At their most basic, horses are simply a means to get from point A to point B in Red Dead Redemption 2. But at their best, horses can be great moneymakers, significantly cut down on travel time, and give players a fighting chance at staying alive.RELATED: Red Dead Redemption 2: Character-Defining Arthur Morgan QuotesWhile what makes a good horse is situational, there are some specific horses that consistently rise to the top regardless of the situation they’re in. Conversely, there are some that are best suited in someone else’s stable, with that person’s money in the player’s pocket.Updated February 3, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Red Dead Redemption 2 is considered by some to be one of the greatest open-world games ever made, and certainly one of the best in the past decade. The characters are quite memorable, while the world itself is a blast to explore. Of course, players will need a source of transportation that’s faster than running on foot, which is where horses come into the picture. Here are some of the best horses that players can tame or buy in the game.
24 Morgan
Generally speaking, riding horse types are good for riding and not much else, for the Morgan this is especially true as it has some of the worst stats in the game. It’s a well-behaved horse and an easy one to ride, but there are far better horses.
The only advantage is that they’re common making them easy to obtain in a pinch or good for making money. All variations share the same stats, but the Palomino is worth the least making it objectively the worst horse in the game.
Morgans often appear in the wild and many NPCs own them. To legitimately obtain one, players can buy a Palomino from the Valentine Stables in Chapter 2 for $15. The Bay Roan, Bay, and Flaxen Chestnut must be captured or stolen.
23 Kentucky Saddler
This horse beats walking and Morgans, but that’s about it. All types have the same stats and worth, but the Grey is the only one that can be bought for $25, though with how common they are you might as well find your own and save the money.
The Grey coat Kentucky Saddler can be bought at the Valentine Stables for $50, tamed, or stolen. The Chestnut Pinto, Black, and Silver Bay must be stolen or tamed.
22 Tennessee Walker
In case the name didn’t tip you off this is a horse meant to be walked, possibly ridden. It’s the very first horse you get in the game and with any luck won’t be in your stable for long. If you insist on getting one go for the Flaxen Roan which has the best stats and sells for more.
The Flaxen Roan coat must be bought for $150 at the Tumbleweed Stable. The Mahogany Bay can only be obtained during the Outlaws From The West quest. The Black Rabicano, Chestnut, Dapple Bay, Red Roan, and Gold Palomino must be stolen or tamed.
21 Belgian Draft Horse
Belgian Draft Horses are better than a riding horse but are considered the weakest of all draft horses. In addition to riding, they’re good at pulling things like carriages. If you decide to get this one as an upgrade from riding horses go for the Blond Chestnut or the Mealy Chestnut they have the same stats.
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The Belgian Draft Horse only comes in the Chestnut coat and the only way to obtain it is to steal it.
20 Shire
No these aren’t meant for hobbits, these are in fact the largest horses in the game and among the strongest you can find. They’ll pull anything you hook them to but don’t expect them to turn on a dime as they’re tough to handle. The best Shire horse is the Raven Black with just a little better stamina than its peers.
The Raven Black coat can be obtained during the Exit Pursued By A Bruised Ego quest in Chapter 2. The Dark Bay and Light Grey types must be stolen.
19 Suffolk Punch
Yet another puller is the Suffolk Punch, but this one has some better stats than previous horses on this list. A downside however is that it can only be found meaning you have to find one or steal it. Either variation is fine as they have the same stats.
There is only the Red Chestnut coat and it must be stolen.
18 Appaloosa
One of the last horses you’re likely to ride in the late part of the early game, the Appaloosa has decent stats with a fair amount of stamina. It’s an endurance horse meant for riding long trips and can survive an ambush. Leopard or Brown Leopard are the best variations with equal stats.
The Brown Leopard coat can be bought for $450 from the Tumbleweed Stable. The Leopard can be bought from the Van Horn Trading Post for $430. Scarred Blankets are rare and only appear during random encounters with Murfree Brood members. The Blanket, Leopard Blanket, and Few Spotted must be tamed.
17 American Standardbred
The weakest of the race horses but with some use is the American Standardbred. They have decent speed but are very skittish. The Silver Tail Buckskin has the best stamina for longer runs but the Palomino is easier to handle so pick according to the track.
The Palomino Dapple can be bought at the Valentine Stable for $150. The Silver Tail Buckskin is $400 at the Tumbleweed Stable. The Black and Buckskin must be tamed.
16 Thoroughbred
Thoroughbreds are excellent sprinters with high acceleration, but not enough stamina or health to do anything else. They’ll die fast in combat and get winded if they run too long. The Brindle is the fastest and Dappled Black has the same stats but is only available in special editions of the game. Seal Brown is a bit slower but can run a little longer and take more hits.
The Dappled Black and Black Chestnut are only available in the Special or Ultimate Edition of Red Dead Redemption 2. The Seal Brown only appears in Story Mode. The Brindle can be bought at the Strawberry stable for $450. The Blood Bay and Dapple Grey must be tamed.
15 Hungarian Half-bred
The weakest of the warhorses but by no means a pushover, Hungarian Half-breds don’t spook easy and have decent stats. The Dapple Dark Grey is the best variation you can find. It’s good in early skirmishes but you’ll want something better later on.
The Dapple Dark Grey coat can be bought at Valentine Stable for $150. The Flaxen Chestnut and Piebald Tobiano must be tamed.
14 American Paint
This classical horse is very smart and low maintenance, but this advantage is canceled out somewhat by mediocre stats making it a middle-of-the-run horse. It’ll get you through the mid-game, but there are much better horses to strive for. Grey Overo has the best stats.
The Grey Overo can be bought at the Tumbleweed Stable for $425. The Overo, Splashed White, and Tobiano must be tamed.
13 Nokota
One of the fastest horses in the game with breathtaking base speed. It can go hoof to hoof with the number two horse on this list, but every other stat fails to compare which is why it ranks around the middle. In a straight line race they’ll hold their own, but any turns or obstacles, and they’ll lose. Get the Reverse Dapple Roan.
The Reverse Dapple Roan can be purchased at Saint Denis stable for $450. The Blue Roan and White Roan must be tamed. The Scarred Blue Roan is rare and can only be tamed during random encounters with the Murfree Brood.
12 Mustang
Mustangs are great combat horses but suffer because they’re among the orneriest in the game and are tough to fully bond. The best variation is the Tiger Striped Bay as it has superior stats, but it’s also a rare find so you’ll be wandering the wilderness for a while to find it.
The Grullo Dun, Tiger Striped Bay, and Wild Bay coats can only be found in the wild and must be tamed.
11 Andalusian
These are tough horses that won’t jump at anything. They can take a punch and have great endurance which makes them perfect horses for extended hunting trips. For the best Andalusians look for the Rose Grey variation.
The Dark Bay coat can be bought at Strawberry Stable for $140. The Rose Grey can be bought at Van Horn Trading Post for $440. The Perlino is only in the wild and must be tamed.
10 Dutch Warmblood
Starting our top five is an all-around great workhorse. They can fulfill just about any role you need them to, other than racing which is why they don’t rank higher. But for an adaptable horse, they do just fine. The best is the Cremello Gold Dutch which is also a great-looking horse for something you may be using most of the game.
These horses can only be bought. The Chocolate Roan is at Valentine Stable for $450, Seal Brown is at Strawberry stable for $150, and Sooty Buckskin is at Scarlett Meadows stable for $150.
9 Ardennes
This is a solid warhorse with a lot of health. They are admittedly a little on the slow side, but if you want something that can ride into gunfire and come out alive on the other side then this is your horse. The Iron Gray is the best, but only if you preordered so everyone else can use the Strawberry Roan.
The Iron Grey Roan is only available in pre-orders of the game. The Bay Roan is bought at Scarlett Meadows stable for $140 and the Strawberry Roan is $450 at the Van Horn Trading Post.
8 Turkoman
This is a great horse if you’re trying to get away from heavy combat or know you’re going to be ambushed. It’s fast and has great health, but make sure you are running before you hit danger because it has slower acceleration. All variations are equal but get the Gold.
The Turkomans can only be bought, and they’re expensive. The Dark Bay is at Blackwater stable and costs $925, the Saint Denis stable has the Gold coat for $950, and the Silver coat is at Tumbleweed stable for $950.
7 *Kladruber
Red Dead Redemption 2 added a ton of content to its online mode with the 1.11 Frontier Pursuits update. This included a bunch of new horse breeds that can only be used by players who take on certain roles within the game.
The Kladruber is one such horse breed that was added in this update with Red Dead Online. This horse can only be used by players in a Trader role and is a great breed to use in the game.
6 Criollo
The Criollo is a jack-of-all-trades that can function well in both racing and combat. It’s a great horse that players can check out in Red Dead Online… provided they are pursuing the role of a Collector.
It’s a great horse that any fan of multi-skilled horses should definitely try incorporating into their gameplay. As is the case with the previous breed, the Criollo was added in an update for Red Dead Online and isn’t present in the offline game, but it’s worth pursuing for online players.
5 Breton
Another horse that was added in the Frontier Pursuits update is the Breton. It’s a great horse that is definitely worth checking out for players who are pursuing the role of a Bounty Hunter, one of the most popular roles in Red Dead Redemption 2.
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Just like the Criollo, this horse is also perfectly suited for both racing and combat, striking a great balance between the two. It’s a shame that players don’t get to play around with this horse in offline mode.
