Horses are a pain. In Breath of the Wild, they were basically lawn ornaments once you got the Master Cycle Zero. You’d whistle, they’d be "out of range," and you’d just shrug and teleport away. But things changed in Hyrule. When Tears of the Kingdom dropped, everyone was obsessed with building giant green tanks or hoverbikes out of Zonai fans. Why ride a horse when you can fly?
Honestly, that’s the wrong way to look at it.
Tears of the Kingdom horses aren't just legacy features kept in for nostalgia. They’re actually a mechanical bridge to some of the game's most efficient resource gathering. If you’ve spent forty hours ignoring the stables because you’re too busy being an amateur aeronautical engineer, you’re missing out on the best way to move heavy loot across the map.
The Pony Points System Is Actually a Genius Grind
The new Stable Association reward system is probably the most overlooked part of the early game. Basically, every time you talk to a stable master, register a horse, or sleep in a bed, you get a point. It’s a literal loyalty card for Hylians.
At first, it feels like busywork. But the rewards are essential. Getting the Towing Harness early is a game-changer. Most players try to "Ultrahand" everything across the field, but your stamina drains, or the objects jiggle out of place. A horse with a harness is a reliable engine. You can hitch a wagon to it, pile it high with Korok seeds—you know, the ones who "need to reach their friend"—and just trot.
Don't sleep on the Malanya Bed either. It’s expensive in terms of points, but the stamina boost you get for your horse is permanent for that session. If you’re trying to cross the Faron Grasslands, that extra spur of speed matters more than you’d think.
Transferring Your Old Friends
Here is something many people missed on launch day: if you have a save file from Breath of the Wild on your Switch, your horses are already there. Go to any stable. Talk to the guy behind the counter. Your 2017 companions are waiting for you in 2026.
👉 See also: God of War Saga Games: Why the Greek Era is Still the Best Part of Kratos’ Story
It’s a massive leg up. If you had a max-stat horse or the Royal White Stallion from the previous game, you don't have to go through the struggle of taming a wild one with low stamina. They just exist. It’s a rare moment of continuity in a series that usually resets everything.
Great White Stallions and Giant Beasts
If you want the "best" horse, you aren't looking for a standard brown nag. You’re looking for the Giant White Stallion. You’ll find this absolute unit in the Faron region, specifically near the Horse God Bridge. It is massive. It makes Link look like a toddler.
But there's a trade-off.
- The Giant White Stallion cannot pull a wagon. * It cannot be customized at stables.
- It has infinite stamina, but it cannot gallop in bursts.
It’s basically a biological tank. If you’re riding through a pack of Bokoblins, this horse will just trample them without slowing down. It’s heavy. It’s hard to turn. But it is virtually unstoppable.
Then there’s Zelda’s Golden Horse. You find this one up in the Tabantha Tundra as part of the "Potential Princess Sightings" questline. It’s not just for show; it has incredibly high Strength and Speed stats. Plus, it just looks cool. It’s the kind of horse that makes the stable hands lose their minds.
How to Actually Use the Horse God Malanya
In the original game, Malanya was a bit of a creepy secret. In Tears of the Kingdom, he’s a vital endgame mechanic. You’ll find him in the Akkala region, near Bloodleaf Lake. He doesn't just revive dead horses anymore. He upgrades them.
✨ Don't miss: Florida Pick 5 Midday: Why Most Players Chase the Wrong Patterns
This is where the real depth lies. You can take a horse with mediocre stats and turn it into a five-star beast. The catch? You have to cook for him.
Malanya is a food critic. He wants specific meals—things like Vegetable Curry, Copious Fried Wild Greens, or Apple Pie. It’s a massive resource sink. You’ll find yourself scouring the map for Endura Carrots just to give your horse one extra point of Pull. Is it worth it? If you’re doing a "No-Fast-Travel" run, absolutely. A horse with five stars in Speed and Pull is arguably more reliable than a Zonai vehicle because it doesn't run out of battery. It just needs a snack occasionally.
Why Zonai Tech Didn't Kill the Horse
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the Hoverbike. Two fans, one steering stick. It’s cheap. It flies. It breaks the game.
So why bother with Tears of the Kingdom horses?
Terrain and "feel." The Depths are for machines. The sky is for machines. But the surface of Hyrule was designed for hooves. There’s a specific rhythm to riding along the paths of Central Hyrule that you lose when you’re just buzzing over the trees. Also, horses have a "pathing" AI. If you hold the ‘A’ button on a road, the horse follows the road automatically. You can put the controller down, grab a drink, and Link will just keep riding. You can’t do that with a Wing or a Fan-sled. Those require constant input or they’ll crash into a mountain.
Horses are the "cruise control" of Hyrule.
🔗 Read more: Finding Your True Partner: Why That Quiz to See What Pokemon You Are Actually Matters
The Pull Stat: A New Frontier
The "Pull" stat is new. It dictates how well a horse handles a heavy load. If you’re trying to move a massive stone slab or a wagon full of NPCs, a horse with a 1-star Pull stat is going to struggle and neigh in protest. You want a horse with at least 3 stars here if you plan on using the Towing Harness.
Most people ignore the harness. Big mistake. You can build a mobile battle platform with Ultrahand, attach it to the harness, and have a literal horse-drawn chariot with lasers. It’s ridiculous. It’s fun. It’s peak Zelda.
Taming and Personality Types
Not all horses are the same. Some have "Wild" temperaments, others are "Gentle."
- Wild Temperament: Higher stats, but they will buck you off more often until you max out your bond. You need more stamina to tame them.
- Gentle Temperament: Easy to ride, but usually slower and weaker.
To bond quickly, don't just pat them. Feed them. Hold five apples in your hand and stand in front of them. They’ll eat them right out of your palm. Your bond will skyrocket. It’s much faster than clicking the ‘L’ button every time they veer off course.
Critical Tactics for Serious Riders
If you want to master the equestrian side of Hyrule, follow these steps immediately:
- Visit the Highland Stable first. It’s in the south. The terrain is flat, perfect for testing speed.
- Farm Endura Carrots. You’ll find them near Cherry Blossom trees (the Satori trees). These are the currency Malanya wants for the best upgrades.
- Get the Travel Medallion. Since horses don't teleport to you, place a Travel Medallion at a stable. It makes swapping horses or grabbing your "Pulling" horse much faster when you find a heavy object in the wild.
- Check the stats before you name them. You can see the stars before you commit to a name at the stable. If the stats are garbage, just let it go. There are plenty of horses in the sea. Or the field.
Don't treat your horse like a leftover mechanic. Between the Malanya upgrades and the Towing Harness, they are a legitimate alternative to burning through your Zonai Charges. Plus, they don't disappear when you walk too far away. They’re loyal. In a world that literally fell apart, that’s worth something.
Actionable Next Steps:
Head to the Tabantha Tundra and look for the Golden Horse. It’s the best all-around mount you can get without spending hours cooking for the Horse God. Once you have it, focus on earning enough Pony Points to unlock the Towing Harness—it only takes three points, which is just two stable visits and one new registration. This opens up the entire "logistics" side of the game, making those "Reunite the Koroks" missions significantly less annoying.