Riding horses can be really great and relaxing as there’s nothing better than watching a beautiful horse ride off into the sunset at dawn. Although not everyone may own a ranch or a farm with plenty of stables, you can definitely enjoy riding horses in video games from the comfort of your home without breaking a sweat. We have compiled a list of the best 15 horse games that you can play right now so grab your saddle and get ready to ride.
This article will tell you about the 15 best horse riding games that you should play right now.
15 Best Horse Games To Play Right Now
1. Sims 3 Pets
While the traditional Sims series of games are popular for their human simulation, not many people are aware of the Pets expansion for Sims 3 that was released back in 2011.
This expansion allows players to become owners of various animals including cats, dogs and horses. You can have upto 7 horses on your ranch where you can train, breed and compete them with each other.
Just like the human characters, these animals have their own personality traits that you can define yourself and you can fully guide them allowing you to choose where the horse goes. Just make sure that you fulfil all of their needs to maintain a good mood and each type of pet has its own special need.
While Sims 3 is far from an equestrian simulator, you can take part in horse races and the game provides plenty of opportunities for interaction between people and animals. Here you can groom and cherish your horses as they become your faithful friend in return.
2. Secret of the Magic Crystals.
In Secrets of the Magic crystals, you will be given the objective of controlling a horse breeding farm where you need to take care of the horses and watch over them. These horses require constant care and need to follow a strict schedule of activities and rest.
You can customize your horses, buy new items for them, heal them when they are sick and partake in various missions. Just like other horse games, you can train these horses so they can participate in races.
However, the horses here are unusual as they come from a fantasy world where you can become the owner of a winged Pegasus, a beautiful Unicorn, an ice horse or a fiery one as the possibilities are endless.
3. Starters Orders 6 Horse Racing
Starters Orders 6 is an in-depth horse racing management game that you will enjoy if you have always dreamed of making the Race Director your second home.
Here you will have your own stable and horses that you can breed to race against the competition. You can bet your money on horses that you can later spend toward developing the stable, purchasing new horses, training them and caring for them. The tooltips can help you get started if you are playing a horse race management game for the first time
4. My Riding Stables: Life with Horses
This game allows you to not only participate and race with horses but also create your own horse farm from scratch. You can sell your horses, feed them, regularly groom and massage them, and breed new ones by crossing available ones to get your ranch up and running.
All aspects of horse maintenance are carefully worked out in detail with very realistic and without proper care, horses can get sick and galloping endlessly is impossible as animals get tired.
The graphics here are decent enough for a game that needs only 1 GB of RAM and the controls are relatively simple for such a detailed game.
5. Ostwind/Windstorm
Ostwind/ Windstorm is based on the famous film called Eastwind and includes not only the characters of the movie but also the soundtrack which fits the atmosphere perfectly.
You play as Mika, a 14-year-old girl who is able to tame a wild stallion and become his true friend. To increase your friendship with the horse, you will need to put in a lot of effort by regularly taking care of him, developing new skills and exploring the open world.
Apart from an engaging storyline, the graphics are really good and the landscapes are colourful and varied making it a perfect game for horse lovers.
6. Wildlife Park 2-Horses
Wildlife Park 2 is a zoo simulator which features horses along with other animals that you would normally find in a zoo. The Horses addon of the game focuses on horses and everything related to it.
You need to maintain and take care of the horses as it is a farm management game and you can also participate in missions related to them. There are 16 different breeds of horses with 8 service buildings and 3 fences that are added for horses in this addon.
If you want to put yourself in the shoes of a professional horse breeder and look after them then Wildlife Park 2 Horses might be perfect for you.
7. Riding Star-Horse Championship
This is a detailed and realistic equestrian sports simulator where you need to ride your horse through various sports events across different stadiums.
There are plenty of modes available such as jumping, dressage and cross country with the four-time olympian Ledger Barbuam working as the narrator in the background.
While the game doesn’t offer any fancy customization options for your horse, it does provide decent visuals and horse physics to immerse yourself in.
8. Rival Stars Horse Racing
In Rival Stars Horse Racing, you will need to manage your own ranch and restore your family’s racing honour by training future champions using your horse farm.
You can place bets on horses and use that money to hire new staff and upgrade your ranch. The graphics are visually stunning and there is a story mode as well as multiplayer mode so you can enjoy the game with your friends.
There is a perfect balance between racing and farm management so you won’t get bored. Each horse is unique with its own stats, colour, performance and pedigree. You can breed them in the stable using the genetic inheritance system and you can hire grooms to take care of your foal.
9. Red Dead Redemption 2
It is a game that needs no introduction and horses are a big part of this game as you can immerse yourself for hours riding into the beautiful farms and large mountains as the sunsets dawn in the sky.
As an outlaw, it’s important for you to take good care of your horse as it needs to be fast and quick for escaping from the hands of the law. There are a total of 19 horse species which are highly detailed and realistic with proper physics, anatomy, behaviour as well as a personality. Gaining the trust of your horse is key as it will allow you to improve his skills as and unlock new abilities.
While it’s not a horse-centred game, horses are essential for travelling through the open world and for escaping your enemies on the run. You can maintain your horse by visiting a stable where you can upgrade the stats, change colour or buy new objects to make him look cooler.
The western action game features an impressive open world centring around a gang of outlaws involved in robberies, crimes and other minor demeanours with beautiful graphics that you can enjoy for hours.
10. Horse Club Adventures
It is a colourful casual open-world title made developed for a younger female audience. The game offers a relaxing story that follows a young girl with a horse living on a lakeside farm.
You can train your horse and enter several horse racing competitions as you meet new characters to discover new secrets. The main focus of the game is horse racing and the controls are simple and easy so you don’t have to worry too much about them.
You will need to collect outfits, decorations and cosmetics for the main character as well as accessories for the horse as you go through each race. There are 90 racetracks along with numerous mini-games and quests that will keep you busy for hours.
11. Ranch Simulator
A ranch simulator is a realistic simulator where you play as a Rancher and do everything from building a cosy house or a farm to caring for your livestock.
Unlike other farm games, you control the character from a first-person perspective and there is an open world that you can explore. You can train horses to use them as a vehicle with each horse having its own characteristics and you can improve them on the training ground.
Currently, in early access, you expect more horses, breeds and activities as the game comes closer to its actual release date.
12. Starters Orders Classic Horse Racing
Starters Orders Classic Horse racing offers the old school 2D graphics mixed with the newer racing simulation system copied from the 7th version making it accessible to those having a potato PC.
While the graphics might look outdated to some, the gameplay certainly isn’t as it offers the same elements from newer games in the series. You can train horses, breed them and expand your stable by showcasing your management skills.
13. Ultimate Chicken Horse
This is more fun and interesting cartoon-styled platformer where you need to complete a race by playing as one of the animals including a horse.
It is certainly unique and different from other games on the list as it doesn’t have the most realistic graphics or offer serious gameplay but instead a more fun, relaxed and humorous take where one of the characters is a horse.
You can set traps, jump off the walls or make your way from one platform to another as you try to complete the level. The game offers you a chance to take part in dynamic races or create your own levels that you can share with your friends.
14. Horse Riding Deluxe
Horse Riding Deluxe is an open-world adventure game focused on the taming and controlling of horses. You can acquire stables to take care of the horses as well as train them.
The game also allows you to explore the open world where you can help the locals or find new horses in the wild to tame. As always, there are races that you can partake in with your horse and the graphics are really great making it appealing to those who just want to spend their time riding on a horse.
15. Snow Horse
Just like the name suggests, Snow Horse is a humorous casual game that features a horse standing on a snowboard performing new tricks to earn points.
Players can control the horse on a snowboard to perform spectacular stunts such as jumping from trampolines and high-altitude surfaces with over 1000 tricks waiting for you. After you successfully complete a stunt, you will receive caps that you can equip to your horse
That’s it, these are all the horses that are well worth your time if you love horses!
