Yes, you can get a horse in Skyrim right from the start of the game. Horses are essential companions for fast travel and carrying extra gear. This guide will show you every way to get a Skyrim best mount, from buying one to finding a free horse in Skyrim.
Why You Need a Horse in Skyrim
Horses are more than just decoration. They help you move across the huge map of Skyrim quickly. They also make combat a bit easier sometimes. A good horse can save you hours of walking. Finding the best horse in Skyrim depends on what you need. Some players want speed, others want a sturdy fighter.
Buying a Horse: The Easiest Way
The simplest method is buying one. This requires gold, of course. You can find Skyrim stable locations in most major holds.
Locating Skyrim Stable Locations
Stables are easy to spot near the main city gates. Look for a small wooden shack or pen area. Here are the main places where you can find a stable master ready to sell you a horse:
- Whiterun: Just outside the main city gates.
- Markarth: Near the main entrance to the city.
- Riften: South of the city gates, near the bridge.
- Windhelm: On the path leading up to the main gate.
- Solitude: Just outside the main city entrance.
- Morthal: There is a small stable here too.
- Falkreath: A stable is often found near the entrance.
The Process of a Skyrim Horse Purchase
Once you find a stable, talk to the stable master. They usually have a dialogue option like, “I’m looking to buy a horse.”
- Cost: A standard horse generally costs 1,000 gold. This price is the same almost everywhere.
- Selection: You usually don’t get to choose colors or breeds when you buy one. You get whatever horse they have available that day.
This is the most reliable way to get a Skyrim horse purchase.
Finding a Free Horse in Skyrim
If you are low on Septims, don’t worry. There are ways to get a free horse in Skyrim. These methods often involve quests or finding wild horses.
Tame Wild Horse Skyrim: The Adventurer’s Way
You can tame wild horse Skyrim populations. These horses roam in specific areas. Taming them is easy, but you must be careful.
How to Tame a Wild Horse
- Find Wild Horses: Look in The Pale and the plains north of Whiterun.
- Approach Slowly: Sneak toward the horse. If you run straight at it, it will bolt away.
- Mount Up: When close enough, a prompt will appear: “Mount.” Press the action button.
- Stay On: The horse will buck you off a few times. Keep mounting it immediately after you fall. It takes about three to five tries.
- Success: Once it stops bucking, the horse is tamed. It will follow you.
Important Tip: A tamed wild horse will stay where you leave it if you ride another horse or fast travel without it. To keep it, you must register it at a stable (which costs gold) or take it to a place where you often keep your horses, like your house.
Horses Tied to Quests
Some horses are given to you as rewards or are necessary parts of a quest line.
Shadowmere: The Ultimate Warrior Horse
How to get Shadowmere? This is the most famous unique horse. Shadowmere is essential for the Dark Brotherhood questline.
- Join the Dark Brotherhood: You must progress through their early quests.
- Complete “The Cure for Madness”: This quest involves helping Astrid.
- The Reward: After completing this quest, Shadowmere will appear near the Dawnstar Sanctuary.
Shadowmere is a powerful black steed. He has high health and will fight enemies alongside you. He is often considered the Skyrim best mount for combat. If he dies, he respawns after ten in-game days at his original location.
Frost: The Loyal Steed of the Jarl
Frost is another Skyrim unique horses option, available during a specific side quest in Whiterun.
- Start the Quest: Talk to Louis Letrush in Riften. He gives you a task related to a horse named Frost.
- Follow the Trail: The quest involves tracking Frost.
- The Choice: When you finish tracking Frost, you have a choice: give Frost to Louis or keep Frost for yourself. Choose to keep Frost.
Frost has slightly better speed than standard bought horses.
Exploring Skyrim Unique Horses
Beyond Shadowmere and Frost, Skyrim offers other special horses. These are often tied to specific DLCs or rare circumstances.
The Spectral Horse: Dead or Alive
The Skyrim spectral horse is visually stunning. It is a ghostly, translucent steed.
- Acquisition: This horse is part of the Dawnguard DLC quest, “Beyond Death.”
- Process: After completing the quest “Prophet,” you must wait for a courier to deliver a note about the Forgotten Vale. Travel to the Vale and complete the required steps involving the portal. At the end, you will be given the option to summon the spectral horse, Arvak.
Arvak is excellent because he can be summoned anywhere, anytime, as long as you have the shout power. This makes him incredibly convenient.
The Creation Club Horses
If you own the Creation Club content (often bundled in Special Editions), you unlock several more Skyrim unique horses.
| Horse Name | Source/Requirement | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Dread Zombie Horse | Undead Heroes of Skyrim CC | Undead appearance, very tough. |
| Golden Horse | Pets of Skyrim CC | Shiny gold color, fast. |
| Unicorn | The Unicorn CC | Very rare variant, beautiful appearance. |
These add great variety to your stable of potential mounts.
Don’t Forget the Humble Donkey!
Many players overlook the Skyrim donkey location. Donkeys are not fast, but they serve a vital purpose: extra carrying capacity.
Where to Find and Use the Skyrim Donkey Location
Donkeys are tied to the Hearthfire DLC.
- Acquisition: You must purchase a donkey from the traveling merchants who visit your homesteads (Lakeview Manor, Windstad Manor, or Heljarchen Hall).
- Cost: They usually cost around 500 gold.
- Use: When you have a donkey following you, your overall carrying limit (inventory weight) increases significantly. This is vital for hauling heavy loot back to town. They cannot be ridden.
Riding Mechanics and Horse Care
Once you have your horse, knowing how to use it effectively is key to maximizing its benefit.
Controls and Basic Usage
Mounting and dismounting are simple button presses depending on your platform (A on Xbox, X on PlayStation, E on PC).
- Speed: Horses generally move faster than sprinting on foot, especially over long distances.
- Combat: Riding into combat is usually a bad idea. Most horses have low health. They often panic and run away when you draw a weapon. However, certain horses, like Shadowmere, are decent fighters.
Horse Health and Death
Horses can die. If a horse dies, it stays dead unless it is Shadowmere or Arvak.
- Standard Horses: If your bought or tamed horse dies, it’s gone for good. You will need to buy a replacement.
- Unique Horses: Shadowmere respawns. Arvak can be resummoned.
Taking care of your horse means avoiding areas with heavy combat if you are riding a standard mount.
Fast Travel with Horses
Fast traveling works while you are mounted. The horse travels with you instantly to the new location. This is a huge time saver.
Assessing Your Mount: Which Horse is Best?
What is the best horse in Skyrim for you? It depends on your playstyle.
Speed vs. Stamina
Most standard horses have similar stats. However, some unique horses excel in one area.
- For Speed: Frost and the Golden Horse (CC) are often cited as slightly faster than the baseline.
- For Durability: Shadowmere is the clear winner here. His high health pool lets him survive fights.
The Best Mount for Different Playstyles
| Playstyle | Recommended Horse | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Adventurer (Combat Focus) | Shadowmere | High health, fights well. |
| Explorer (Long Distance Travel) | Arvak (Spectral Horse) | Can be summoned anywhere, instant access. |
| Loot Hoarder | Donkey (plus any ridden horse) | Donkey adds crucial carry weight. |
| Casual Player | Any Skyrim horse purchase | Reliable and readily available. |
Advanced Tactics: Keeping Your Horses Safe
If you find a free horse in Skyrim or buy one, you want to keep it. Fast travel works, but what if you wander too far off the road?
The “Home Stable” Trick
When you ride a horse and then fast travel without mounting it before you leave, the game usually deposits the horse at the location you started from. This is often unreliable.
A safer method is to actively take your horse to a known location before leaving the area for a long time.
- Ride your current horse to a major city stable (like Whiterun).
- Talk to the stable master. You may get an option to stable the horse for a small fee (though this dialogue is sometimes inconsistent).
- More reliably, fast travel away from the city you are in. The horse usually reappears near the stable where you last left it, or sometimes right next to you if you travel to a town close by.
Using Horses as Distractions
In certain bandit camps or exterior dungeons, you can use your horse as a meat shield. Leave the horse outside, engage the enemies, and if things go badly, the enemies might attack the horse first, giving you time to escape or reposition. Remember, this only works well with tough horses like Shadowmere.
Comprehending Horse Behavior
Horses in Skyrim are simple AI companions. They follow you until you get too far away or they enter combat.
- Leashing Distance: Horses will follow you a set distance. If you go deep into a dungeon, the horse will wait at the entrance. When you exit, the horse should reappear.
- Mounting Limits: You can only have one horse following you at a time. If you mount a second horse, the first one is abandoned. If you mount Shadowmere after riding a purchased horse, the purchased horse will wander off.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I ride a Giant’s Horse?
No, you cannot permanently keep or ride the massive horses ridden by Giants. They are not considered player mounts, and attempting to mount them usually results in the Giant attacking you immediately.
Do horses level up in Skyrim?
No, horses do not gain levels or improve their stats in the base game. Their performance is fixed upon acquisition. Shadowmere is the exception due to its naturally high base stats.
How do I get the Skyrim spectral horse if I don’t have the Dawnguard DLC?
If you are playing the base game (or Anniversary Edition without the specific CC pack), you will not have access to Arvak. You must have the Dawnguard content to pursue the quest for the Skyrim spectral horse.
Are there any specific console commands to get a horse?
Yes, if you are on PC, you can use console commands. For example, typing player.placeatme [horse_ID] will spawn a horse near you. Shadowmere’s ID is 00002E40. However, using cheats bypasses the fun of finding a free horse in Skyrim through gameplay.
How do I make my horse attack enemies?
Simply ride close to an enemy and dismount. If the enemy is aggressive, your horse has a chance to attack. Shadowmere is much more likely to engage in melee than any other mount.
What is the fastest way to get a horse early in the game?
The fastest way is the Skyrim horse purchase for 1,000 gold at the Whiterun stable, right after leaving Helgen. If you have zero gold, focus on quick starter quests near Riverwood or Helgen to earn enough for the purchase. Failing that, try to tame wild horse Skyrim herds north of the city.