Horses

There are a few small herds of wild horses out on the open grass around the map, three to a herd. They'll shy off if you walk up empty handed, but they'll let you come right up if you've got carrots or wheat in your pack.

Gentling one#

You need some feed and a halter. You sew a halter from a hide at a fire once you're Crafting 2. Tap the horse and choose Gentle it. Each try uses up some feed, and it might take it and still shy away from the halter, so bring a good handful. Once it works, the horse is yours and the halter goes on it.

Your chances get better with Husbandry. It starts at 20% a try, is 40% by level 10, and gets to 85% at level 30, which is as good as it gets. Another wild horse turns up where yours came from after a while.

Riding#

Tap your horse and choose Mount. In the saddle you go 2 times walking pace, or 2.5 at a gallop (press Gallop, or G), which tires you. The horse carries your pack, so a heavy load doesn't slow you down. Every 25 m you ride gives you a bit of Husbandry.

When you start any work, climb down a ladder or get in a boat, you get down first and the horse stands and grazes where you left it. Only you can ride or lead your horse, and anyone you trust, one of you at a time. Nobody can ride it while it's hitched to a cart.

Using your horse#

• Lead it and it follows you around. Tap it again to let it graze where it is.
• Lead it to one of your carts and hitch it, then drive the cart. A handcart is a lot easier with a horse in it.
• You can only hitch to and pull your own carts. If someone leaves their horse in your shafts, tap the cart and unhitch it, and it'll graze nearby until they come for it.
• A wagon needs a horse, or an ox. It holds 1,500 kg, which is a lot of logs or stone.
• Nobody can hunt your horse once it's yours, and it doesn't need feeding.
• If you log off while you're leading it, it wanders off its lead. It's still yours, so just go and get it.
• To leave it somewhere and know it'll be there, tie it to a hitching post. It stands at the post until you untie it, logged off or not.
• Tap it and choose Give it a name to name it, up to 16 letters. Everyone who sees it sees the name.