Skyrim: How To Find Your Horse

First introduced in Oblivion, by the time The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim came out, horses were a standard part of RPG gaming. With the increasing size of open worlds, it only made sense to give players horses and other mounts that could quickly speed across the landscape.

Unfortunately, horses in Skyrim aren't as easy to use as they are in other games. Unlike The Witcher 3 or the recent Assassin's Creed games, there's no button or item that will call a horse to the player's location. There is a spell that summons a horse in the Dawnguard DLC, but players must earn the right to use it. Aside from that, there are a few tricks players should know about horses that will make finding and riding them more convenient.

Purchased Horses

Skyrim Bought Horse — An owned horse in Skyrim.

The first thing to understand is that there's a big difference between an owned and an unowned horse in Skyrim. Owned horses are purchased from the various stables that sit outside some of the hold capitals, or they come from the stables players can add to the homes they build with the Hearthfire DLC.

Unlike other horses kept at the stables or owned by various NPCs, players won't get in trouble if someone spots them mounting a purchased horse. A purchased horse will also stick with the player after they dismount, while a stolen or wild horse will usually go back to where they started. In fact, a purchased horse will stick with players who decide to use fast travel. Horses can't enter cities or buildings, but if players fast-travel to a town they should find their purchased horse just outside the front gate or by the nearest stables.

If players buy more than one horse, only the most recently used horse will travel with players in this way. Other purchased horses will return to the stable they were bought from, and players can reclaim them at any time without paying for them again.

Earned Horses

Skyrim Earned Horse — Shadowfax by Riften in Skyrim.

Players can also gain horses in other ways. For instance, the Creation Club offers a Wild Horses DLC that lets players find and tame wild horses and even a unicorn. Players who complete the Dark Brotherhood quest line can ride Shadowmere, who (unlike other horses) will reappear after dying. However, these horses don't have a home stable to return to.

Instead, if players choose to ride a different horse, any special horses they own will stay where the Dragonborn left them. This can be troublesome if players abandon their mounts in the middle of a field or just outside a dungeon, so be sure to switch mounts near towns, cities, or other frequently visited locations. This will make it much easier to find them in the future.