Horse Guide — Best Horses, Taming & Customization

Horses are your primary surface traversal tool in Tears of the Kingdom. The right horse covers ground faster than almost any other method — and the best horses have stats that make open-world travel a pleasure. This guide covers taming, stats, the best horses to find, and stable system basics.

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How Horse Stats Work

Each horse has four stat categories:

| Stat | What It Means | |------|--------------| | Speed | How fast the horse gallops (1–5 stars) | | Pull | Pulling strength for carts and objects (1–5 stars) | | Stamina | Number of spur charges for burst speed (1–6 spurs) | | Temperament | How hard the horse is to tame (Gentle / Wild / Fierce) |

Spurs are the burst-speed boost activated by pressing A on horseback. Each spur charge drains one segment of the horse's stamina; they regenerate automatically. A horse with 6 spurs can sustain much longer bursts than one with 2.

Best combination: 5-star speed + 6 spurs + gentle temperament. This is rare but achievable with careful wild horse hunting (see below).

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How to Tame Horses

1. Approach from behind — horses spook if approached from the front or sides
2. Crouch (ZL) and creep slowly — Stealth armor helps
3. Press A to mount when close enough
4. Rapidly press L to soothe the horse before its meter depletes
5. Keep mashing L until the horse calms

Stamina requirement: Gentle horses need 1 spur's worth of stamina to tame. Fierce horses (like the Giant Horse) need nearly 2 full wheels. Eat stamina-restoring food mid-tame if needed — you can open the quick menu while still mounted.

Stealth tip: Stealth Set (from Kakariko Village armor shop) significantly reduces the horse's detection range. One meal with Sneaky River Snails or Blue Nightshade also works.

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Best Horses to Find

1. Giant Horse (Strongest Pull, Unique)

Location: Faron Grasslands, south of Lake Hylia near the Mounted Archery Camp. Look for a lone black horse with an orange mane near Highland Stable herds. Stats: Speed 2 | Pull 5 | Stamina 0 | Temperament: Fierce

The Giant Horse is Ganondorf's legendary steed — enormous, unstoppable, and a statement mount. It cannot use spurs but moves at a steady powerful pace that tramples enemies and obstacles. Best for: pulling vehicles, crushing enemies by riding into them, and pure showmanship. Not for speed travel.

Taming: Requires close to 2 full stamina wheels. Stock stamina food before attempting.

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2. Royal White Stallion (Zelda's Horse, Unique)

Location: Snowfield Stable area (Tabantha/Hebra border), near the Ancient Columns ruins northwest of the stable. Roams with white wild horses. Stats: Speed 4 | Pull 4 | Stamina 6 | Temperament: Gentle

The Royal White Stallion is White Epona — the horse from BotW lore, now findable in TotK. Excellent all-around stats, the easiest Unique horse to tame (gentle temperament), and the most aesthetically striking white horse in the game. Best for: all-purpose travel, speed, beauty.

Quest unlock: The "White Horse" side quest at Snowfield Stable makes finding it easier but isn't required.

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3. Best Wild Horse (Optimal Stats)

What to look for: When hunting wild horses in any grassland, check their stats immediately after mounting. A wild horse with Speed 5 + 5–6 spurs is comparable to the Royal White Stallion at a fraction of the effort.

Best hunting locations:

• Faron Grasslands (south of Highland Stable)
• Akkala region (east of Foothill Stable)
• Hyrule Ridge (near Serenne Stable grasslands)

Method: Tame a horse, check stats (pause menu → Adventure Log → Horses). If stats are low, release and try the next one. Wild horse stats are randomized within a range — keep trying until you find a 5-speed + high-spur specimen.

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4. Donkey (Novelty Mount)

Location: Rare — found in the Akkala Highlands near some stables Stats: Speed 1 | Pull 1 | Stamina 1

A donkey can be registered as a horse at stables (the game counts it as a horse). Pure novelty. Do not use for travel.

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Stables — Registration & Customization

Why Register Your Horse

Once registered at any stable, your horse is permanently saved. If it dies or runs away, return to any stable to call it back. Unregistered horses are lost permanently if they die.

Cost: 20 Rupees per registration.

All Stable Locations

| Stable | Region | |--------|--------| | Dueling Peaks Stable | East Necluda | | Foothill Stable | Eldin | | Highland Stable | Faron | | Horse God Stable | Faron (near Malanya Spring) | | Kara Kara Bazaar Stable | Gerudo Desert | | Lakeside Stable | Faron | | Lookout Landing | Central Hyrule (no customization) | | Marakuguc Shrine Stable | Akkala | | New Serenne Stable | Hyrule Ridge | | Outskirt Stable | West Necluda | | Riverside Stable | Central Hyrule | | Snowfield Stable | Tabantha/Hebra | | South Akkala Stable | Akkala | | Tabantha Bridge Stable | Tabantha | | Wetland Stable | Central Hyrule |

Horse Customization

At most stables, talk to the stable worker to access customization. You can change:

• Mane style (multiple options per horse)
• Saddle (cosmetic, from amiibo or quest rewards)
• Bridle (cosmetic, matched set with saddle)

Best saddle/bridle sets: Obtained from amiibo (BotW Link amiibo give Wild Saddle + Bridle). The Royal Saddle drops from the Royal Horse questline.

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Horse God — Malanya

Location: Horse God Stable in Faron (Lake Kilsie area, far south) Cost: 1,000 Rupees to wake Malanya + then per-revival costs

What Malanya does: Revives horses that have died. Each revival after the first costs Rupees or materials.

Is it worth it? Yes if your horse has elite stats (5-speed + 6-spur Royal Stallion or optimal wild). For average horses, it's usually easier to tame a new one.

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Horse Combat & Mounted Archery

Mounted Combat Tips

• Sword attacks from horseback have extended reach — swing left and right by flicking the analog stick
• Bow (from horseback): Enters slow-motion aiming — great for galloping past enemies while shooting
• Mounted Archery Camp (Faron): NPC instructor teaches mounted archery challenges; completing them earns a Blupee-printed saddle (cosmetic reward)

Riding Into Enemies

A galloping horse knocks back most common enemies (Bokoblins, Moblins, smaller enemies). The Giant Horse deals significant trampling damage. Charging through enemy camps while swinging a weapon is a fun and effective combat approach.

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Quick Tips

• Call your horse: Whistle (ZL while on foot near a registered horse's vicinity) to call it — works within a limited radius
• Fast travel unmounts you — your horse stays wherever you left it; whistle to recall
• Horse can't enter Depths or sky — only useful on the surface (and in some caves)
• Link's Travels: The horse traveling long distances gets slightly faster over time — in-game flavor
• Stamina food for taming: Endura Carrot dishes (extra temporary stamina) are the best taming aid

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See also: Getting Started Guide | Horses Database | Regions Guide