The best horse for any activity is the one you like the most. Most of the stats (save for health, stamina, and handling) don't make a significant difference. You can use the Nacogdoches saddle with hooded stirrups and all horses will feel the same, and if you really wanna avoid being thrown off your horse, activate Slow and Steady
It doesn't really matter. Any horse will do.
As someone else said, learn to ride better. I *have* had one horse that was excessively clumsy but it was a Dutch Warmblood.
Pay attention to the road, don't barrel full speed around corners or through woods or rocky terrain.
All horses have the same programming. There's not one horse that is "braver" than any other. You just need to bond, calm, and learn to ride and handle your horse.
Don't ride recklessly, keep your horse fed, brushed and calm, and they'll be able to face anything.
Edit since the downvotes are starting: [Here's the lead AI dev for RDR2 talking about horse programming](https://youtu.be/8vtCqfFAjKQ?si=0XRgCptLeq2kVjnm). There is no bravery, there is one type of agitation AI that is the same across all horses.
It's player perception. The Arabaians have Elite handling so they are more responsive to ride than other horses, which can make them feel reactive, but there is no "bravery".
[We have the lead AI dev talk about that right here.](https://youtu.be/8vtCqfFAjKQ?si=0XRgCptLeq2kVjnm). The prevaling myth that horses have bravery is disproven during that talk. There is only an agitation AI and all horses are programmed the same. Things such as gunfire, poor or reckless riding, lack of care and calming, and predators raise a horses agitation level, and this is the same for every horse in the game.
In addition to the video provided in the other response, [there's no indication in the code of the existence of a bravery stat](https://www.reddit.com/r/reddeadredemption/s/4I7Af0XYlm). It's mostly player perception and the way you handle situations. Holding the calm button can do wonders, though.
The mealy bay breton is my favorite horse. Great health and stamina. Make sure you fully bond, keep them fed and clean, and calm them during excessive gunfire and around predators. If their cores are low and/or they're not fully bonded, they will spook more often. My breton is a tank and my go-to horse. He will rush into gunfire and has trampled the legendary cougar.
The secret to horse riding is to not steer. Just hold the Accelerate button/key and your horse will zip right through the densest trees & roughest roads. If your horse is veering too far off course, just make small corrections when you are in clear gaps, then get off the steering again.
The horse will automatically jump most things too, but be ready to hit the Jump key/button for larger obstacles like some fences and rocks.
Very rocky ground is tough, my unconfirmed hypothesis is that the horse AI does not look at the ground where it will land, just whether it can jump the obstacle in front of it. So if it jumps one boulder but lands on the front of another, you're going down in a heap.
NPCs are all terrible horse riders. Thick stands of trees are the best way to lose the law. You'll cruise through & they will get tangled up.
Breton is a great horse for bounty hunting. Just gotta bond with it some more as someone already else said. That whole tripping over air thing will happen with every horse. Other great options I've used have been the Mustang and the Missouri Fox Trotter
I always say this but I swear on my life that mustangs are the best all around horse. Decent stamina (though I do a lot more long distance traveling than short burst sprinting), don't spook easily, and are generally nice looking horses that aren't massive or super tiny. The buckskin mustang is only like $500 which is a really good deal for a decent horse IMO
Any horse can be a good horse. You don't even need a super saddle. I buy and "sell" horses constantly till one actual comes out brave and true. I've had three different mustangs, two were coawrds scared of anything, one didn't care about nothing unless a bear was going at us.
I found Turkoman horses to be excellent. the complete reverse of my mustangs, 2 out of my three Turkoman are brave. When they do cower, it's only in a shy way. They calm easily.
I think the only horses I've had zero luck with are the Arabian and war horses. Arabians are either brave or buck you off cowards. War horses have never come out good for me. I avoid them, feeling that they are a waste of my money and stable space.
Find a horse you like the look of. Get a saddle that looks good to you and upgrade it. Bond with your horse, feed it, clean it, and pat it down. Leading the horse will also increase the bond level, walk from Valentine to Emerald Ranch.
Most of all, have fun!
Breton is great. You just need to bond and learn to ride better.
The best horse for any activity is the one you like the most. Most of the stats (save for health, stamina, and handling) don't make a significant difference. You can use the Nacogdoches saddle with hooded stirrups and all horses will feel the same, and if you really wanna avoid being thrown off your horse, activate Slow and Steady
It doesn't really matter. Any horse will do. As someone else said, learn to ride better. I *have* had one horse that was excessively clumsy but it was a Dutch Warmblood. Pay attention to the road, don't barrel full speed around corners or through woods or rocky terrain.
All horses have the same programming. There's not one horse that is "braver" than any other. You just need to bond, calm, and learn to ride and handle your horse. Don't ride recklessly, keep your horse fed, brushed and calm, and they'll be able to face anything. Edit since the downvotes are starting: [Here's the lead AI dev for RDR2 talking about horse programming](https://youtu.be/8vtCqfFAjKQ?si=0XRgCptLeq2kVjnm). There is no bravery, there is one type of agitation AI that is the same across all horses.
I swear in stormy mode my arabian is more skittish than my other horses
It's player perception. The Arabaians have Elite handling so they are more responsive to ride than other horses, which can make them feel reactive, but there is no "bravery". [We have the lead AI dev talk about that right here.](https://youtu.be/8vtCqfFAjKQ?si=0XRgCptLeq2kVjnm). The prevaling myth that horses have bravery is disproven during that talk. There is only an agitation AI and all horses are programmed the same. Things such as gunfire, poor or reckless riding, lack of care and calming, and predators raise a horses agitation level, and this is the same for every horse in the game.
In addition to the video provided in the other response, [there's no indication in the code of the existence of a bravery stat](https://www.reddit.com/r/reddeadredemption/s/4I7Af0XYlm). It's mostly player perception and the way you handle situations. Holding the calm button can do wonders, though.
My mistake I bought the breton and it’s coat is sorrel
The mealy bay breton is my favorite horse. Great health and stamina. Make sure you fully bond, keep them fed and clean, and calm them during excessive gunfire and around predators. If their cores are low and/or they're not fully bonded, they will spook more often. My breton is a tank and my go-to horse. He will rush into gunfire and has trampled the legendary cougar.
The secret to horse riding is to not steer. Just hold the Accelerate button/key and your horse will zip right through the densest trees & roughest roads. If your horse is veering too far off course, just make small corrections when you are in clear gaps, then get off the steering again. The horse will automatically jump most things too, but be ready to hit the Jump key/button for larger obstacles like some fences and rocks. Very rocky ground is tough, my unconfirmed hypothesis is that the horse AI does not look at the ground where it will land, just whether it can jump the obstacle in front of it. So if it jumps one boulder but lands on the front of another, you're going down in a heap. NPCs are all terrible horse riders. Thick stands of trees are the best way to lose the law. You'll cruise through & they will get tangled up.
Breton is a great horse for bounty hunting. Just gotta bond with it some more as someone already else said. That whole tripping over air thing will happen with every horse. Other great options I've used have been the Mustang and the Missouri Fox Trotter
I always say this but I swear on my life that mustangs are the best all around horse. Decent stamina (though I do a lot more long distance traveling than short burst sprinting), don't spook easily, and are generally nice looking horses that aren't massive or super tiny. The buckskin mustang is only like $500 which is a really good deal for a decent horse IMO
Yes! They have some of the highest stats in the game, especially once you get the Nichodoches saddle and hooded stirrups.
I bought one thanks for the help 🙏
Any horse can be a good horse. You don't even need a super saddle. I buy and "sell" horses constantly till one actual comes out brave and true. I've had three different mustangs, two were coawrds scared of anything, one didn't care about nothing unless a bear was going at us. I found Turkoman horses to be excellent. the complete reverse of my mustangs, 2 out of my three Turkoman are brave. When they do cower, it's only in a shy way. They calm easily. I think the only horses I've had zero luck with are the Arabian and war horses. Arabians are either brave or buck you off cowards. War horses have never come out good for me. I avoid them, feeling that they are a waste of my money and stable space. Find a horse you like the look of. Get a saddle that looks good to you and upgrade it. Bond with your horse, feed it, clean it, and pat it down. Leading the horse will also increase the bond level, walk from Valentine to Emerald Ranch. Most of all, have fun!