Summary

• There are 19 different types of horses in Red Dead Redemption 2, each with different stats and traits.
• Draft horses like the Belgian and Suffolk Punch are great for heavy labor, while racehorses like the Nokota and Thoroughbred excel in speed and agility.
• Finding the best horse in the game depends on personal preference and intended use, but there are a few horses that are better than the rest in almost every aspect.

One of the best parts about Red Dead Redemption 2 is the complete freedom to explore the map on horseback, but what's even better is the sheer number of horses that Arthur can choose to accompany him on his journey. In addition to visual and aesthetic differences, each horse has its own specific set of strengths, weaknesses, and mannerisms affecting how it interacts with the Western RPG's protagonist. Indeed, personal preference may play a role in each player's choice of steed - but ultimately, there can only be one best horse in Red Dead Redemption 2.

There are a total of 19 horse breeds in RDR2, and each has different coat styles, bringing the total variations of horses in RDR2 to over 60. Arthur can acquire horses by buying them from stables or by wrangling them in the wild, with many different equipable saddles that can further boost stats. In addition to speed and acceleration stats, horses in RDR2 have a few other stats like stamina, health, and handling, which will determine their overall usefulness. Bonding with your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is another way to boost the horse's overall stats.

19 Morgan ($55)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine Stable

Morgans are basic horses with average speed and stamina, making them suitable for short trips around Red Dead Redemption 2's map. However, they're slower than many other breeds, and their health pool leaves something to be desired. Morgans can be found in the wild or Valentine Stable after Chapter 2 of the game. Although the Bay Roan and Palomino colors of the breed are available to buy, Arthur can also find the horses in the wild with the Bay and Flaxen Chestnut.

18 Kentucky Saddler ($55)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine Stable

Kentucky Saddlers are common horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. They have a laid-back nature, making them perfect companions for riding short distances, and since they can be found all over the map, they're quick and easy to tame. Kentucky Saddlers do have their downsides, though; they're not too fast and can't accelerate particularly quickly. They're only slightly better than Morgans in this regard. Arthur can catch the Gray, Black, Chestnut Pinto, and Silver Bay coats in the wild, and the Gray is also available for purchase in stables.

17 Tennessee Walker ($60/$150)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine or Tumbleweed Stables

Purely based on style, Tennessee Walkers are one of the best horses in RDR2. They have seven different coat varieties: Red Roan, Black Rabicano, Chestnut, and Dapple Bay, which can be found in the wild. However, not all Tennesse Walkers are created equal. The Dapple Dark Grey and Flaxen Roan coats both offer better stats across the board. Gameplay-wise, the higher-tier Tennessee Walker horses are sturdy and healthy, and they handle long distances across Red Dead Redemption 2's massive map.

The Flaxen Roan variation of the Tennessee Walker, which has four Health and five Stamina, can be found in Tumbleweed Stable after Epilogue Part 1.

16 Belgian ($120)

Can Be Caught In The Wild

Belgians are strong draft horses in RDR2. Draft horses are among the sturdiest horses in the game, and they are what players should prioritize for tasks such as pulling carts, carriages, wagons, and coaches. Like most draft horses, Belgians are incredibly strong. They have excellent health and stamina and have the fastest acceleration among the Heavy breeds. Belgians are sturdy and come in two coats - Blond Chestnut and Mealy Chestnut.

15 Shire ($120/$130)

Can Be Caught In The Wild

The Shire is another breed of draft horse, meaning that it's well suited to heavy pulling or hauling. They are one of the strongest horse breeds in the game, but their large size and heavy weight make them more difficult to handle. Unfortunately, their speed and stamina are only average, meaning that they're a far cry from the best overall horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. Shires come in three coats: Raven Black, Dark Bay, and Light Gray. All three are available in the wild. The Raven Black coat gives the horse slightly higher stamina than horses of other colors.

14 Suffolk Punch ($120)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Tumbleweed And Van Horn Stables

The Suffolk Punch is another draft horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. With its stocky and compact frame, it's the ideal breed for heavy labor on farms. They can work extremely long hours without getting tired, are very sturdy and healthy, and even have a good speed for their breed. The Suffolk Punch breed, however, is a little harder to find, as it is only available in the wild. These horses are also heavy, which means that they are often difficult to handle. They come in two different coats - Red Chestnut and Sorrel.

13 Appaloosa ($130/$450)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Tumbleweed And Van Horn Stables

The next step up from a draft horse is the work horse, such as the Appaloosa. It's a breed that is perfect for just about any kind of work needed at a ranch; they are rather healthy and have good speed, agility, and stamina. Appaloosas are often found in the midwestern part of the game map. The Blanket and Leopard Blanket coats are found in the wild, but Arthur can purchase the Leopard and Brown Leopard coats at a stable. Both of which have much higher stats than their lower-level counterparts.

12 Nokota ($130/$450)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Saint Denis Stable

If Arthur needs to quickly get to a town, landmark, or a therapeutic campsite in Red Dead Redemption 2, players will want to consider using a racehorse like the Nokota. It's a breed with respectable speed and acceleration, meaning that it can make a fast getaway from trouble if needed. These horses are also healthy and handle exceptionally well.

The majority of Nokotas are located in the Western part of the Red Dead Redemption 2 map. The Reverse Dapple Roan is the best of the three coats, with much greater speed than the other two Nokota coats. Arthur can find the Blue Roan and White Roan in the wild, but the Reverse Dapple Roan must be purchased from Saint Denis Stable after Chapter 4 of the game.

11 Thoroughbred ($130/$450)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Strawberry Stable

Thoroughbred horses are lean, mean racing machines. A kind of racehorse, this breed is made for athletics with great stamina, agility, and acceleration. If Arthur needs to sprint short distances, the Thoroughbred horse is what he wants to do so with. While they are easy to handle for the most part, they can get a little clumsy if Arthur pushes them too far past their endurance, which is an important factor to keep in mind.

Thoroughbreds have three coats - the Brindle, the Blood Bay, and the Dapple Grey. The Brindle, which has the highest speed of this breed, is available for purchase in stables, but the others are only available in the wild.

A unique Seal Brown coated Thoroughbred named Rachel can be obtained at the beginning of the epilogue.

10 American Standardbred ($130-$400)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine or Tumbleweed Stables

Another racing horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is the American Standardbred. These horses are lean and agile with great stamina and acceleration, and they can maintain a fast pace for a long while. Though the Silver Tail Buckskin variation of the breed does boast higher stats, they still pale in comparison with many other horses in the game.

As a race horse, American Standardbreds are some of the fastest horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 outside of the very best horses. They come in four coats: the Palomino Dapple, the Silver Tail Buckskin, the Black, and the Buckskin. Although the Silvertail Buckskin and Palomino Dapple are available for purchase at stables, the Black and Buckskin are only available for catching in the wild.

9 American Paint ($130/$140)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Tumbleweed Stable

American Paint horses are robust work horses, ready to tackle any kind of task put upon them. Although they cannot accelerate too quickly, they have amazing stamina with average speed and health. They are extremely intelligent, easy to care for, and even have great personalities, so they're easy for Arthur to get along with.

American Paints stand out from other horses, thanks to their uniquely patterned coats. The Overo and Tobiano coats commonly roam the wild, but there is also a rare Splashed White coat wandering around the map for those who can find it. The Gray Overo coat is also available for purchase at stables after the first Epilogue.

8 Hungarian Halfbred ($130/$150)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine Stable

When it comes to battle, a good war horse is just as important as having a good revolver or pistol in Red Dead Redemption 2. Given that, players should consider the Hungarian Halfbred, a strong breed that has good health and stamina. Although these horses are slow with low speed and acceleration stats, they have a fearless personality that makes them perfect for any kind of combat. These horses also handle extremely well, and they have large, sturdy bodies, too.

Though Hungarian Halfbreds are fairly healthy when considering all horses in RDR2, they are indeed less healthy than other war horse breeds. The Flaxen Chestnut and Piebald Tobiano coats live in the wild, but the Dapple Dark Grey coat is only available for purchase at stables.

7 Mustang ($130/$450)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or South Of Armadillo

The Mustang is a RDR2 horse that is good for a variety of tasks, whether it be racing, war, or work. The versatile breed has great health and stamina, lovable personalities, and are a sturdy choice. They also don't frighten easily. If it's an all-purpose horse that Arthur needs, the Mustang is just the breed he's looking for. The Grullo Dun, Wild Bay, and rare Tiger Striped Bay coats are all found in the wild, but they aren't available in stables. Arthur can find Mustangs in the western portion of the map.

6 Dutch Warmblood ($150/$450)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine Stable

Dutch Warmblood horses are among the sturdiest and hardiest of horses in RDR2's workhorse category. These creatures have excellent stamina, a sturdy body attached to long legs, and they're surprisingly agile. They have only average speed and health, but if Arthur needs a dependable workhorse, the Dutch Warmblood is one horse that he can't go wrong with. The Seal Brown, Sooty Buckskin, and Chocolate Roan-coated Dutch Warmbloods are available for purchase in stables.

A unique Cremllo Dutch Warmblood horse can be acquired upon the completion of "The Veteran" side quest in RDR2.

5 Andalusian ($140-$475)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Valentine And Van Horn Stable

The Andalusian breed of horse is made for war. Its compact frame makes it extra sturdy and powerful, and it also handles well, making it ideal for combat. On top of that, these warhorses have excellent health and stamina. They have aggressive personalities, so they won't shy away from some of the scarier animals in the game. Although they're not fast, the Andalusian horses are fairly good for traveling long distances. They come in two coats, Dark Bay and Rose Gray, both of which are available for purchase at stables.

The Rose Grey Andalusian can be purchased at Tumbleweed Stable after the first Epilogue, while the Perlino can be purchased in Van Horn Stable after Chapter 6.

4 Ardennes ($140-$450)

Can Be Purchased At Scarlett Meadows And Van Horn Stable

Some of the most well-built horses for combat and war alike belong to the Ardennes breed in RDR2. These horses also have excellent health and stamina, and they are extremely brave; they rarely become agitated, even when in combat. Like other warhorses, Ardennes horses tend to have low speed and acceleration, but these pitfalls can easily be overlooked.

They come in two coats - the Bay Roan and Strawberry Roan - both of which are available for purchase at stables throughout the game. The Strawberry Roan is the healthiest of the two, but it is also the most costly at $450.

3 Missouri Fox Trotter ($950)

Can Be Purchased At Scarlett Meadows And Blackwater Stable

The Missouri Fox Trotter is both a race and work horse. This combination means that they are incredibly fast as well as sturdy, which easily makes them one of the best horses in Red Dead Redemption 2. Missouri Fox Trotter's are powerful horses with great stamina, but they also have good speed and a lively gait that will help Arthur travel long distances faster (and more comfortably). Missouri Fox Trotters come in Amber Champagne and Silver Dapple Pinto, which are both available for purchase at stables throughout the map.

2 Turkoman ($950)

Can Be Purchased At Tumbleweed And Saint Denis Stable

Another horse that's good for both racing and working is the Turkoman breed. These horses have stellar health, stamina, and speed, meaning that they can handle long distances efficiently and also perform tasks like carriage pulling at the same time. These slender horses are also very agile, meaning that they handle very well. Their only downside is that they can get impatient, but this can be avoided as long as they don't wait in one spot for too long.

Turkomans can be found in the Dark Bay, Gold, and Silver varieties, and all are available for purchase at stables. They will cost Arthur a pretty penny, and he may need to take advantage of the best ways to make money fast in Red Dead Redemption 2, but it's well worth the sacrifice.

1 Arabian ($1,050-$1,250)

Can Be Caught In The Wild Or Purchased At Tumbleweed, Blackwater, And Saint Denis Stable

The Arabian breed is the best horse in RDR2. These horses' fiery personalities make them hard to tame, but once tamed, they're a companion Arthur will want to keep until the game's end. They have fantastic health, stamina, speed, and acceleration stats, and they are extremely intelligent. They also handle astonishingly well, are loyal to a fault, and are an absolute breeze to train.

Arabians are generally kept by the wealthiest people in the game, as their high costs are out of a lot of people's price range. The Black and Rose Gray Bay coats are available at stables, but the most stunning coat, the rare White Arabian, is only available in the wild and can be found in the northwest of Valentine. Regardless of their coats, though, there's no question that Arabian horses are the best horses in Red Dead Redemption 2.