Taming Horses in Crimson Desert: Best Horse To Tame & Mount Taming Guide

Taming horses and other rideable animals in Crimson Desert is a mechanic that the game kind of half-explains and then leaves you to figure out on your own. If you've found yourself getting bucked off repeatedly and wondering what you're doing wrong, this guide covers everything you need to know, from finding wild horses to nailing the taming minigame for the first time.

It's also worth noting that the taming mechanic you learn on horses carries over to many other creatures in the world of Pywel, so getting comfortable with it early pays dividends later.

Note: In Chapter 5, the game does teach you how to do this, but it doesn't make it clear how it works and also the game's own tutorial appears to not be accurate.

Quick Links:

• Where to Find Horses
• How to Tame Animals
• Horse Minigame
• Registering & Managing Your Horse
• Horse Breeds
• Buying vs Taming

Where to Find Wild Horses in Crimson Desert

There are a couple of reliable spots near the starting area in Hernand that we kept coming back to:

• East of Hernand Town: A patch of land between two streams east of the city. Small herds tend to gather here regularly.
• South of the River: The fields south of the river, below the cliffs leading to Howling Hill. Another solid early-game spot.

As a general rule, wild horses prefer open areas near fresh water and away from settlements. If you're ever unsure, check river banks and open plains when exploring a new region.

Pro Tip: You don't need to unlock anything to tame a horse. The game formally introduces the mechanic in Chapter 5 as part of the main story, but you can attempt it the moment you spot a wild horse. Don't wait if you see a good one.

How to Approach Without Spooking the Horse

Before you can even attempt the taming minigame, you need to get close, and horses will bolt if they spot you approaching head-on. Here's how to close the gap cleanly:

• Approach from behind: Stay out of the horse's line of sight. Coming in from the side or rear gives you the most time before it reacts.
• Use food as bait: Carry Hay, Carrots, Sugar Beets, or Sugar Cubes (all sold at the Saddlery) can be used as bait. Hold them out using the "Take Out" option in your inventory, drop the food near the horse, and it will come to eat rather than flee. This is by far the easiest method.
• Sprint the last stretch: Once you're close and the horse starts to react, sprint the remaining distance and hit the Interact button (E on PC - X on Xbox - Square on PS5) before it gets up to a full gallop.

How the Horse Taming Minigame Works

Once you mount the horse, a circular taming meter appears on screen. Your goal is to fill it completely yellow before the horse throws you off or your stamina runs out.

The horse will buck and pull in random directions. You need to push in the opposite direction to counter each movement. If the horse lurches forward, pull back; if it pulls left, push right.

The Easiest Method

The intended control scheme is a bit fiddly, so here is how it worked for us:

• Hold S (or pull the stick straight back toward you) and keep your camera locked directly behind the horse.
• As the horse spins, rotate your camera to keep its rear end centred on screen.
• With the camera behind the horse, just holding back becomes sufficient to keep the meter filled.

Pro Tip: Zoom out the camera as far as you can to make this even easier.

This is much more reliable than trying to match individual directional prompts as the horse spins. When we first did it in Chapter 5, we just held one direction, and it seemed to work.

There are a few things to watch out for:

• There is a hidden time limit: Move too slowly, and the horse throws you regardless of the meter. This timer isn't set and seems to vary based on the mount.
• Stamina matters: The taming process drains your stamina, if the bar hits zero, you get thrown off. If this keeps happening, invest a couple of Abyss Artifacts into Stamina upgrades before attempting legendary horses. Alternatively, look for food that gives you a temporary buff to stamina.
• Getting thrown isn't the end: The horse stays nearby after throwing you. So if you fail, you can just reset and go again.

Registering and Managing Your Horse

Once you have the horse you want, make sure to register them. You have two options when taming a horse.

• Register and Ride: Mount up immediately and use the horse you just tamed.
• Register and Send to Stable: The horse goes directly to the nearest stable, freeing you up without making the trek yourself.

Note: If you have unlocked the stable at the Greymane Camp, your horse will go here.

You can manage all your registered horses at any stable in a major city. Spare mounts are stabled there, and it's also where you can revive an injured horse if you'd rather not use a Horse Tonic or the Healing Force Palm Abyss skill. For more on keeping your horse healthy, check out our Horse Healing Guide.

Horse Breeds in Crimson Desert: Which Is Best?

Once you've tamed a horse, you'll see its breed and stats. There are five main breeds, each with different strengths:

A horse's breed determines its stat ceiling and which skills it can unlock as it levels up. Two horses of the same breed will likely end up with nearly identical stats, with their appearance being the main difference. If you want your horse to look a specific way, Herspia is your best bet simply because it has the most coat and mane variations.

The 'best' horse breed in Crimson Desert will be the horse breed which matches the skill-set you require, for example for combat that might be Numont or Elantrima whereas for speed that will be a Brianto.

Quick Tip: Each of the three playable characters has their own horse, so you might want to consider spreading the gear across your mounts rather than pouring everything into one.

Buying Horses vs Taming Wild Ones

If the taming minigame isn't your thing, there is another option at least as you can simply buy a horse. Stables near major cities sell horses with known stats; you know exactly what you're getting, and they register immediately. The downside is the limited selection and the silver cost.

Wild taming is free and gives access to a wider variety, but the breed and coat are random.

There is however also a third option, stealing a horse! To steal a horse from an NPC, simply jump on the horse and take it. You will face the consequences if you are caught, but taking them from "rebels" in the world can be a good option.

You can also sell stolen horses to the Horse Fence, as you can with Wagons at the Black Markets.

Check out our other content for more in-depth Crimson Desert coverage and expert tips.