As you explore the vast and dangerous world of V Rising, efficient transportation becomes crucial. While pets aren’t a feature in the game, the ability to acquire and utilize horses will significantly enhance your traversal across the map. This guide delves into everything you need to know about these loyal companions, from where to find them to how to best care for and enhance them.
Where to Find Horses
Horses are not present in the initial Farbane Woods biome. However, as you venture further north into the Dunley Farmlands, you’ll find them to be quite common. Several locations within this region are prime spots for encountering horses:
- Mosswick Village
- Dawnbreak Village
- The Horse Track
- Dunley Lumber Mill
- Bastion of Dunley
- Various Farms
- Militia Camps
A particularly convenient spot is heading north from the Farbane Woods, just above the Bandit Trapper Camp. Following this road will lead you to an intersection with a Militia Encampment and a farm. The encampment often houses a horse with relatively few guards nearby, making it an accessible location for your first mount.
How to Ride a Horse
Mounting a horse is straightforward. Simply approach a horse and interact with it to mount up. Once mounted, your character’s two primary weapon abilities will be replaced by two new options: Dismount and Gallop. While mounted, you can only utilize your weapon’s primary attack. This can be a slight disadvantage for melee-focused players, but characters wielding pistols or crossbows can effectively engage in ranged combat while riding, maintaining a safe distance.
Understanding Horse Stats
Each horse possesses three randomized stats that determine its performance. These stats are unique to each individual horse, meaning there isn’t a specific location where inherently “better” horses spawn. Understanding these stats is key to choosing the right mount:
| Stat | Description |
|---|---|
| Acceleration | The speed at which your horse reaches its maximum velocity. |
| Max Speed | The fastest speed your horse can achieve. |
| Rotation Speed | How quickly and accurately your horse can change direction. |
A standard vampire character moves at a speed of four. Horse speeds, however, can range from eight to eleven, making them at least twice as fast as a character on foot. You can view a horse’s specific stats by opening your own inventory when near it, which will also display the horse’s inventory.
Enhancing Horse Stats with Saddles
You can further improve your horse’s capabilities by equipping a saddle. Saddles, when placed on a Dominated Mount, can increase each of the horse’s stats by one. To craft a Vampire Horse Saddle, you’ll need to visit the Leatherworking Station and gather the following materials:
- 8x Thick Leather
- 4x Iron Ingot
Feeding Your Horse
Like any companion, horses require sustenance. To feed your horse, stand close to it and open your character’s inventory. If you are within range, the horse’s inventory will also appear. You will need to place Plant Fiber into one of the three available inventory slots. Similar to how Blood Essence depletes from your Castle Heart, the Plant Fiber will also deplete over time. It’s crucial to always keep a sufficient supply of Plant Fiber on hand to ensure your steed remains well-fed.
Dominating a Horse: Unlocking the Vampiric Steed
The ‘Dominate Mount’ power is a significant unlockable vampiric ability that transforms a regular horse into a Vampiric Steed. This upgrade allows you to equip saddles, as well as summon and revive your steed to your location. Furthermore, dominated horses no longer require Plant Fiber for sustenance.
To unlock the ability to Dominate Mount, your Castle Heart must reach level four. A key advantage of dominated mounts is their new skill: the ability to jump, enabling you to clear obstacles much like the Wolf Form’s jump ability. It’s important to note that you can only dominate one horse at a time. If you discover a superior horse, you will need to ‘Release Companion’ before you can re-dominate a new one.
The Horse Track: A Haven for Equine Enthusiasts
Located on the western edge of the Dunley Farmlands, the Horse Track is a unique location that houses several horses and features a race track. This area provides a safe environment for you to test your horse’s speed and enjoy exhilarating races without the threat of enemy encounters. You can freely ride within the track, focusing solely on the thrill of the ride.
