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Your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is your main way of traveling across the vast open world. It’s important to upgrade your horse whenever possible by choosing the best Saddles to boost its stats. Horses not only help you move around but also let you engage in fast-paced chases and fights against other mounted enemies.
Having a better saddle than your opponents can give you an advantage in gunfights while riding. A saddle increases your horse’s stamina and how quickly it recovers, and it also helps keep your horse’s health from draining too fast. The tack of your horse includes various upgrades such as saddles, saddlebags, stirrups, and more.
There are two types of Saddles: those you can buy and those that come pre-purchased. Only the bought Saddles can be upgraded. Pick the right saddle based on your goals and how much money you want to spend.
### Gerden Trail Saddle
This saddle isn’t the most powerful on the list, but it offers good value. It’s affordable at $48 and provides notable boosts, making it a solid early-game choice. The Gerden Trail Saddle reduces stamina drain by 10%, HP drain by 4%, and improves stamina regeneration by 8%. Once you unlock stables, you can buy an upgraded version that offers the best core stamina drain reduction.
### Nuevo Paraiso Saddle
This saddle is given to you if you buy the Special or Ultimate Edition of the game. It’s available from the start, so you don’t need to craft or spend extra money to get it. The Nuevo Paraiso Saddle reduces stamina drain by 12%, HP drain by 12%, and increases stamina regeneration by 12%. It also boosts your horse’s speed and acceleration slightly (+1). While not the top-tier, it’s a good placeholder early in your adventure and helps save money for other gear. To get it, you need to purchase it from the Trapper NPC, available after certain points in the game.
### Kneller Mother Hubbard Saddle (Improved)
This upgraded saddle is a significant step up from the basic version, with almost double the stamina and health benefits. It’s available after unlocking stables in Chapter 2 for about $65. It reduces stamina drain by 12%, HP drain by 14%, and boosts stamina regeneration by 12%. It’s a good starter saddle that balances cost and performance, especially if you want to improve your horse’s survivability early on.
### Lumley McClelland Saddle (Improved)
A balanced choice that offers a solid reduction in stamina and HP drain along with improved stamina recovery. It costs around $75 and is a good option if you like its appearance—either bright yellow or subdued brown. It’s not the highest in stats but offers excellent value and can be combined with good stirrups for better performance.
### Lumley Ranch Cutter Saddle (Improved)
Ideal for survival, this saddle focuses on increasing stamina drain reduction and stamina regeneration, helping your horse last longer in fights or while traveling. It costs about $48, making it one of the best in terms of stamina improvements without breaking the bank. This saddle is great for moving quickly through the world and surviving rough encounters, especially before you find more advanced equipment.
### Kneller Dakota Saddle (Improved)
This saddle emphasizes stamina conservation and is one of the cheapest upgrades, priced at around $51. It reduces stamina drain by 16%, HP drain by 12%, and increases stamina regeneration by 14%. It’s perfect for exploration and quick travel, especially on horses with high stamina. However, it isn’t best for long firefights since it doesn’t boost health or speed directly.
### Gerden Vaquero Saddle (Improved)
Focused on stamina recovery, this saddle lets your horse regain stamina faster, which is useful for long rides or repeated sprints. It can be bought for $85 but can be upgraded later for better bonuses. It’s not designed to increase speed but excels in stamina management.
### Stenger Roping Saddle (Improved)
This saddle is designed to help keep your horse alive in dangerous situations. It reduces HP drain by 18% and stamina drain by 12%, at a cost of about $78. It’s particularly useful for missions involving frequent combat, as it helps your horse withstand enemy attacks longer. Remember, Saddles don’t increase the horse’s maximum health but reduce the damage taken.
### Gerden Trail Saddle (Enhanced)
The upgraded version of the Gerden Trail Saddle offers better stamina drain reduction and stamina recovery rates, making your horse faster and more enduring. It’s a great all-round choice, focusing on stamina stats to help you explore and outrun enemies. It costs around $80 and is one of the top standard Saddles for stamina and durability.
### Boar Mother Hubbard Saddle
This saddle is crafted using animal parts like perfect pelts and offers high stats, especially in speed and agility. It increases speed and acceleration by 2 points but also reduces stamina drain by 20% and HP drain by 22%. You need to collect specific animal parts to craft it at the-trapper, making it a more advanced option for players seeking the fastest and most agile horse.
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Choosing the right saddle depends on your playstyle and what you need most—whether it’s stamina, survival, speed, or a mix of all. Upgrading and customizing your horse’s gear can make a significant difference in how effectively you explore and survive in the wilderness.
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