You start Red Dead Redemption 2 with a pretty average horse. If you’re looking for a truly elite stallion, you’ll want to get yourself an Arabian White Horse — it’s the same breed that Dutch Van der Linde rides around on. The rare breed only spawns in one hard-to-reach location, but if you travel up there, you can tame the beast with a quick lasso throw.
Later in the game, you’ll be able to purchase high-quality steeds from any stable. The best steeds are “Elite” — they have improved handling, and higher stamina / health cores. Like all horses, you’ll need to break them in and bond with them. You’ll naturally bond with your horse just by riding it around, feeding it oatcakes, brushing when dirty, and soothing them when they freak out.
Here, I’m going to explain where to find one of the best horses in the game. All you need to do is travel to the location and tame the creature. You can do this very early in the game, and you’ll never need another horse.
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- Red Dead Redemption 2: How To Unlock Free Fast-Travel | All Fast Travel Methods Guide
- Red Dead Redemption 2: All Legendary Hunting Locations | Master Hunting Guide
- Red Dead Redemption 2: Where To Find The Legendary Fishing Map | Fishing Guide
How To Get A (Free!) Elite Horse | Taming Guide
To get a pure white Arabian Horse with Elite Handling as early as Chapter 2, travel to the West Grizzlies region, to the narrow patch of land west of Lake Isabella. That’s the only location an Arabian will spawn.
When you find the Arabian, you’ll need to tame it. Here’s how that works.
- How To Tame:
- Chase down the horse you want to tame and lasso it. It’s easier to do this on horseback.
- Once lassoed, continue to hold [L2 / LT] and press [Square / X] to Calm the horse.
- When you’re close, jump onto the horse’s back. The horse will try to kick you off.
- Move [Right Thumbstick] to stay on the horse until it gives up.
When the horse gives up, you can make it your own. Stay on the tamed horse’s back, and travel to the nearest stable. Whistle as you ride so your previous horse (with the saddle) will follow you. You can transfer the saddle at the stables, or do it in the wilderness.
To transfer the saddle, press [L2 / LT] to target your horse, then press [D-Pad: Up] to remove the saddle. Place it on your new horse to make it your primary. Your previous horse will still follow you when you whistle, though.
To improve your new horse’s handling, you’ll need to bond with it. Clean your horse when it is dirty, press [L3] to calm it when it fights you, or if it is scared by gunshots or predators. Feed your horse often — purchase Oatcakes and vegetables like carrots from the General Store to feed your horse.
The Arabian can become one of the best horses in the game with a little bonding. And they’re totally free — as stated above, they only appear in the one location. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend a stack of cash to buy them later.
