How to Ride Horses in Skyrim

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While it is a novel activity and a great way to learn about the world of Skyrim, constantly having to run around on the plains and over the mountain gets pretty old after the first few hours. Horses are the solution to speeding up a tedious process.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Acquiring a Horse

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    Buying a horse requires a considerable amount of coin, at least at the beginning of the game. If you have been increasing your Speech skill, it may not be as expensive, but it is still going to cost you.
    • You can buy horses in stables outside all major cities.
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    Stealing a horse can be easier, depending on when and where you do it. If you steal a horse out in the wilds, the people you steal from will have a much harder time tracking you down than if you do it near a city.
    • To steal a horse, just mount any horse you find.
    • Stormcloak camps often have horses. Just start galloping away to escape!
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    Some stable owners will allow you to borrow horses once you befriend them. Try the following stables:
    • Riften stables—you can borrow a horse by winning a brawl with Hofgrir, or by erasing Shadr’s debt with Sapphire.
    • Katla’s Farm in Solitude. If you help Katla harvest her crops, she’ll allow you to borrow a horse.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Riding a Horse

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    Walk up to the horse. Interact with it and you will climb up on its back.
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    Move the horse the same way you would if you were walking. The directional buttons and putting on speed are the same for a horse as they are for your character
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    Unsheathe your weapon if you want to fight on horseback. You cannot use magic when you are riding a horse. You can choose which side to come at your enemy and then strike accordingly.
    • You can also make your horse rear up on its back legs.
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    To do this, use the interact button (the same one used to mount the horse).
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      Tips

      • Going through the Dark Brotherhood's main questline will grant you a special horse, Shadowmere, for free. Shadowmere has a much higher health bar and attacks more often, making him a good choice.
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      • Due to Skyrim's well-known physics oddities, riding a horse will allow you at times to scale mountains that you would normally not have been able to. Walking diagonally up or down works well with horses and reduces the chance of you falling off the mountain.
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      • For new areas, you should spend some time off your horse, seeing what ingredients you can pick up and work on leveling up your skills. Riding horses does help you cover ground faster than walking (or sneaking), but it also does nothing to help you level up.
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