Exploring the sprawling continent of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a magnificent journey, but traversing vast plains on foot can quickly become exhausting for any adventurer. Securing a reliable mount significantly speeds up travel time while offering strategic advantages when escaping dangerous enemies or charging into battle. Understanding the nuances of wild horse behavior and mastering the mechanics of taming will transform how you experience Link's open-world quest.
Locating Wild Herds Across Hyrule
Wild horses can be found grazing naturally in several open grassy regions across Hyrule, with early opportunities appearing near the Dueling Peaks Stable and the Taobab Grassland. Different breeds exhibit unique personalities and stamina pools, with solid-colored horses generally boasting higher strength and speed compared to spotted ones. Observing a herd from a distance with your scope allows you to assess their movements before planning your approach.
Gentle horses with spotted coats are much easier to approach and tame, making them ideal companions for players early in their journey. Solid-colored mounts tend to be far more skittish and will resist capture with violent thrashing, requiring significantly more stamina to soothe successfully. Choosing the right herd location depends heavily on your current stamina capacity and your immediate travel requirements.
Approaching and Mounting Wild Horses Stealthily
Sneaking up on a wild horse requires patience, careful positioning, and a solid understanding of stealth mechanics. Moving slowly from behind prevents the horse from spotting you, as approaching from their line of sight will cause them to startle and bolt across the field. Utilizing stealth-boosting armor or consuming cooked dishes that enhance quiet movement can drastically increase your chances of getting close enough to mount.
Once you are within range, a prompt will appear on your screen allowing Link to leap onto the creature's back. Immediately after mounting, wild mounts will attempt to buck you off, initiating a rapid stamina test where you must continuously soothe the animal. If your stamina wheel depletes entirely before the horse calms down, Link will be thrown to the ground and must start the process over.
Building Bond and Registering Your Mount
Taming a wild horse does not end as soon as you manage to soothe it after mounting. Newly captured horses will frequently attempt to change direction or ignore your steering commands until you establish a strong bond with them. Soothing your horse immediately when it responds correctly or feeding it carrots and apples will quickly raise its affection meter to maximum capacity.
To permanently keep your newly tamed companion, you must ride it to any local stable scattered across the kingdom. Speaking with the stable keeper allows you to register the mount for a small fee, name your horse, and equip custom gear like saddles and bridles. Once registered, stable keepers can board or whistle-call your horse from almost any location on the map, ensuring you never lose your trusted traveling partner.
