the map with a horseshoe icon. In our experience, the bigger the city, the better chance you have to find better horses. That means industrial cities like Saint Denis routinely have better horses than, say, Rhodes or Valentine. It’s important to note that while you’re going to find a few to handful of horses for purchase at a stable, the stock rotates after a couple of in-game days. So, essentially, you have to keep checking back. Elite handling horses cost $1,000 or more on average, but before long that won’t seem like a ton of cash in RDR2. You just have to wait till the chapter three or four to make a splash purchase like this. Primary horse You can own many horses at any given time, but only one can be your primary horse. You can control which one is primary by putting your saddle on it. If your horse dies or if you find another one you’d rather use, simply place the saddle on the new horse for it to become your primary. It will show up on your map as a horse with a saddle on it. You can tame wild horses You’ll come across horses in the wild, usually in small groups, throughout your adventure. Instead of forking over 1,000 bucks or more, you could get lucky and find an elite handling horse. It’s rare but not impossible to happen upon an elite horse during your travels. To view a horse’s stats, grab your binoculars and zero in on it from afar. Press R1/RB to study the horse and then press it again to display its stats. You’ll be able to see the stats just as you would at the stable. Be careful approaching wild horses, though. If you make too much noise or approach it too quickly, it’s likely to storm off. It’s wise to press Triangle/Y to track it, just in case you scare it away. Once you get on the wild horse, it will only take a few seconds for it to stop bucking. From there, you can either put your saddle on it or ride it to a stable to either sell or store. You can also steal horses from fellow travelers, but you cannot put your saddle on them afterwards. Instead, you have to take it to a stable to make it your own. Don’t switch horses too often As we mentioned earlier, bonding between Arthur and his horse is a real thing that makes a tangible difference in gameplay. The only way you’re going to achieve that extra-special bond is by riding your horse, and the same horse, consistently. As the bond between you and your horse grows, your horse’s health and stamina increase. Due to the bonding process, now you can acquire a considerably better standard horse than a brand new elite horse. This can be a substantial contributing factor to your overall success later on. We suggest remembering that the next time a new horse walks by, stealing your attention. Even if you find a gorgeous one, purchasing a new horse at a deep point of the game might not be the best idea. Manage Tack for better performance You may come to a point when you want to give your horse a much-needed upgrade. This can happen even if you already own an elite horse. To do this, you’ll need to fit them with the proper Tack. There are six different kinds of Tacks available at the stables. We’ve done our research to make it easier for you; out of those six, only three will give you the valuable gameplay upgrades you’re seeking. It’s worth mentioning that you’ll need to bring your horse along when you go to the stables. If you don’t, the method will not work. Saddles: You can buy improved saddles to bolster your horse’s stamina core and its stamina core regeneration rate. Saddles can also delay health core drainage. Pick “Improved” when buying saddles for superior stat increases. Saddlebags: Extra space for your character’s clothes, hat, and mask. Stirrups: Stirrups increase your horse’s highest speed and acceleration rate. If your horse has grayed out stats in its meter, you can boost your speed by getting improved stirrups. If you want, you can purchase an assortment of items to improve your horse’s looks. Keep in mind that horns, blankets, and bedrolls only benefit your horse’s outer appearance. However, we understand that these things are nice to have. At the end of the day, you want your horse to look good. Editors' Recommendations<doc-sep>There are a ton of different horses in Red Dead Redemption 2, which makes sense since this is a massive game set in the Wild West. But which horse is the best? And what’s the best way to choose one? Here’s everything you need to know about horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. How to buy a good horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 The easiest way to get a new horse is to head to a nearby stable, where a rotating selection will be waiting for you. There, you can check out the stats of the horses available and pick whichever suits you best. Just remember that every new horse will require you to bond with them all over again. VGR notes that there are 19 different horse breeds to choose from in the game, but simplifies things by suggesting that you look for a horse with the label “Elite Handling.” That indicates strong stamina and speed, though they’ll likely cost between $1000 and $1,300 in in-game currency as a result. That might not be much by the end of the game, but early on in Red Dead Redemption 2 it’s a lot to spend in one place. If you are going to drop a grand on a new horse, your best bet is likely the stables in either Saint Denis or Blackwater, to end-game locations. Red Dead 2 doesn’t officially send you to Saint Denis until Chapter 4, but you can head there way earlier if you want to pick up a powerful horse even sooner. Finally, even if your current horse isn’t perfect that doesn’t mean you necessarily need to buy a new one. You can equip saddles and other add-ons to boost specific stats that might be lacking to make the horse you’ve already bonded with even better. The best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2? Sure you could buy a horse, but the best option might actually be a wild stallion. That means you’ll have to track it and tame it yourself, but the payoff is definitely worth the extra work. According to VG247, the best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a white-maned Arabian that hangs out by Lake Isabelle in the Northwest part of the map. The region’s snowy weather makes it difficult to spot this white horse, but if you search for long enough you should find it. Just watch out for wolves and other beasts. Once you spot the horse, approach slowly by pressing LT/L2. You can also check on the horse’s comfort level via a bar in the bottom right corner of the screen. If it gets too low, stop moving and tap the X/square button until the horse calms down. Once you get close enough you can pet the hose before trying to mount it. Then you’ll need to tame your new steed by pointing the left joystick in the opposite direction of wherever the horse is headed. When you’ve successfully tamed the horse you’ll see a notification and the steed will be yours. Congrats, you just got the best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2, and it didn’t cost you a dime.<doc-sep>
EVERYONE needs a trusty steed, and with the amount of ground you have to cover in Red Dead Redemption 2, you want the best one you can afford. But with so many breeds to choose from and so many ways of getting horses, finding the right one can be a pain. 4 Firstly it's worth noting that the best horses come from stables, and you're going to have to shell out for them. Sure, you can steal one you like the look of or you can tame a wile stallion that tickles your fancy, but the only way to get the best of the best is to crack into your savings. Arabians have the best stats overall, and during the main story the best one you can get your hands on is available from the stables in South St Denis, which you can find on the left as you ride in from the west. The handsome black Arabian there will set you back around $1,000 from Chapter IV onwards, with the exact price depending on your honor level - the nicer you've been to people around the world, the cheaper your horse will be. 4 However, you can also get a white one for free. Head to the Western shore of Lake Isabella in the Grizzlies West area, and you should spy one about 2/3 of the way up the lake. It can be a bit flighty, but it's tameable with a little patience. It's not quite as good as the stable-bought variants, but it's very close. If you're looking for specific attributes, or wanting one earlier on, then the Dutch Warmblood available in Valentine early in the game ($450) is an excellent bet. If it's pure speed you're after, then go to Strawberry once you hit Chapter 3 and purchase yourself a Thoroughbred. Health and Stamina are both low, but he will get you going faster than any other philly you can find. Wait until Chapter 4 and you can get a Missouri Fox Trotter from Scarlet Meadows (south of Emerald Ranch, just into Le Moyne) who is as fast as that thoroughbred, but significantly less fragile. [What could be considered minor spoilers follow, scroll to continue] 4 4 However, that's not quite the best you can do overall. Get as far as the game's Epilogue and there is another Arabian, a Rose Grey Bay you can buy at the stables in Blackwater. She's even more expensive, costing up to $1,250, but is the best all-round horse you can buy. WHAT IS RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2? Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption, a cowboy game from the makers of Grand Theft Auto. You play as Arthur Morgan, a senior member of a gang of outlaws in 1899. It's an open-world game set in a (slightly) compressed version of the Old West. Bits are very much modeled on Colorado's mountains and plains, others on the swamps around a large town modeled after an early New Orleans, and plenty more besides. With mountains, forest, desert and more all having their own ecosystems, it features hundreds of different types of animal and gorgeous vistas. It has hundreds of characters -- the cast numbers around 1,200 when you include motion capture and voice actors -- with pixel-perfect renditions of everything from the largemouth bass you've just caught to the can-can girls on stage whose show you've just taken in. You'll meet small-town tough guys, robber barons, bloodthirsty agents, crooked clerks, slavers trying to make a living and slaves trying to survive. You story starts shortly after a robbery gone wrong has forced your gang into hiding in those mountains -- and carries on as you try and settle old scores and rebuild your fortunes. But it builds to much more than that. As a study of the damage that can be done lust for revenge it stands with the best of them, and it's as brave and ambitious a portrait of a man's descent into madness as you'll find in any medium this year. Gameplay is relatively simple -- you have a huge array of guns and other weapons to choose from as Arthur, and the majority of missions do involve shooting your way into or out of situations -- Arthur knows what his skills are, as do those who come asking for his help.