The Sims 4's Horse Ranch expansion pack has introduced the much-anticipated addition of horses as playable household companions. Consequently, players now have access to a highly detailed Create-a-Sim (CAS) feature for horses, similar to what's available for cats and dogs. In this CAS, players can select from various horse breeds or create a completely unique horse from scratch by using the color wheel and advanced editing options.
While a horse's appearance can certainly add uniqueness to The Sims 4, it's their traits that truly enable players to craft entirely distinctive horses. The game provides a range of options in the CAS screen for players to select from. Additionally, there are other traits that horses can acquire through gameplay by various means. This guide will comprehensively explain all of these traits and how they impact the gameplay experience.
While horses are not controllable, players can freely access their skills, medals, and traits by checking their info panel through the relationship bar upon clicking their profile icon.
All CAS Traits
CAS traits for horses are typically the simplest to acquire since players have full control over these while creating their hooved companions. For adult horses, players can choose up to three traits from a list of eleven available options. It's worth noting that similar to cats, dogs, and human Sims, horses also come with some conflicting traits, preventing players from choosing certain options if their opposite one has been chosen.
The CAS traits have a significant impact on the skill gain values of horses and their performance in certain actions. For example, some traits may make horses perform better or worse during competitions. However, it's not a clear indication of whether a horse will consistently rank high or not, similar to their skill levels. Some traits on the other hand affect their overall mood or reactions towards other Sims.
|
Trait |
In-game Description |
|
Aggressive |
These Horses are cranky! They act meaner towards other Sims and are more difficult to train. |
|
Brave |
These Horses tend to be stout of heart, unfazed by bad weather or danger. They also have a higher chance of succeeding when using Horse Jumps and Barrels. |
|
Defiant |
These Horses tend to be more ornery when it comes to training and will develop skills more slowly. They also have a higher likelihood of failing Horse Jumps and Barrels. |
|
Energetic |
These Horses are full of energy! They gain athletic skills faster but are slower to gain the Temperament Skill. |
|
Fearful |
These Horses are afraid of everything and will often become spooked. Due to their fearful nature, it will take them longer to gain Temperament Skill. |
|
Free Spirit |
These Horses thrive in the open outdoors and will become sad if left inside for too long. |
|
Friendly |
These Horses love all things social! They are more likely to have positive social interactions. |
|
Independent |
These Horses are content on their own and don’t need as much attention. |
|
Intelligent |
These Horses are all-around rapid learners, giving them an increased gain of all skills. As an added bonus, they’re also brilliant conversationalists! |
|
Mellow |
These Horses prefer relaxing over everything else! Because of their laid-back nature, they are quick to gain the Temperament Skill and slow to gain athletic skills. |
|
Needy |
These Horses need social interaction often. They will frequently approach Sims in the hopes of getting their attention. |
All Reward Traits
As opposed to CAS traits, the reward traits are given to horses upon certain milestones. Typically, these are related to winning competitions or maximizing certain skills.
|
Trait |
In-game Description |
How to Get |
|
Champion Horse |
A champion through and through! This Horse’s Foals will gain skills and that fighting spirit faster and have higher value. |
Rank on any Master Level competition. (Bronze, Silver or Gold) - Ultimate Championship is not required. |
|
Well-Mannered Foal |
{Horse Name} got a good head start on Temperament skill as a foal, s/he is primed to learn more skills. |
Foals with high enough Temperament skill will obtain this upon becoming an adult horse. (It doesn't require to be maxed.) |
In addition to the two reward traits mentioned earlier, horses can also earn awards for each competition, and these awards have an effect on the horse's value. When a horse wins an award in a competition, it moves to a higher bracket in that competition category, and this also increases the horse's value. Higher-tier medals, such as gold, will also increase the horse's value more compared to lower-tier medals like bronze.
All Breedable Traits
On top of CAS and reward traits, there are also traits that only horses that are bred in the game can acquire:
|
Trait |
In-Game Description |
How to Get |
|
Champion Genes |
Horses with Champion Genes have winner’s blood coursing through their veins! As a result, these Horses will gain skills faster and hold a higher Simoleon value than the average horse. |
At least one of the parents must have Champion Horse trait before breeding. |
|
Curious |
These Horses are naturally more curious and enjoy exploring objects and using Horse Jumps and Barrels |
Random |
|
Hardy |
These horses are born to run! They can train for long periods of time without getting fatigued and work up a horse-sized appetite. |
Random |
|
Playful |
These Horses love playing with toys and other Sims! |
Random |
What is most significant with breedable traits is that all bred foals will acquire either curious, hardy, or playful upon being born. They cannot get more than one of these traits, and which one they acquire is entirely random and not dependent on the parent horses. These traits typically affect the horse's personality and give slight advantages in performing certain actions.
On the other hand, the Champion Genes trait is related to the horse's lineage and can have a significant impact on the horse's abilities and value. Horses with Champion Genes not only learn all skills faster but are also valued higher than normal, making them excellent choices for players intending to make money through horses.
The Sims 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.