Tears of the Kingdom introduces a whole new host of unique horses to help you get around Hyrule, but it also has quite a few that are familiar to Breath of the Wild as well.
Things to keep in mind about horses in Tears of the Kingdom:
- Malanya the Horse God can revive your horses and also upgrade their stats!
- If you had horses registered in Breath of the Wild on the same account as Tears of the Kingdom, your horses will transfer over.
- Horses now have the pull stat that allows them to pull things you attach to a harness!
Since you’ll definitely want a horse when you first start exploring the map, I’ve put together a list of the top five horses in Tears of the Kingdom!
5. Wild Horses
A beautiful and modest-looking Wild Horse dressed in the most extravagant bridle and saddle set.
These are the horses you’ll find all around Hyrule. Some are gentle and easy to tame, while others are wild and take a bit more patience. The stats for these horses vary quite a bit, but when you’re first starting the game, any horse will be a huge help to you.
Gentle Horses
- Strength: 1-3
- Speed: 2-3
- Stamina: 2-3
- Pull: varies
Any spotted horse in Tears of the Kingdom, with the exception of Spot, is going to have a gentle temperament. This makes them very easy to tame, but their stats are generally pretty low.
Wild Horses
- Strength: 1-2, 4-5
- Speed: 2-5
- Stamina: 3-5
- Pull: varies
Solid-colored horses are going to have a wild temperament, meaning they take more stamina to tame, but their stats are often much better than gentle horses.
The fun thing about horses in Tears of the Kingdom, is that you can make them your own by building your bond with them and giving them a name. These horses come in all sorts of colors, and can be found all around Hyrule, especially in the Hyrule Fields area.
4. Spot
What a weird dog!
After finishing any two of the “Regional Phenomena” quests (the four main temples dealing with the Rito, Zora, Gorons, or Gerudo), you’ll unlock the ability to get this unique spotted horse with an even more unique name: Spot!
Spot
- Strength: 4
- Speed: 3
- Stamina: 3
- Pull: 2
- Temperament: Wild
How to get Spot:
- After finishing two of the “Regional Phenomena” quests, and finishing “The Incomplete Stable” quest at Lookout Landing, you’ll be able to talk to Lester about his horse Spot. You’ll need to accept the “Spotting Spot” quest, then go find Spot in a meadow southwest of Lookout Landing. Once you bring him back to Lester, he’ll suggest that you keep the horse for yourself!
Why is Spot one of the best?
- Compared to the stats of any wild or gentle horse you can get, Spot has a fairly good spread. He may not have the best stats in the game, but his unique coat makes him a fun companion and a more than decent horse for getting around Hyrule.
3. Epona
The glorious steed Epona in all her glory in Tears of the Kingdom.
Link’s beloved horse, Epona, makes a return in Tears of the Kingdom! Since you can get her from an amiibo, Epona makes a great horse for early game players. However, one unique downside of Epona is that she has no pull stat, meaning she can’t be equipped with a towing harness.
Epona
- Strength: 4
- Speed: 4
- Stamina: 4
- Pull: N/A
- Temperament: Gentle
How to get Epona:
- Epona is a relatively easy horse to get ahold of, but only if you have the right amiibo. The only way to have this horse join you in the game is by scanning either the Smash Bros. Link amiibo or the Twilight Princess Link amiibo. Otherwise, if you managed to do the same thing in Breath of the Wild and have that savefile linked to your Switch profile, your horses should transfer over.
Why is Epona one of the best?
- Epona’s stat spread is all four’s, aside from her inability to pull (which has put her lower on my list),but overall, she’s well rounded, gentle, and easy to tame. She has a beautiful and unique coat that will make long-time Zelda fans nostalgic, and new players come to love her even more.
2. White Horse
This royal white steed stands proudly over the land of Hyrule in the beautiful Akkala region.
Until writing this article, I didn’t even know for myself that the royal White Horse made a return from Breath of the Wild. With a brilliant white coat and a creamy mane, she’s probably one of the most beautiful steeds in the game, with the highest base stamina stat of any other horse!
White Horse
- Strength: 4
- Speed: 3
- Stamina: 5
- Pull: 3
- Temperament: Wild
How to get the White Horse:
- Instead of going to Outskirt Stable like in Breath of the Wild, head to northeastern Akkala on the ridge just above Skull Lake. Here, you'll easily find the White Horse wandering in a herd, so make sure you have a good amount of stamina to tame and then take her to East Akkala Stable for registration!
Why is the White Horse one of the best?
- This royal white steed has stats similar to Zelda’s Golden Horse, with the exception of being a little slower, but having just a bit more stamina. The White Horse is the only special horse in the game that comes with a base stat of 5 stamina, which makes her unique in that way. However, since her debut was in Breath of the Wild, I chose to put her below Zelda’s Golden Horse in this list.
1. Zelda’s Golden Horse
As shiny as melted butter, Zelda's Golden Horse reigns supreme as one of Tears of the Kingdom's best horses.
This horse literally shines above the rest. With a unique golden coat, a gentle temperament, and a great stat spread, Zelda’s Golden Horse makes for one of the best horses in all the game!
Zelda’s Golden Horse
- Strength: 4
- Speed: 4
- Stamina: 3
- Pull: 2
- Temperament: Gentle
How to get Zelda’s Golden Horse:
- Make sure you’ve joined the Lucky Clover Gazette, as this horse can only be found through one of the stable quests. From there, go to Snowfield Stable to pick up the “Zelda’s Golden Horse” quest. This quest will require you to sneak through a Frost Gleeok’s territory and sneak back with the horse in tow (or, if you’re like me, you can go in guns blazing and fight the Gleeok to make for a pleasant journey back with your new horse).
Why is Zelda’s Golden Horse one of the best?
- Zelda’s Golden Horse is unique to Tears of the Kingdom, and also boasts a decent stat spread that will greatly help new and experienced players alike. Unlike other special horses in the game, Zelda’s Golden Horse has the pull stat too! She may be a bit flashy for some, but overall, this golden steed is definitely one you’ll want to add to your collection.
Final Thoughts
When choosing your own horse, keep in mind that you can always upgrade their stats by bringing Malanya the proper recipes! Also, don’t forget to use this helpful guide on horse stats when you go searching for a steed of your own.
Horse Stat Meanings
- Strength: how much health your horse has
- Speed: how fast your horse can go
- Stamina: how many spurs you have to make your horse gallop
- Pull: how well your horse pulls something attached to a harness
There are other special horses in addition to the ones listed here, such as the Great White Horse and Ganon’s Horse, but those horses come with unique ups and downs that don’t fit in with our typical horse lineup here.
You may even find some wild horses that suit you better than many of these special ones do, so go out and explore for yourself! See what you can find!