You're standing in Lon Lon Ranch. The sun is setting over Hyrule Field, and honestly, walking everywhere is starting to feel like a chore. You want that horse. You need the speed. But figuring out how to get Epona in Ocarina of Time isn't exactly intuitive if you're playing for the first time, or even if it's just been a decade since your last playthrough on the N64.
It’s a multi-generational process. You can't just walk up to Ingo and buy her. No, it requires a song, a seven-year time jump, and a high-stakes race that usually ends with someone getting frustrated at the GameCube or Switch controller.
The Childhood Connection (Step One)
First things first. You have to be a kid. If you’ve already pulled the Master Sword and turned into Adult Link, play the Prelude of Light and head back to the Temple of Time. Put the sword back.
Go to Lon Lon Ranch during the day. You’ll find Malon standing in the center of the corral. She’s singing a tune that sounds familiar because it’s basically the anthem of the entire franchise. Talk to her. Then, pull out your Ocarina. She’ll teach you Epona’s Song ($Up, Left, Right, Up, Left, Right$).
This is the most important part. If you don’t learn this song as a child, Epona will literally never trust you when you come back as an adult. She'll just run away. It's a bit of a "nature vs. nurture" situation, and you're the one doing the nurturing.
Fast Forward Seven Years
Once you’ve got the song, go ahead and age up. Head back to the ranch as Adult Link. Things have changed. Talon, the lazy but lovable dad, has been kicked out. Ingo—the guy who looks suspiciously like Luigi if he had a bad attitude—is now running the place under Ganondorf’s authority.
It’s grim.
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Talk to Ingo at the gate of the corral. He’ll let you ride a horse for 10 Rupees. Pay the man.
Once you’re inside the fence, do not bother with the random horses. They’re slow. Instead, play Epona’s Song. The chestnut horse with the white mane will come running right to you. Hop on. Spend your practice time jumping the fences to get some practice with the "carrot" mechanic.
The Race of Your Life
After your practice session ends, pay Ingo another 10 Rupees to ride again. While you’re on Epona’s back, target Ingo (L or Z-trigger) and talk to him. He’ll challenge you to a race for 50 Rupees.
Winning this first race is actually pretty easy. Just stay on the inside of the track. Don’t spam your carrots. If you use all your carrots at once, Epona slows down to a crawl while they regenerate. It’s better to keep one or two in reserve.
Once you beat him, Ingo gets salty. He’ll challenge you to a second race, but this time, the stakes are higher. If you win, you keep the horse.
This second race is where most players fail. Ingo is much more aggressive here. He will try to cut you off and pin you against the fence. You have to be patient. Wait for an opening, use your carrots to burst past him on a straightaway, and then block him from passing you.
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The Great Escape
So, you won. Ingo is throwing a tantrum. He "gifts" you the horse but then locks the front gate of the ranch, trapping you inside forever. Or so he thinks.
You have two ways out:
- The side fence: Aim for the shorter fence on the left side of the ranch (near the exit).
- The main gate: You can actually jump right over the front gate if you have enough speed.
Gallop toward the fence, use a carrot for a speed boost right before you hit it, and Epona will leap over into Hyrule Field. You’re free. Ingo is left crying in the dirt. It’s a great feeling.
Why Epona Actually Matters
Besides the obvious "cool factor," having Epona changes the game's pacing. Hyrule Field is massive, and running across it manually takes ages. With Epona, you can cross the entire map in a fraction of the time.
More importantly, she’s required for the Biggoron Sword side quest. There are timed segments in that quest where traveling on foot is mathematically impossible. You need the horse. Plus, there’s the Gerudo Fortress. You can technically get across the broken bridge with the Longshot later, but jumping it with Epona much earlier feels significantly more "hero-like."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A lot of people forget that Epona isn't invincible. If you ride her into deep water or try to force her up a vertical cliff, she’ll stop dead. Also, remember that you can’t call her everywhere. She won't show up in towns, dungeons, or Zora's Domain.
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If you ever lose her, just play Epona’s Song. She’ll spawn nearby as long as you're in an open-world area like Hyrule Field or Lake Hylia.
Making the Most of Your Steed
Now that you know how to get Epona in Ocarina of Time, there are a few extra things you can do to make life easier.
- Mounted Archery: Head to the Gerudo Training Ground after getting the Gerudo Membership Card. You can play a mini-game on horseback that rewards you with a Heart Piece and a bigger quiver.
- Poes: Hunting the Big Poes in Hyrule Field is nearly impossible without Epona. You need to be moving fast to trigger their spawns and stay close enough to shoot them with arrows.
- Malon’s Obstacle Course: Go back to Lon Lon Ranch after winning Epona. Malon will set up an obstacle course. If you beat her record (around 50 seconds), she’ll actually send a cow to your house in Kokiri Forest. Yes, a cow. Free milk for life.
Getting Epona is one of those classic gaming milestones. It marks the transition from being a kid lost in a big world to being a knight who truly owns the landscape.
Actionable Next Steps
To ensure you don't miss a beat, follow these specific actions in order:
- Visit Lon Lon Ranch as a child and learn Epona's Song from Malon immediately after meeting Zelda.
- Stack at least 100 Rupees before heading to the ranch as an adult to cover the entry fees and the race wager.
- Practice the jump mechanics over the small fences in the corral before talking to Ingo for the race; getting the timing of the carrots down is the difference between winning and getting boxed in.
- Target the side fence for your escape if you're struggling with the angle of the main gate; it's a wider target and generally more forgiving for the leap.
Once you have Epona, head straight to the entrance of Gerudo Valley. Jumping that bridge is the ultimate test of your new partnership and opens up the later stages of the game much earlier than intended.