At their most basic, horses are simply a means to get from point A to point B in Red Dead Redemption 2. But at their best, horses can be great moneymakers, significantly cut down on travel time, and give players a fighting chance at staying alive.

While what makes a good horse is situational, there are some specific horses that consistently rise to the top regardless of the situation they’re in. Conversely, there are some that are best suited in someone else’s stable, with that person’s money in the player's pocket.

Updated on May 9th, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games ever made, with even the simple act of exploring the gorgeous open world being extremely engaging. Rockstar Games have clearly poured a lot of love into this game to make its world as enthralling as possible, and players who want to make the act of roaming around the open world as easy and engaging as possible should pick out a great mount that can make the journey with them. Not all horses are created equal in RDR2, with some being objectively better than others, and this list has been updated to break down every single horse in the game, so that players know which ones to go after.

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27 Standard Horse

Appears In Certain Story Events

This is more of a special mention, given that 'Standard Horse' isn't exactly a breed per se. Rather, it's the placeholder name given to a certain horse that appears in story events and can't be ridden by the player.

This is probably for the best, since this horse boasts some of the worst stats in the game, which would make it a downright nightmare to ride during actual gameplay. Thankfully, most players don't have to deal with this nightmare unless they go out of their way to use console commands or cheats to spawn this horse just to see what the fuss is all about.

26 Scrawny Nag

The Default Horse In Red Dead Online

It's only a given that a horse that takes no effort to acquire will be far from useful in the game, and the Scrawny Nag is a great example of the same. Players who check out the world of Red Dead Online for the first time will start out with this weak horse that they'll want to replace as soon as possible.

Given the sheer number of horses that can be tamed or bought in the game (which include exclusive breeds not present in the story mode), it's easy to see why most players would prioritize replacing this horse over everything else. Sure, players can carry this horse with them to the very end, but that's just making things unnecessarily hard for them.

25 Morgan

Buy From The Valentine Stables In Chapter 2 For $15

Generally speaking, riding horses are good for riding and not much else. For the Morgan, this is especially true, as it has some of the worst stats in the game. It’s a well-behaved horse and an easy one to ride, but there are far better horses.

The only advantage is that they’re common, making them easy to obtain in a pinch or good for making money. All variations share the same stats, but the Palomino is worth the least, making it objectively the worst horse in the game.

Morgans often appear in the wild and many NPCs own them. To legitimately obtain one, players can buy a Palomino from the Valentine Stables in Chapter 2 for $15. The Bay Roan, Bay, and Flaxen Chestnut must be captured or stolen.

24 Kentucky Saddler

Buy From The Valentine Stables For $50

This horse beats walking and Morgans, but that's about it. All types have the same stats and worth, but the Grey is the only one that can be bought for $25, though with how common they are, players might as well find their own and save the money.

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The Grey Coat Kentucky Saddler can be bought at the Valentine Stables for $50, tamed, or stolen. The Chestnut Pinto, Black, and Silver Bay must be stolen or tamed.

23 Tennessee Walker

Buy From The Tumbleweed Stable For $150

In case the name didn’t tip fans off, the Tennessee Walker is a horse meant to be walked, possibly ridden. It’s the very first horse fans get in the game and with any luck won't be in the stable for long. If players insist on getting one go for the Flaxen Roan which has the best stats and sells for more.

The Flaxen Roan coat must be bought for $150 at the Tumbleweed Stable. The Mahogany Bay can only be obtained during the Outlaws From The West quest. The Black Rabicano, Chestnut, Dapple Bay, Red Roan, and Gold Palomino must be stolen or tamed.

22 Belgian Draft Horse

Can Only Be Stolen

Belgian Draft Horses are better than a riding horse but are considered the weakest of all draft horses. In addition to riding, they’re good at pulling things like carriages. If players decide to get this one as an upgrade from riding horses go for the Blond Chestnut or the Mealy Chestnut they have the same stats.

The Belgian Draft Horse only comes in the Chestnut coat and the only way to obtain it is to steal it.

21 Shire

Obtained During The "Exit Pursued By A Bruised Ego" Quest In Chapter 2

No, these aren’t meant for hobbits, these are in fact the largest horses in the game and among the strongest players can find. They’ll pull anything players hook them to but don’t expect them to turn on a dime as they’re tough to handle. The best Shire horse is the Raven Black with just a little better stamina than its peers.

The Raven Black coat can be obtained during the Exit Pursued By A Bruised Ego quest in Chapter 2. The Dark Bay and Light Grey types must be stolen.

20 Suffolk Punch

Can Only Be Stolen

Yet another puller is the Suffolk Punch, but this one has some better stats than previous horses on this list. A downside however is that it can only be found meaning fans will have to find one or steal it. Either variation is fine as they have the same stats.

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There is only the Red Chestnut coat, and it must be stolen.

19 Appaloosa

Buy From The Tumbleweed Stable For $450

One of the last horses fans are likely to ride in the late part of the early game, the Appaloosa has decent stats with a fair amount of stamina. It’s an endurance horse meant for riding long trips and can survive an ambush. Leopard or Brown Leopard are the best variations with equal stats.

The Brown Leopard coat can be bought for $450 from the Tumbleweed Stable. The Leopard can be bought from the Van Horn Trading Post for $430. Scarred Blankets are rare and only appear during random encounters with Murfree Brood members. The Blanket, Leopard Blanket, and Few Spotted must be tamed.

18 American Standardbred

Buy From The Valentine Stable For $150

The weakest of the race horses but with some use is the American Standardbred. They have decent speed but are very skittish. The Silver Tail Buckskin has the best stamina for longer runs, but the Palomino is easier to handle so pick according to the track.

The Palomino Dapple can be bought at the Valentine Stable for $150. The Silver Tail Buckskin is $400 at the Tumbleweed Stable. The Black and Buckskin must be tamed.

17 War Horse

A Pre-Order Bonus Available For Free From The Valentine Stable

Pre-order bonuses always elicit a mixed reaction from players, so it's easy to see why some players would be miffed to find out that a pretty great horse in the main game can't be acquired unless they had pre-ordered the game before launch. Still, this shouldn't take away anything from the usefulness of the War Horse and its effective nature as one of the faster steeds in the game.

The biggest thing that makes the War Horse such a powerful ride in Red Dead Redemption 2 is its amazing speed, letting players zoom across the game world without breaking a sweat. This fact alone makes it a great horse that players can carry all the way to the end of the game if they wish.

16 Thoroughbred

Buy From The Strawberry Stable For $450

Thoroughbreds are excellent sprinters with high acceleration, but not enough stamina or health to do anything else. They’ll die fast in combat and get winded if they run too long. The Brindle is the fastest and Dappled Black has the same stats but is only available in special editions of the game. Seal Brown is a bit slower but can run a little longer and take more hits.

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The Dappled Black and Black Chestnut are only available in the Special or Ultimate Edition of Red Dead Redemption 2. The Seal Brown only appears in Story Mode. The Brindle can be bought at the Strawberry Stable for $450. The Blood Bay and Dapple Grey must be tamed.

15 Hungarian Half-Bred

Buy From The Valentine Stable For $150

The weakest of the warhorses but by no means a pushover, Hungarian Half-Breds don’t spook easily and have decent stats. The Dapple Dark Grey is the best variation fans can find. It’s good in early skirmishes but players will want something better later on.

The Dapple Dark Grey coat can be bought at Valentine Stable for $150. The Flaxen Chestnut and Piebald Tobiano must be tamed.

14 American Paint

Buy From The Tumbleweed Stable For $425

The American Paint is a classic horse, and is very smart and low maintenance, but this advantage is canceled out somewhat by mediocre stats making it a middle-of-the-run horse. It’ll get fans through the mid-game, but there are much better horses to strive for. Grey Overo has the best stats.

The Grey Overo can be bought at the Tumbleweed Stable for $425. The Overo, Splashed White, and Tobiano must be tamed.

13 Nokota

Buy From The Saint Denis Stable For $450

One of the fastest horses in the game with breathtaking base speed. It can go hoof to hoof with the number two horse on this list, but every other stat fails to compare which is why it ranks around the middle. In a straight line race, the Nokota will hold their own, but any turns or obstacles, and they’ll lose. Get the Reverse Dapple Roan.

The Reverse Dapple Roan can be purchased at Saint Denis stable for $450. The Blue Roan and White Roan must be tamed. The Scarred Blue Roan is rare and can only be tamed during random encounters with the Murfree Brood.

12 Mustang

Can Be Found In The Wild And Tamed

Mustangs are great combat horses but suffer because they’re among the orneriest in the game and are tough to fully bond with. The best variation is the Tiger Striped Bay as it has superior stats, but it’s also a rare find, so players will be wandering the wilderness for a while to find it.

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The Grullo Dun, Tiger Striped Bay, and Wild Bay coats can only be found in the wild and must be tamed.

11 Andalusian

Buy From The Strawberry Stable For $140

These are tough horses that won't jump at anything. They can take a punch and have great endurance which makes them perfect horses for extended hunting trips. For the best Andalusians look for the Rose Grey variation.

The Dark Bay coat can be bought at Strawberry Stable for $140. The Rose Grey can be bought at Van Horn Trading Post for $440. The Perlino is only in the wild and must be tamed.

10 Dutch Warmblood

Buy From The Strawberry Stable For $150

Starting the top five is an all-around great workhorse. Dutch Warmbloods can fulfill just about any role players need them to, other than racing which is why they don’t rank higher. But for an adaptable horse, they do just fine. The best is the Cremello Gold Dutch which is also a great-looking horse for something players may be using most of the game.

These horses can only be bought. The Chocolate Roan is at Valentine Stable for $450, Seal Brown is at Strawberry Stable for $150, and Sooty Buckskin is at Scarlett Meadows Stable for $150.

9 Ardennes

Buy From The Scarlett Meadows Stable For $140

This is a solid warhorse with a lot of health. Ardennes are admittedly a little on the slow side, but if players want something that can ride into gunfire and come out alive on the other side then this is the horse.

The Bay Roan is bought at Scarlett Meadows stable for $140 and the Strawberry Roan is $450 at the Van Horn Trading Post. Regardless of which variant players choose, they'll be more than happy by the performance of this steed.

8 Turkoman

Buy From The Blackwater Stable For $925

Th Turkoman is a great horse if players are trying to get away from heavy combat or know players are going to be ambushed. It’s fast and has great health, but make sure players are running before they hit danger because it has slower acceleration. All variations are equal but get the Gold.

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The Turkomans can only be bought, and they’re expensive. The Dark Bay is at Blackwater stable and costs $925, the Saint Denis stable has the Gold coat for $950, and the Silver coat is at Tumbleweed stable for $950.