In Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar Games introduces a more advanced horse bonding system. The bond between the horse and the rider impacts how the horse reacts during conflict meaning that it could potentially buck the player off, or even flee during firefights if players haven't bonded with it enough.

Red Dead Redemption 2 players are able to improve the bond through their own actions, though, instead of just relying on bonding over time. By taking proper care of the horse, players will find themselves forming these bonds and earning loyalty much quicker.

What Do Horses Eat in Red Dead Redemption 2?

In the same way that players have to feed protagonist Arthur Morgan in order to keep his stats up, the horse also has its own stats, and will need feeding too. Players are able to feed a horse with items that they've harvested from the wild, such as wild carrots, though they can also buy fresh produce like apples at stores. Oatcakes–which can often be found in drawers and cabinets–can be fed to a horse, too, as can sugar cubes and peppermints.

In addition to restoring the horse's core stats, feeding the horse will also increase the bond between itself and Arthur Morgan. Though, it should be noted that the more nutritional the food, the greater the bonding benefit players will receive.

How to Calm the Horse Down

As mentioned, a horse that hasn't bonded with Arthur much is more likely to be skittish going over new terrain, during fights, or when going up against fierce prey such as the legendary animals. This can make a horse wildly unpredictable, but an important part of dealing with this (and increasing the bond) is to get Arthur to give the horse some words of encouragement.

To do this, players just need to press the left thumbstick on their PS4 or Xbox One controller when mounted. This will lead Arthur to say something such as "Easy!" or he will gently touch the horse's neck in order to calm it down. It's also worth noting that players can also use the "pat" command when dismounted in order to give their horse some affection and to increase the bond.

How to Groom Horses in Red Dead Redemption 2

Grooming is a pretty important part of Red Dead Redemption 2. In the same way that NPCs react differently to Arthur Morgan when he has full facial hair and is caked in mud, horses don't like being unclean and unkempt either. Making sure they stay clean also helps to increase the bond.

There are multiple ways to groom horses in the game, with the easiest being to acquire a grooming brush. Arthur will receive one for free fairly early in the game's story, and after that, when players are dismounted, "Brush" will be a selectable option, allowing players to give their horse some quick cleaning.

Alternatively, walking through water will also help keep horses clean, so occasionally riding through bodies of water such as streams will assist in grooming. However, some horses may react negatively to water if they haven't bonded with players yet, so expect to have to keep it calm as well.

Having a calm horse that doesn't back away from a firefight isn't the only benefit to bonding with a steed. As players progress through the loyalty levels, they will unlock additional horseback moves, including the ability to perform a skid turn or skid stop, which is unlocked at level three. The distance from which a horse can be called also increases.

So although the loyalty bonds will be reset when a horse dies, if players have to get a new one, the perks mean it's well worth it to build that bond back up.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is available on PS4 and Xbox One.