10 Best Horses In Red Dead Redemption 2

In Red 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).

Arthur Morgan can tame wild horses or outright buy them, and from there, players are able to bond with their horses by 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 to shed a tear if his horse dies and 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.

10 American Standardbred

Coat: Palomino Dapple

The American Standardbred has four different coat patterns: Black, Buckskin, Palomino Dapple, and Silver Tail Buckskin (which can be purchased for $400 at the Tumbleweed Stable in the Epilogue).

All horses are Race Type with Race Handling (except for the Silver Tail Buckskin, which has Standard Handling).

The Palomino Dapple, with a coat pattern that looks similar to bokeh in photography, can be purchased for $150 in the Valentine Stable in Chapter 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.

9 Thoroughbred

Coat: Brindle

The Thoroughbred has three different coat patterns: Blood Bay, Brindle, and Dapple Grey. All horses are Race Type with Race Handling.

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 $450 at Strawberry Stable after Chapter 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.

8 Nokota

Coat: Reverse Dapple Roan

The Nokota has three different coat patterns: Blue Roan, Reverse Dapple Roan, and White Roan. All horses are Race Type with Race Handling.

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.

The Reverse Dapple Roan can be purchased for $450 from the Saint Denis Stable after Chapter 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.

7 Dutch Warmblood

Coat: Chocolate Roan

The Dutch Warmblood has three different coat patterns: Chocolate Roan, Sooty Buckskin, and Seal Brown. All horses are the Work Type with Standard Handling.

The Sooty Buckskin and the Seal Brown horses can both be purchased for $150 (from the Scarlett Meadows Stable during Chapter 2 and the Strawberry Stable during Chapter 3, respectively). However, they are worse in nearly all stats.

The Chocolate Roan, however, can be purchased for $450 at the Valentine Stable starting Chapter 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.

6 Ardennes

Coat: Strawberry Roan

The Ardennes has two different coat patterns: Bay Roan and Strawberry Roan, making them a lesser common horse breed in the game. Both horses are War Type with Standard Handling.

The Bay Roan can be purchased for $140 at Scarlett Meadows Stable after Chapter 2, but has much lower HP and Stamina.

On the other hand, the Strawberry Roan can be purchased at Van Horn Stable in Chapter 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.

5 Appaloosa

Coat: Leopard

The Appaloosa has three different coat patterns: Blanket, Leopard, Leopard Blanket, and Brown Leopard (which can be purchased for $450 at the Tumbleweed Stable in the Epilogue).

All horses are the Work Type with Standard Handling.

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 $430 at Van Horn Stable in Chapter 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 Circus would definitely find a way to pass it off as a real leopard.

4 Andalusian

Coat: Perlino

The Andalusian has three different coat patterns: Dark Bay, Perlino, and Rose Grey. All the horses are War Type with Standard Handling.

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 $440 at Van Horn Stable after Chapter 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.

3 Turkoman

Coat: Gold

The Turkoman has only two different coat patterns: Gold and Silver. Both are Race/War Type with Standard Handling. Nether can be found in the wild.

The Silver horse can be purchased for $950 at the Tumbleweed Stable in the Epilogue. The Gold horse, however, can be purchased for $950 at the Saint Denis Stable in Chapter 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.

2 Missouri Fox Trotter

Coat: Amber Champagne

The Missouri Fox Trotter has two different coat patterns: Amber Champagne and Silver Dapple Pinto (which can only be purchased for $950 at the Blackwater Stable in the Epilogue).

Both horses are Race/Work Type with Standard Handling; and they both have the exact same statistics.

The Amber Champagne can be purchased for $950 from the Scarlett Meadows Stable during Chapter 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.

1 Arabian

Coat: Black

The Arabian has three different coat patterns: Black, White, and Rose Grey Bay (which can only be purchased for $1250 at Blackwater Stable in the Epilogue).

All horses are the Superior Type with Elite Handling, the only horses in the game with these traits.

The rare White Arabian horse 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 (as one unfortunate player found out the hard way).

The Black Arabian, however, can be purchased for $1050 at the Saint Denis Stable in Chapter 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.