InRed Dead Redemption 2, horses are as crucial to the game as guns, even more so in many cases.
Aside from being the primary method of transportation, horses carry the player’s entire arsenal, hunting spoils, and other essential gear — as well as being a game-long companion (including in Red Dead Online).
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Arthur Morgancan tame wild horses or outright buy them, and from there, players are able tobond with their horsesby brushing, feeding, and patting them.
Arthur deeply cares for these horses, too, so it’s important not to be reckless with them. He’s been found toshed a tear if his horse diesand if they’re at the maximum bonding level.
Players can keep up to 3 horses at a time in the stables, including the 4th they’re riding around with. So, it’s important to only keep the best ones, whether they are the fastest or the most durable.
The horses listed can be obtained in the main game and kept bybothArthur Morgan or John Marston. Any horses that can only be acquired in the Epilogue/Blackwater/New Austin (where only John can keep them) are not listed.
10American Standardbred
Coat: Palomino Dapple
Acceleration
The American Standardbred has four different coat patterns:Black,Buckskin,Palomino Dapple, andSilver Tail Buckskin(which can be purchased for$400at theTumbleweed Stablein theEpilogue).
All horses areRaceType withRaceHandling (except for the Silver Tail Buckskin, which hasStandardHandling).
The Palomino Dapple, with a coat pattern that looks similar to bokeh in photography, can be purchased for$150in theValentine StableinChapter 2. The Black and Buckskin horses can be found and caught in the wild, but have poorer speed and acceleration stats, making the Palomino Dapple a great choice for a fast, early-game horse.
Despite the horse’s low health and stamina (making them an unfortunately easy target), the Palomino Dapple is able to run fast enough to avoid hostile encounters. With race handling, it’s also very easy to slip around obstacles relatively smoothly, a great horse to “run like the wind” with — just don’t expect a fast takeoff.
9Thoroughbred
Coat: Brindle
The Thoroughbred has three different coat patterns:Blood Bay,Brindle, andDapple Grey. All horses areRaceType withRaceHandling.
While the Blood Bay and the Dapple Grey horses can be caught in the wild for free, they are significantly slower in both speed and acceleration. The Brindle, however, can be purchased for$450atStrawberry StableafterChapter 3.
Seven is the maximum number of points that can be granted in a horse’s stats, so the Brindle is an excellent option for players that want to prioritise speed and quick escapes.
The intense speed along with race handling can get players from one end of the map to the other with quick, seamless gallops. Combined with efficient acceleration, the Brindle becomes an ideal horse early on.
Coat: Reverse Dapple Roan
The Nokota has three different coat patterns:Blue Roan,Reverse Dapple Roan, andWhite Roan. All horses areRaceType withRaceHandling.
The Blue Roan and the White Roan coated horses can be caught in the wild, but they are also slower in both speed and acceleration.
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The Reverse Dapple Roan can be purchased for$450from theSaint Denis StableafterChapter 4.
This horse is a good choice for those that want a fast horse with fast acceleration, and aren’t too concerned about HP and stamina stats. The downside, however, is that there are several better horses in the Saint Denis Stable, so it won’t be the first choice for players that have money to spare.
That said, the Reverse Dapple Roan is a solid choice in terms of speed and maneuverability. Combined with a unique coat, players will find a one-of-a-kind companion with this steed.
7Dutch Warmblood
Coat: Chocolate Roan
The Dutch Warmblood has three different coat patterns:Chocolate Roan,Sooty Buckskin, andSeal Brown. All horses are theWorkType withStandardHandling.
The Sooty Buckskin and the Seal Brown horses can both be purchased for$150(from theScarlett Meadows StableduringChapter 2and theStrawberry StableduringChapter 3, respectively). However, they are worse in nearly all stats.
The Chocolate Roan, however, can be purchased for$450at theValentine StablestartingChapter 2.
While not the fastest horse, these horses are very sturdy and strong, meant to handle a lot of weight and danger with relative ease. This would be ideal for players that prefer reliability to speed.
The Sooty Buckskin would be able to handle tripping over those hidden rocks and fence posts and get back up with mild injury, but don’t count on it for escaping encounters. This horse is more ideal for hunting large game and taking in bounties; because of its sturdy build and impressive stamina, it won’t have any complaints when something (or someone) heavy is stowed.
Coat: Strawberry Roan
The Ardennes has two different coat patterns:Bay RoanandStrawberry Roan, making them a lesser common horse breed in the game. Both horses areWarType withStandardHandling.
The Bay Roan can be purchased for$140atScarlett Meadows StableafterChapter 2, but has much lower HP and Stamina.
On the other hand, the Strawberry Roan can be purchased atVan Horn StableinChapter 6.
This horse is for players who want a tanky horse that can handle gunfire with ease. Being completely maxed out in HP, this horse is able to run head-first into hostile encounters, and stay involved, but it won’t be fast enough to make any escape.
Another downside is how long players would have to wait for its availability, considering it’s in the final chapter before the Epilogue. But, it’s ready for action as soon as it’s acquired.
5Appaloosa
Coat: Leopard
The Appaloosa has three different coat patterns:Blanket,Leopard,LeopardBlanket, andBrown Leopard(which can be purchased for$450at theTumbleweed Stablein theEpilogue).
All horses are theWorkType withStandardHandling.
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The Blanket and Leopard Blanket horses can be caught and tamed in the wild, but their Stamina and HP stats would severely lack in comparison to the Leopard-coat horse.
The Leopard can be purchased for$430atVan Horn StableinChapter 6, being a proper work horse for players with that kind of need. Of course, there’s the issue of it being available so late in the game, but it’s worth it for players wanting to wrap up all their legendary hunting before ending the main story.
Plus, look at that horse’s coat —Margaret from the Circuswould definitely find a way to pass it off as a real leopard.
4Andalusian
Coat: Perlino
The Andalusian has three different coat patterns:Dark Bay,Perlino, andRoseGrey. All the horses areWarType withStandardHandling.
The Dark Bay can be caught in the wild with worse HP and Stamina stats, with the best options being between the Perlino and Rose Grey coats. But, the Rose Grey horse can only be purchased for$440atVan Horn StableafterChapter 6, meaning it would take a while before players can get one.
However, the Perlino can be caught in the wild, and it has the exact same stats as the Rose Grey horse, meaning players can have all the benefits of this late-game horse for free, so long as they can find it (and not get kicked in the face).
This is an excellent horse for players that are looking for a horse that can handle gunfire, explosives, fence posts, and other dangers. Once tamed, the beautiful Perlino is valuable, making it one of the best horses that can be caught in the wild.
Coat: Gold
The Turkoman has only two different coat patterns:GoldandSilver. Both areRace/WarType withStandardHandling. Nether can be found in the wild.
The Silver horse can be purchased for$950at theTumbleweed Stablein theEpilogue. The Gold horse, however, can be purchased for$950at theSaint DenisStableinChapter 4, making it much easier for players to get their hands on a good Turkoman horse earlier on.
Both horses have the exact same stats, making them excellent options for sturdy horses that can move quickly. Players don’t have to wait as long for the Gold horse, however, making it the better option of the two.
The Gold Turkoman is reliable on nearly all fronts. It’s fast, sturdy, reliable, and an overall excellent pick. Plus, the unique coat gives it a flashy flair, making it a horse that has just as much effort in its entrance as it does its stability.
2Missouri Fox Trotter
Coat: Amber Champagne
TheMissouri Fox Trotterhas two different coat patterns:Amber ChampagneandSilver Dapple Pinto(which can only be purchased for$950at theBlackwaterStablein theEpilogue).
Both horses areRace/WorkType withStandardHandling; and they both have the exact same statistics.
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The Amber Champagne can be purchased for$950from theScarlett Meadows StableduringChapter 4, making this a very good choice of horse for players.
These horses are able to go fast and maintain that speed with relative ease without being fragile, a solid option overall. It’s a top choice horse for many players, who rely on its speed and durability — the only downside comes from its handling.
For a fast horse, standard handling makes it challenging to make smooth turns and escape confrontation without some weight shift or slip up, which can end very badly for players that aren’t careful.
Coat: Black
The Arabian has three different coat patterns:Black,White, andRose Grey Bay(which can only be purchased for$1250atBlackwater Stablein theEpilogue).
All horses are theSuperiorType withEliteHandling, the only horses in the game with these traits.
The rare White Arabianhorse can be caught northwest of Valentine near the edge of the map. That said, the horse’s stats have poorer HP and Stamina, and there’s many ways catching it can go wrong (asone unfortunate player found out the hard way).
The Black Arabian, however, can be purchased for$1050at theSaint Denis StableinChapter 4, and it’s the best, most reliable horse in the game. It’s the 2nd-best horse in terms of stats (2nd only to the Rose Grey Bay), and can be unlocked with relative ease.
In addition, as players race other NPCs with this horse, more points are put into its speed, making the horse even faster. The elite handling is genuinely elite, with the Black Arabian being able to zip around obstacles, outpace enemy horses, and put significant distance between the player and any hostility.
Impressively, for players that want to be aggressive in their gameplay, the Black Arabian can also handle it. It can tank heavy hits from various dangers, quickly get back up after tripping with ease, and keep pushing forward with almost no issue.
For players that want a horse that’s fast, reliable, sturdy, and an excellent companion, the Black Arabian would be the best choice until the Epilogue.
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