13 Best Saddles in Red Dead Redemption 2

Your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is your primary way of getting around the massive open world, so you’ll want to improve your steed whenever you can by using the best Saddles to improve its stats. Horses transport you across the environment and allow you to participate in intense chases against other mounted enemies.

Having a better Saddle than someone else may help you win future gunfights on horseback. A Saddle improves your horse’s Stamina and Stamina Regeneration while decreasing the rate at which your steed’s Health core drains. The Tack of your Horse refers to the other upgrades or changes you can apply to the mount, including Saddles, saddlebags, stirrups, and more.

Saddles are divided into purchased and pre-purchased types, with the former being the only kind you can improve. Choose the best Saddle for your circumstances, depending on your priorities and budget.

16

Gerden Trail Saddle

A Good Value For The Price

The Gerden Trail Saddle might not be as good as the rest of the options on this list, but it has its benefits. First and most importantly, it’s relatively affordable for the stat boosts it provides, making it one of the best early-game options for players. The Saddle is available to purchase for just $48.00 from vendors, only a few dollars more than similar Saddles.

Despite the relatively low price, the Gerden Trail Saddle provides the highest stats of the basic Saddles. Once you unlock the stables, you can purchase the improved version of this Saddle, which has the best core stamina drain reduction.

15

Nuevo Paraiso Saddle

Gain A Special Saddle Right Away

The Nuevo Paraiso Saddle is one you get from purchasing the Special or Ultimate edition of Red Dead Redemption 2. This Saddle is given to you from the start of the game, giving you a great piece of equipment to use early in your adventure. You don’t need to spend any money or gather rare resources to craft Nuevo Paraiso, so it can be a fantastic item to use before you get a stronger saddle.

Nuevo Paraiso is far better than some of the other Saddles you can get early, allowing you to save money on other important gear. While upgrading Saddles later on will get you better ones in the future, you can save up for those improvements ahead of time by using Nuevo Paraiso as a placeholder.

Like other pre-purchased Saddles, you will have to get it from the Trapper NPC first before you can start using it. Having a swifter mount can help you outpace enemies who pursue you on horseback or get to locations faster.

All the pre-purchased Saddles give you -50% Stamina drain as part of their passive bonuses. The only exception is the Nuevo Paraiso Saddle, which you can only get by buying the Special or Deluxe version of the game.

14

Kneller Mother Hubbard Saddle (Improved)

The Improved Version Of The Stock Option

This saddle is a huge improvement from the basic version of the Kneller Mother Hubbard Saddle, which only provides a 4% stamina drain reduction and regen, and 6% reduced HP drain. The improved version is available to purchase once stables are unlocked in Chapter 2, and this is a good saddle to start with.

The improved Kneller Mother Hubbard Saddle is a good place to start since it provides nearly the same stat boosts as the improved Lumley Ranch Cutter, but for $10 less. Combine this saddle with some good stirrups, and you’ll have a winning and affordable option on your hands.

13

Lumley McClelland Saddle (Improved)

Choose A Saddle Based On Style

The Lumley McClelland Saddle is a balanced option for Red Dead Redemption 2 players, with stamina drain reduced by 12%, HP drain reduced by 14, and stamina regen improved by 14%. The stats and price are identical to the other Lumley brand saddle, making this a question of choice.

Which improved saddle you choose depends on which one you like the look of better. While the Ranch Cutter saddle is a bright yellow, the McClelland offers a more subdued and classic brown.

Although the Lumley McClelland saddle is a solid option for Arthur’s horse, it’s not the best saddle in the game. However, the stat improvements it provides are worth the $75 price tag.

12

Lumley Ranch Cutter Saddle (Improved)

Stay Alive For Longer While On Horseback

One of the best early-game Saddles to improve is the Lumley Ranch Cutter, which boasts slightly better HP Drain and Stamina Regen than other horseback equipment. This Saddle is great for those struggling to survive firefights while on their steed.

Since you can get this Saddle earlier in Red Dead Redemption 2, it’s something worth investing in to prepare for missions where you need to be mounted while shooting.

Speed is not as much of a focus with the Lumley Ranch Cutter Saddle, as it tends to favor a more reckless playstyle. This Saddle can be great when you’re about to rob a train, or go up against a Gang Hideout in Red Dead Redemption 2, where many of your enemies have horses of their own.

Since early-game gear can offer only limited protection, this Saddle can at least make you last longer in fights when you get overwhelmed. Note that not every Saddle can improve your horse’s speed to travel across Red Dead Redemption 2‘s large world map. If you want customization options that consistently make your horse faster, look into what Stirrups you can get.

11

Kneller Dakota Saddle (Improved)

Focus On Light Stamina Recovery For A Cheap Cost

Another strong purchased Saddle is the Kneller Dakota, which focuses on Stamina preservation more than HP protection. Notably, this is one of the cheapest Saddles to improve when compared to the other ones you can purchase in Red Dead Redemption 2.

As a result, it can be a great one to get before the early-game part ends as you transition to more challenging areas during the game’s story. This Saddle is better for exploration and escaping fights rather than combat with various enemies.

The Core HP Drain on this Saddle is low, so don’t expect to survive longer while using this piece of equipment if you get into a shootout. However, if you need to get from one place to another fast, this Saddle can be a good tool to cut down on travel time as you try to reach new areas.

Most Saddles work best when complementing a particular horse you’ve tamed. For example, the Kneller Dakota Saddle can be used with a horse with high Stamina to synergize with the item’s best stat effects.

10

Gerden Vaquero Saddle (Improved)

Have Your Horse’s Stamina Recover Fast

The Gerden Vaquero Saddle is one of the many pieces of equipment for your horse that you can buy from different vendors throughout the game. From the stock of certain salespeople, you can purchase this item for $51.00, but you can improve it later to make its bonuses stronger.

This Saddle prioritizes Stamina Regeneration, allowing your horse to recover faster as you gallop around the map’s various landscapes. Since this Saddle is a purchased gear piece for your steed, you can add other customizations like Stirrups.

While Bedrolls, Horns, and Blankets are purely cosmetic changes to your horse’s appearance, Stirrups to improve your mount’s speed cannot be added alongside every Saddle. No matter which of the horse types in Red Dead Redemption 2 you’re using, every gear part you add can make it better.

9

Stenger Roping Saddle (Improved)

Prevent Your Horse From Dying

Another upgraded equipment gear piece is the Stenger Roping Saddle for those looking to enhance their steed’s health. Originally costing $47, this item helps keep your horse alive from enemy gunshots or the claws of dangerous animals you encounter on your travels.

Like Arthur, horses use an HP Core that drains when the creature is attacked, leading to the animal’s death when it reaches 0. Unlike the main character, horses do not get to respawn when they die, so there’s always a risk of losing your favorite mount during combat.

Saddles do not increase a horse’s max health but rather improve its defenses to reduce the total damage it takes from enemy attacks. The extra benefits to Stamina from this Saddle make it far stronger than other horse equipment in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Several missions require you to get into combat while riding your horse throughout Red Dead Redemption 2‘s story. Try to anticipate when these missions happen to switch out your Saddle for one with higher Core HP Drain so you can survive a firefight longer.

8

Gerden Trail Saddle (Improved)

Enhance All Stamina Stats

The Gerden Trail Saddle acts as a foil to the Stenger Roping Saddle, trading Core HP Drain for a better Core Stamina Drain instead. At the end of the day, the main purpose of a horse is to get you from Point A to Point B quickly as you explore the open world.

When horses have improved Stamina and better Stamina Recovery, they can always get you wherever you want to go much faster than you’d expect. This Saddle is an upgraded version of the stock Gerden Trail Saddle, which costs $48.00 to purchase from vendors in the game.

It’s perhaps the best among the standard Saddles in Red Dead Redemption 2 since it focuses on improving your horse’s most important qualities. Unfortunately, it does not enhance the speed of your mount, unlike the special pre-purchased Saddles you can obtain.

7

Boar Mother Hubbard Saddle

Collect Animal Parts To Craft A Powerful Saddle

Pre-purchased Saddles like the Boar Mother Hubbard Saddle improve your horse’s Speed and Acceleration Rate stats on top of the normal buffs of the equipment. If you’re looking for the fastest horse in Red Dead Redemption 2, you should consider using these types of Saddles to boost your mount’s agility.

This type of Saddle, and others like it, can only be acquired by using the right crafting materials with the NPC Trapper. You have to collect resources to make pre-purchased Saddles, usually from the Perfect Pelts of animals. You only need to bring back the required material to Trapper once you have it to get the Saddle for free.