The 10 best horses in Red Dead Online and how to get them

There’s nothing like the bond between a cowboy and his horse. In Red Dead Online, they are more than just a way to get from point A to point B; they are your best friends and partners out on the open prairie. Sure, they can sometimes throw you off or panic at an inopportune moment, but if you take care of your horse, it will take care of you in return. The horses in Red Dead Online vary in their stats, temperament, and price. But even the lowliest of them will be a massive boon to your experience in the game, and there are various ways to expand your stable and acquire new mounts.

You can get a few of them through quests and events, others from in-game stables, and also from the Red Dead Online catalogue. You can customize your horses with equipment such as saddles, which will then offer you ways to optimize their stats further and fine-tune how your faithful steed functions in the game. Still, there will always be a pecking order, and in this article, we will be listing our picks for the 10 best horses in Red Dead Online.

Related: The 10 most expensive clothes to spend cash on in Red Dead Online

The best horses you can get in Red Dead Online

10. Hungarian Half-breed

The Hungarian Half-breeds have been bred as warhorses, and they show it through their increased durability and health. Yet despite their storied ancestry, they severely lack in stamina, which is not a good combination, given that their speed is not exactly to write home about either. They come in three coats, two of which you can find and acquire out in the wilds, while the third can be bought from the catalogue or the stable in Valentine.

• Brown coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 24.
• Black-and-white coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 24.
• Dappled coat: Costs 6 Gold Bars, requires Rank 39, increased stats.

9. Dutch Warmblood

The Dutch Warmbloods are solid workhorses that will get you far in the game. They have solid stats, especially in the health and stamina departments, but their speed and acceleration are lacking. You can’t expect a workhorse to race, after all. They come in three ‘coats’ with slightly varying stats. You can get a Warmblood of your own in Valentine after Chapter 2 or buy them at the Scarlet Meadows or Strawberry stables after Chapter 3.

• Black coat: Costs $150, requires Rank 36.
• Tawny coat: Costs $150, requires Rank 36.
• Tan coat: Costs 18 Gold Bars, requires Rank 54, increased stats.

8. Ardennes

Looking like a proper war horse, the Ardennes is big and burly, with exceptional health and respectable stamina. That comes at the price of speed, but these tough horses have a very warlike temperament, making them more dependable in combat situations. There are two types of coats for Ardennes, each of which can be found at Van Horn Trading Post and Scarlett Meadow stables, respectively.

• Light brown coat: Costs $150, requires Rank 36.
• Tawny coat: Costs 18 Gold Bars, requires Rank 54, increased stats.

7. Andalusian

The Andalusian has some good all-around stats with a fairly aggressive temperament. This makes them great hunting horses, as predators won’t be able to spook them that easily. They come in three coats, and you can get them at both Strawberry and Van Horn stables, although they can rarely spawn in the wilds too.

• Dark brown coat: Costs $150, requires Rank 36.
• White coat: Costs $475, increased stats.
• Dappled coat: Costs 18 Gold Bars, requires Rank 43, increased stats.

6. Thoroughbred

These horses are all about speed. It’s like taking a car and stripping all of the unnecessary components to make it go as fast as possible. The Thoroughbred works the same way — all stats are fairly low, but they have some of the highest speed and acceleration stats in the game. They come in three coats, two of which you can find in the wild and all three at Strawberry stables.

• Chestnut coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 30.
• Dappled white coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 30.
• Striped grey coat: Costs 18 Gold Bars, requires Rank 51, increased speed.

5. Mustang

The famous Mustang is a real multi-class horse. It can be considered both a warhorse and a workhorse, and its stats reflex that too. Their speed might be only average at best, but they more than make up for it with both stamina and health. Another peculiarity is that they come in more coat variations than most other horses in the game. Most coat types can be found in the Heartlands of New Hanover or near Fort Mercer in New Austin. However, to get the rare tiger-striped coat, look around Rio Del Lobo Rock.

• Grey coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 27.
• Brown coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 27.
• Tan coat: Costs $500, greatly increased stats.
• Tiger-striped coat: Costs 14 Gold Bars, requires Rank 48, increased stats.
• White-and-orange coat: Costs $500, greatly increased stats.
• White-and-tan coat: Costs $500, greatly increased stats.
• Black-and-white coat: Costs 20 Gold Bars, greatly increased stats.

4. Nokota

Nokotas are similar to Thoroughbreds, in that they also trade most other stats in favor of speed and acceleration. They differ because Nokotas have slightly better handling and maneuverability, making them easier to steer around while riding at breakneck speeds. They can be found in the wilds or bought from Saint-Denis stables after Chapter 4.

• Smokey coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 30.
• Dappled Light Grey coat: Costs $130, requires Rank 30.
• Dappled Dark Grey coat: Costs 18 Gold Bars, requires Rank 48, increased speed.

3. Arabian

The iconic Arabian horses are among the best ones in the game. Their stats are well-balanced and great across the board. They come in three coats, all of which come with different stats. Brown coat can be acquired through stables in the game, while you can get the better white-coated Arabian for free if you can tame the skittish beast found northwest of Lake Isabella. However, despite the ranking, the coveted black Arabian is the best horse in the game, but can only be bought through the catalogue.

• Brown coat: Costs $250, requires Rank 1.
• White coat: Costs $850, requires Rank 66, increased stats.
• Black coat: Costs 42 Gold Bars, requires Rank 70, greatly increased stats.

2. Missouri Fox Trotter

These horses are another example of multi-class breeds. They can function as both racehorses and workhorses. This is also reflected in their stats, with the stamina rating being among the highest in the game. If you equip them with good saddles, they can cross long distances like they’re nothing. They come in six different coats and hefty price tags to boot. Look for them in Scarlett Meadows and Blackwater stables.

• Tan coat: Costs $950, requires Rank 58.
• Charcoal-and-white coat: Costs $950, requires Rank 58.
• Grey coat: Costs $1125.
• Striped Brown coat: Costs $1125.
• Dappled Grey coat: Costs $1125.
• White-and-black coat: Costs 45 Gold Bars, increased speed.

1. Turkoman

The best overall horses in Red Dead Online, iconic Turkomans represent another multi-class option. They are both a warhorse and a racehorse, with high speed, health, stamina, and decent acceleration. No matter the situation you find yourself in, the Turkoman will be an asset to you. But they also cost a lot of dollars for that reason. There are seven coats to find, and you can get them in several stables, including Tumbleweed, Saint-Denis, and Blackwater.

• Brown coat: Costs $925, requires Rank 56.
• Tan coat: Costs $950, requires Rank 60.
• White coat: Costs $1000.
• Chestnut coat: Costs $1000.
• Off-white coat: Costs $1000.
• Grey coat: Costs 38 Gold Bars, requires Rank 60, increased speed.
• Black coat: Costs 40 Gold Bars, increased speed.