Overview
Horse Racing is a competitive minigame in Crimson Desert where players race on horseback against NPC opponents along set courses through the natural terrain of Pywel. Unlike dedicated racetracks, the courses wind through open-world environments, incorporating hills, turns, and obstacles that demand skilled riding. Horse Racing is one of several side activities available alongside other minigames like the shooting contests, arm wrestling, and Duo.
How Horse Racing Works
Race Format
Horseback races follow set routes through natural terrain. You race against one or more NPC riders along a marked course, with the goal of crossing the finish line first. The courses are not enclosed racetracks but rather paths through forests, plains, and mountain passes, meaning you need to navigate turns and elevation changes while maintaining speed.
Controls
Action | Controller | Keyboard/Mouse |
|---|---|---|
Sprint | Hold A / X | Hold Shift |
Steer | Left Stick | W/A/S/D |
Brake / Slow Down | B / Circle | S / Space |
Stamina Management
The most critical aspect of horse racing is stamina management. Sprinting consumes your horse's stamina bar, and when it runs out, your horse slows to a walk and becomes fatigued. You cannot sprint again until stamina partially regenerates. The key to winning races is balancing full gallop bursts with short recovery periods where you ease off the sprint button and let stamina refill.
Horses recover stamina passively when not sprinting. Certain horse equipment, such as saddles and horseshoes, can improve stamina regeneration rates or increase the total stamina pool, giving you longer sprint windows during races.
Horse Selection
Your choice of mount has a major impact on race performance. Every horse in Crimson Desert has distinct stats for speed, stamina, and handling that affect how well they perform in different race types.
Key Stats for Racing
Stat | Effect on Racing |
|---|---|
Speed | Determines top sprint speed. Higher speed lets you cover more ground during sprint windows. |
Stamina | Determines how long you can sprint before the horse becomes fatigued. Critical for longer races. |
Handling | Affects turning responsiveness. Better handling helps on courses with tight turns. |
Recommended Horses
For racing, prioritize horses with high speed and stamina. Royler, the Legendary White Horse, is widely considered the best racing mount in the game. Royler has the highest stamina of all three legendary horses, allowing you to sprint for longer stretches without fatigue. His speed can be further boosted with the right saddles and horseshoes. Royler is also the earliest legendary horse you can obtain.
How to Get Horses
Horses can be obtained through several methods.
Method | Details |
|---|---|
Find wild horses in the open world and tame them using the taming minigame | |
Stable Purchase | Buy horses from stables in settlements using gold |
Quest Rewards | Certain quests reward you with specific horses upon completion |
Horse Leveling
Horses gain experience and level up the more you ride them. Each level boosts their base stats, including speed, stamina, and defense. Riding your racing horse frequently outside of races, such as during regular exploration and travel, helps build its stats over time. You can also equip horse equipment at stables to further boost performance. Available equipment includes caparisons, horseshoes, saddles, and barding.
Rewards
Winning horse races provides several types of rewards.
Reward Type | Details |
|---|---|
Gold | Monetary reward for each race victory |
Items | Certain races may reward horse equipment or consumables |
Contribution | Some races contribute to faction reputation in the local region |
Tips for Winning Races
Use a horse with high speed and stamina. Royler is the best overall racing mount thanks to his stamina advantage.
Do not hold sprint the entire race. Use short bursts of sprinting on straightaways and ease off during turns to conserve stamina for the final stretch.
Level up your racing horse by riding it regularly during open-world exploration. Higher levels translate to better race performance.
Equip speed-boosting and stamina-boosting horse equipment before entering a race. Saddles and horseshoes can make a significant difference.
Learn the course layout if possible. Knowing where the turns and elevation changes are lets you plan your sprint windows more effectively.
Slow down before sharp turns. Trying to sprint through a tight turn often causes you to overshoot the path, wasting more time than a controlled approach.
Feed your horse before the race to ensure it starts at full stamina. A fatigued horse at the starting line puts you at an immediate disadvantage.