Best Horse Mods For Red Dead Redemption 2

Key Takeaways

• Horse mods in Red Dead Redemption 2 enhance gameplay by adding realism and variety.
• Mods like Horse Dehydration and Horse’s Needs add new elements to caring for horses.
• Fantasy Horses and Remastered Gang Horses offer visual customization and unique designs.

Aside from gunslinging, horseback riding is one of the biggest gameplay mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. In the last few years, the sequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption has aged beautifully to remain one of the most successful and influential AAA titles ever made, but even greatness can still be improved upon, and PC modders have enhanced the Red Dead Redemption 2 experience beyond what anyone could have imagined. Many mods focus on the customization of environmental factors and Arthur Morgan’s wardrobe, but some specific mods cater to the game’s many horses.

Horse riding is not only the easiest way for Arthur to get around, but it’s also a fun pastime for casual players who relish those quiet moments to unwind. These majestic beasts play an integral part in the game’s overall appeal, but there are times when the gameplay becomes a little stale, so here are some of the best mods in Red Dead Redemption 2 to take horse riding to the next level.

1 Horse Dehydration

Implements The Need For Horses To Drink Near Bodies Of Water

This simple mod allows Arthur’s horse to drink from any body of water (lake, river, ocean, etc.) while mounted. By encouraging the horse to drink, it replenishes its cores. There’s an argument to be made about how certain immersive mods amp up Red Dead Redemption 2‘s realism, particularly when it comes to caring for Arthur and his horse, who need to eat, sleep, and drink just like they would in real life.

Horse Dehydration requires Arthur to lead his horse into a depth of water around ankle height, then whistle for the horse to commence drinking. It’s an aspect of horse care that is surprisingly overlooked despite how natural it feels.

2 Complete Horse Overhaul

Reworks All Horses To Be More Diverse And Realistic

In the Complete Horse Overhaul, every single horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 gets reworked, including wild horses, NPC horses, and the Van der Linde gang‘s horses. Many models of horses have been handmade to look more unique and realistic so that Arthur isn’t constantly encountering the same breed or color of horse and there is an additional variety.

Wild horses are changed to take out any elements of non-realism, such as finding a wild Arabian, and instead make the breeds of wild horses more believable. Even the Murfree gang’s horses can be rescued and restored to maximum health after being subjected to neglect.

3 Fantasy Horses

Adds Custom Horse Models Of All Shapes, Sizes, and Colors

As per the author’s notes, the Fantasy Horses mod only replaces the models of either a White Arabian or Tiger Striped Bay Mustang. These non-realistic, fantasy horses range anywhere from half-silver and half-purple with sparkly manes to a bright yellow horse with a marking of a black sun along its body.

These horse models don’t affect gameplay, and they’re definitely more for visual appeal than anything else, but these models are the perfect addition for fantasy fans who want to live out their dream of riding a colorful steed.

4 Horse’s Needs

Adds New Cores To Horses For Arthur To Maintain

The Horse’s Needs mod adds three new cores to Arthur’s horse: hunger, thirst, and horseshoe condition. Horse hunger can be refilled by manually feeding it or dismounting it in a grassy area to allow the horse to graze. When inside a body of water (without being mounted), the horse will automatically begin drinking to refill its thirst core. Finally, the horseshoe core drains depending on how the horse is used.

For example, galloping drains the core faster, trotting drains it at a moderate rate, and any other action (walking or leading) won’t drain it at all. The Horse Needs mod adds an extra element of survival to Red Dead Redemption 2 for players looking to ground the game in true realism.

5 New Horse Coats

Features New Horse Breeds And New And Improved Coats

There are a few variations of mods that add more horse breeds and horse coats to Red Dead Redemption 2 with another famous one being uploaded on Nexus Mods by the user Bolju. While the game already features a wide variety of horse breeds, the New Horse Coats mod allows players to completely customize their horse to their liking.

Sometimes, there are color patterns on horses that are only found within a certain breed, but this mod allows the breed, color, size, and overall appearance of a horse’s coat to be mixed and matched based on a user’s personal preference. There are countless breeds and coats to choose from and the mod author continuously releases updates with new packs targeting certain breeds.

6 Remastered Gang Horses

Retextures Horses To Resemble The Van der Linde Gang’s Steeds

As the name suggests, the Remastered Gang Horses mod completely reworks the Van der Linde gang’s faithful steeds by retexturing them to make their designs cleaner and more polished. The mod includes The Count (Dutch’s horse), Baylock (Micah’s horse), Brown Jack (Bill’s horse), Bob (Sadie’s horse), and many more.

These designs can be printed onto any existing horse model and Arthur can tame and ride it, so for anyone who’s ever wanted to take a gang member’s horse out for a spin, it’s now possible through the power of modding. The Remastered Gang Horses mod unlocks the horses that were otherwise unable to be mounted or interacted with in Arthur’s campaign.