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How to get a free horse in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

How to buy and steal a horse, or get Pebbles and Herring for free in KCD2

A fancy white horse, clad in saddle and armour, stands in Trosky Castle in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

Want to know how to get a horse for free in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? It's a real mercy that you can get a horse for free in KCD2 without too much trouble, because it's incredible what a difference it makes while travelling the world. Not to mention most horses will cost you well over a thousand Groschen, and it'll be some time before you're quite that rich.

In this guide, we'll walk you through how to get a free horse in KCD2. If that wasn't enough, we'll explain how to get not just one but two free horses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: your original horse Pebbles, and an even better horse called Herring. We'll also go over how to buy a new horse, as well as how to steal another's horse and permanently make it yours.

In this guide:

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How to get a free horse in KCD2

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to get a horse in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Either you buy a horse, or you steal a horse. There is, however, a third option which allows you to gain a horse for free without pissing anyone off.

To get a horse for free, speak to Groom Ballatay in Semine. To find him, head southwest from the starting town of Troskowitz until you reach Semine Castle. There, head into the castle and through to the other side, where you'll find Groom Ballatay and his stable of horses.

If you take a look at the various horses near Ballatay, Henry will remark on one of them, an old grey mare. Turns out, it's Pebbles, Henry's previous horse! Head back to Ballatay and you'll be able to try convincing him to give you back Pebbles for free.

Part of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 map with the Semine Stables marked.
The player in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 speaks with Groom Ballatay and attempts to convince him to give Henry the horse Pebbles for free.
Use that marvellous Speech of yours to get your old horse off Groom Ballatay for free - or if that fails, buy it from him. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

You can either use Speech or Domination on Groom Ballatay to convince him to give you back Pebbles. If you fail, then you'll need to purchase Pebbles from him for around 160 Groschen - still far cheaper than any other horse in the game that you can purchase.

Note: You can also follow "The Jaunt" quest and hear about a "cheap" horse being sold by Groom Ballatay. Then, when you speak to him, Henry puts two and two together and realises it's Pebbles.

The downside is that Pebbles isn't all that impressive. All horses have four stats: Stamina, Capacity, Speed, and Courage. You can walk up to most horses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and tap X to inspect them and see their stats - and you'll likely find that most horses you come across will have better stats across the board than poor old Pebbles.

Henry rides his horse, Pebbles, through a field in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Poor, poor Pebbles. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

Nonetheless, obtaining Pebbles from the Semine stable is by far the easiest way to get your own permanent horse in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, so make it a priority to head to Semine early on in your game!


How to get an even better horse (also for free!)

Not too much further into the game (depending on how sidetracked you get), you're given the opportunity to get another horse for free in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. This horse is called Herring, and its stats are a decent bit better than Pebbles.

To get Herring, all you need to do is progress through the main story until just after the sixth main quest, "For Whom The Bell Tolls". Once you speak with Lord von Bergow, you'll be told to go see Hired Hand Kabat outside the castle interior.

The player in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 inspects a horse's stats.
Herring is a considerably better horse than Pebbles. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

Visit Kabat, and he'll show you the new horse, Herring, and tell you he's been told to give you this horse entirely for free if you choose. Just remember that if you do choose to keep Herring, then Pebbles will disappear and later return at the Semine stables. So if you're attached to Pebbles, don't take this new horse. Then again, Herring has the better stats. So you be the judge!


How to buy a new horse in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

If you want to buy a brand new horse, you can do so by visiting any horse trader in Trosky or Kuttenberg. Speak to them and they'll give you a list of their horses that are for sale. You can also walk around the stable and inspect the horses in question, so that you know their stats ahead of time.

Most horses in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 can be purchased for between 500 and 1500 Groschen, depending on their stats and your haggling skills. A good horse is a big investment early on, but it's well worth it. Your horse will be your constant companion throughout the game, and will help dramatically cut down on travel time (even for players who take advantage of Fast Travel).

The player in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 inspects a horse's stats.
Make sure you consider each horse's stats. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

You can only own one horse at a time, so if you want to purchase a new horse, you'll have to give up the old one. Fortunately, traders will allow you to do a swap where they take your old horse and deduct its price from the cost of the new horse.

Of course, if it's Pebbles you're selling, then don't expect much of a discount. Poor, poor Pebbles.


How to steal a horse in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

If you're not averse to some bold thievery, then you can also steal any horse you come across. To steal a horse, all you need to do is walk up to it and hold X to attempt to steal it.

However, things aren't quite that simple. Henry will get on top of the horse, but the horse will initially be extremely skittish, and the slightest movement will cause it to buck you off, stunning you as you hit the ground. It's also more or less impossible to stealthily steal a horse, so the owner and anyone nearby will be alerted and attempt to stop you.

The player in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 approaches a horse at night and prepares to steal it.
Horses are very valuable, so don't expect a stolen horse's former owner to forgive you easily. | Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Deep Silver

The ideal way to steal a horse is to create a situation where you're not in immediate danger. If, for example, you see a group of bandits with a horse, you can kill the bandits first, and then you're free to take your time with the horse.

When you first get onto the stolen horse, be very gentle with your movements. The moment the horse makes any noise or tosses its head, stop moving, and praise it to calm its nerves. Repeat this process several times, and eventually the horse should get used to you, and allow you to ride it just like any owned horse.

How to make a stolen horse permanently yours

Stolen horses can be ridden, but they can't be called, so if you move far enough away from them then they'll disappear or be stolen back. Fortunately, in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 there's a way to make a stolen horse permanently yours. For more information, consult our guide on how to sell or acquire stolen horses in KCD2.

That's a wrap on our guide on how to get a horse in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. If you need more help with your adventures in Bohemia, head to our pages on how to get money fast in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and our main quests list. We've also got KCD2 guides on lockpicking and how to pick hard locks, as well as a primer on how to unlock perks.

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