One of the most unique aspects of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s gameplay concerns horses. Instead of only being a way to get from point A to point B, horses have now become Arthur Morgan’s most trusted allies. In addition to visual differences, each horse has specific strengths, weaknesses, and ways to react to Arthur depending on their relationship. If players keep a horse well-fed and feeling loved, that horse will become fully loyal. There is also a bonding process with each horse, which can determine how they react in different situations.
There are multiple ways Arthur can acquire horses including buying them from stables and wrangling them in the wild. There are a total of nineteen breeds of horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. Although all will serve players well, knowing which horses are the best in Red Dead Redemption 2 can be the difference between life and death.
19 Morgan
Morgans are typical riding horses, and that’s about all they’re good for. Although the Bay Roan and Palomino colors of this breed are available at stables, Arthur can also find them in the wild with the Bay and Flaxen Chestnut. Their average speed and stamina make them suitable for short trips around Red Dead Redemption 2‘s breathtaking map, but they’re slower than many other breeds and their health pool leaves something to be desired.
The good news is that these horses require very little care and are good for pulling carts and carriages. These horses are pretty standard and can be found all over the Red Dead Redemption 2 map. The Morgan is probably the first horse most players will acquire in the game.
18 Kentucky Saddler
Kentucky Saddlers are common riding horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur can catch the Gray, Black, Chestnut Pinto, and Silver Bay coats in the wild, and the Gray is also available for purchase in stables. They have a very laid-back nature making them perfect companions for riding short distances. They are also very muscular and stout, so they’re easy to take care of.
They do have downsides, though. Kentucky Saddlers are not very fast and can’t accelerate particularly quickly. These horses are common and can be found all over the Red Dead Redemption 2 map, making them quick and easy to capture and tame. They are only slightly better than Morgans.
17 Tennessee Walker
Tennessee Walkers are another type of riding horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. They have seven different coat varieties, and, of those, the Red Roan, Black Rabicano, Chestnut, and Dapple Bay can be found in the wild. Arthur can purchase the Flaxen Roan at a stable. The Dapple Dark Grey coat, which is also available in stables, is a warhorse with slightly higher stats than other coats.
These horses are sturdy and healthy. They also handle well enough to tackle long distances. They have a unique trot, and their gait makes riding them extremely comfortable. This is one of the most elegant horses that Arthur can ride.
16 Belgian
Belgians are strong draft horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. Draft horses are among the sturdiest horses in the game and are what players should want for tasks such as pulling carts, carriages, wagons, and coaches. Like most draft horses, Belgians are incredibly strong. They are sturdy, but they also weigh more than other horses which makes them slightly harder to handle. They have excellent health and stamina and are the fastest of the draft horse breeds.
Belgian horses are also well suited for farm work. They are available in the wild and come in two coats: Blond Chestnut and Mealy Chestnut. The Belgian is the horse Arthur will want for his heavy lifting and hauling.
15 Shire
The Shire is another breed of draft horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. This means that these horses are also well suited to heavy pulling and hauling and are perfect for hooking up to wagons and coaches. They are one of the strongest horse breeds in the game, but their large size and heavy weight make them more difficult to handle. They are also the largest horses in the game. Their speed and stamina are only average, though, meaning that they’re a far cry from the best overall horse for Arthur.
Shires come in three coats: Raven Black, Dark Bay, and Light Grey. All three are available in the wild. The Raven Black coat gives the horse slightly higher stamina than horses of other colors.
14 Suffolk Punch
The Suffolk Punch is another draft horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. With its stocky and compact frame, it is the perfect breed for heavy labor in farms. These horses are also very heavy, which means that they are often difficult to handle. They can work extremely long hours without getting tired and are very sturdy and healthy. They also have good speed for their breed. They are, however, a little harder to find as they are only available in the wild.
The Suffolk Punch has two different coats: Red Chestnut and Sorrel. If Arthur needs a horse with a lot of strength and endurance, the Suffolk Punch is the right one for that job.
13 Appaloosa
The next step up from a draft horse is the War Horse. Take the Appaloosa, for example, a horse breed that is perfect for just about any kind of work needed at a ranch. The Blanket and Leopard Blanket coats are found in the wild, but Arthur can purchase the Leopard and Brown Leopard coats at a stable.
Appaloosas have excellent temperaments, meaning that they’re easy to handle. They are also very healthy and have good speed, agility, and stamina (something needed in a reliable workhorse). If Arthur wants a horse for difficult tasks, the Appaloosa is a good choice. They are often found in the midwestern part of the game map.
12 Nokota
If Arthur needs to get to a town, cam, or beautiful landmark as fast as possible, players will want to consider using a racehorse. This includes the Nokota, which has good speed and acceleration, meaning that Arthur can make a fast getaway from trouble if needed. Arthur can find the Blue Roan and White Roan in the wild, but he must purchase Reverse Dapple Roan from a stable.
These are sure-footed horses, making them excellent for traversing distances. They are also healthy and handle exceptionally well. The majority of Nokotas are located in the Western part of the Red Dead Redemption 2 map. The Reverse Dapple Roan is the best of the three coats, with much greater speed than the other two Nokota coats.
11 Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred horses are lean, mean racing machines. A kind of racehorse, this breed is made for athletics with great stamina, agility, and acceleration. If Arthur needs to sprint short distances, the Thoroughbred horse is what he wants to do so with. They are easy to handle but can get a little clumsy if Arthur pushes them too far past their endurance.
They have three coats: the Brindle, the Blood Bay, and the Dapple Grey. The Brindle, which has the highest speed of this breed, is available for purchase in stables, but the others are only available in the wild. Players with a keen eye in Red Dead Redemption 2 may also find a rare Seal Brown coated Thoroughbred.
10 American Standardbred
A horse that is great for racing or quickly traversing distances is the American Standardbred. These horses are lean and agile with great stamina and acceleration. They come in four coats: the Palomino Dapple, the Silver Tail Buckskin, the Black, and the Buckskin. Although the Silvertail Buckskin and Palomino Dapple are available for purchase at stables, the Black and Buckskin are only available for catching in the wild.
They can maintain a fast pace for a long while and are easy to train. However, they have their faults: they are timid creatures, and loud noises can frighten them and make them act erratically. They are, however, one of the fastest breeds of horses in Red Dead Redemption 2.
9 American Paint
American Paint horses are robust workhorses ready to tackle any kind of task put upon them. They stand out from other horses, though, thanks to their uniquely patterned coats. Although they cannot accelerate very quickly, they have amazing stamina with average speed and health. American Paint horses are extremely intelligent and easy to care for making them perfect for ranch work. These horses also have great personalities, so they’re easy for Arthur to get along with.
The Overo and Tobiano coats roam the wild ready to get caught by Arthur. There is also a very rare Splashed White coat wandering around the game map for those who can find it. The Gray Overo coat is available for purchase at stables.
8 Hungarian Halfbred
When it comes to battle, a good war horse is always an excellent choice for Arthur. Given that, players should consider the Hungarian Halfbred, a strong breed that has good health and stamina. Although these horses are slow with low speed and acceleration stats, they have a fearless personality that makes them perfect for any kind of combat. These horses also handle extremely well, and they have a large, sturdy body, too
Though Hungarian Halfbreds are fairly healthy, they are less healthy than other war horse breeds. The Flaxen Chestnut and Piebald Tobiano coats live in the wild, but the Dapple Dark Grey coat is only available for purchase in stables.
7 Mustang
The Mustang is a horse that is good for a variety of tasks, whether it be racing, war, or work. This versatile breed has great health and stamina, although their speed doesn’t put them in the same speed category as a typical racing horse. They have personalities that make them a pleasure to ride and are sturdy. They also don’t frighten easily. If it’s a multi-use horse Arthur needs, the Mustang is just the breed he’s looking for.
The Grullo Dun, Wild Bay, and rare Tiger Striped Bay coats are all found in the wild, but they aren’t available in stables. Arthur can find Mustangs in the western portion of the Red Dead Redemption 2 map.
6 Dutch Warmblood
Dutch Warmblood horses are among the sturdiest and hardiest of horses in the work horse category. These creatures have excellent stamina but only average speed and health. However, they don’t have good acceleration, meaning they’re not good for racing. The Seal Brown, Sooty Buckskin and Chocolate Roan coats are available for purchase in stables. There is also a very rare coat, the Cremello, which is only available in the wild for those who can find and tame it.
These horses have a sturdy body attached to long legs. They are also agile, making them easy to handle. If Arthur needs a dependable work horse, the Dutch Warmblood is the breed he will want to get.
5 Andalusian
The Andalusian breed of horse is bred for war. Its compact frame makes it extra sturdy, as well as extremely powerful. These warhorses have excellent health and stamina, but they’re not made for racing: their speed and acceleration stats are low. They have beautiful, thick manes with tall, muscular bodies. They also handle well, making them ideal for combat.
Although they’re not fast, they’re fairly good for traveling long distances. They also don’t get frightened too easily. They come in two coats: Dark Bay and Rose Gray, both of which are available for purchase at stables. The Andalusian is one tough horse with an aggressive personality, meaning that they’re not just good for war, but also for hunting.
4 Ardennes
Some of the most well-built horses for combat and war belong to the Ardennes breed. They have excellent health and stamina, but, like other warhorses, they tend to have low speed and acceleration. They are among the heaviest of horse breeds in the game, but they handle well, especially under pressure, something that is important when going into battle. These horses are also extremely brave: they rarely become agitated, even when in combat.
They come in two coats: the Bay Roan and Strawberry Roan. Both coats are available for purchase in stables throughout the game. The Strawberry Roan is the healthiest of the two, but also the most costly. Arthur can’t go wrong with either, though.
3 Missouri Fox Trotter
The Missouri Fox Trotter actually falls under two different categories of horse: race and work. This combination means that Missouri Fox Trotters are fast as well as sturdy, which makes them one of the best breeds in Red Dead Redemption 2.
They are powerful horses with great stamina, but they also have good speed and a lively trot that will help Arthur travel long distances faster. The two coats are Amber Champagne and Silver Dapple Pinto, both of which are available for purchase at stables throughout the game map. This breed provides a smooth and comfortable riding experience, too. Trotters are some of the best horses in a game known for great horse riding.
2 Turkoman
Another horse that’s good for both racing and working is the Turkoman breed. These horses have excellent health, stamina, and speed, meaning that they can handle long distances efficiently and also perform tasks like carriage pulling. These slender horses are also very agile, meaning that they handle very well. However, these horses do come with a warning: they can get impatient, so it’s best not to make them wait in one spot for too long.
The Dark Bay, Gold, and Silver coats are all available for purchase at stables, but they will cost Arthur a pretty penny: these horses cost $950 each. They are well worth it, though, thanks to their multi-class status.
1 Arabian
The Arabian breed is the choice for players who want the absolute best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. These horses’ fiery personalities make them hard to tame, but, once tamed, they’re a companion Arthur will want to keep until the game’s end. These horses handle well and are loyal to a fault.
Arabians are generally kept by the wealthiest people in the game and can cost over $1,000 each. They have good health, stamina, speed, and acceleration and are extremely intelligent. The Black and Rose Gray Bay coats are available at stables, but the most stunning coat, the rare White Arabian, is only available in the wild. These horses are also very easy to train.