How ‘BOTW’ Horse Colors and Patterns Affect Stats as Link’s Mount in ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’

In most Legend of Zelda games, Link rides Epona as the only horse, like in Twilight Princess. However, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild changes things up when it comes to Link’s mounts, giving them different stats. In BOTW, horse color patterns can actually help players decide which mount works best for their play style, as some subtly let them know their stats and temperaments.

‘BOTW’ horses with spotted colors tend to have lower stats and a Gentle Temperament

After Link completes the Great Plateau and sets off to defeat Calamity Ganon and rescue Princess Zelda, players can obtain a horse. However, with only one Stamina Wheel, certain horses prove more difficult to soothe and tame.

Early in BOTW, horse color patterns can help you find an easy beginner mount. Spotted horses have lower stats, but they do not need Link to soothe or tame them before he can register the mount at a stable.

YouTuber Croton did a deep dive into the hidden stats BOTW horses have and how colors and patterns can help players determine the stats before registering them.

“Gentle horses … come in spotted varieties, solid light brown, and solid pink,” Croton notes.

‘BOTW’ horses with solid colors have higher stats but are harder to tame with a Wild Temperament

If Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild players want better horses as they rush to rescue Mipha, Daruk, Revali, Urbosa, and Princess Zelda, they need to put in a little more work.

In BOTW, horses with solid colors (minus light brown and pink) tend to have higher stats than spotted ones. However, they also have a Wild Temperament. This requires Link to soothe the horse as it tries to buck him off.

While it seems like soothing a horse takes a lot of stamina, it actually depends on how quickly you press the L-trigger 15 times. However, some BOTW horses with a solid color coat require up to 25 button presses.

However, you might want to know about specific stats. Knowing what the stats determine can help you narrow down exactly what kind of horse you want for your play style.

Or you can hunt for the best horse in BOTW to add to your Twilight Bow, one of the best bows in Breath of the Wild.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ Strength, Speed, and Stamina stats explained

Every BOTW horse, regardless of color or pattern, has three stats ranked given between one and five stars. The Strength stat tells you how much health it has, Speed tells you, well, the horse’s speed, and stamina tells you how many times Link can spur the horse to go faster before it tires.

According to Croton, Gentle Horses with one star Strength has 100 HP, two stars equal 150 HP, and three stars give the horse 160 HP. However, for Wild Horses, one star gives the horse 80 HP, two give 110 HP, four give 240 HP, and five give 300 HP.

The Speed stat has a lot more math behind it, and Croton breaks it down in incredible detail around the 4:50 mark.

Finally, the Stamina stat quickly tells players how many times Link can spur a horse to ride faster.

Cracking how BOTW horses, colors, and patterns play into stats takes some work. However, you can grab yourself the best horse for your play style with this info.

Hopefully, Nintendo does not overhaul the horse stat system in Breath of the Wild 2.