Horses in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered may not be as realistic as those in Red Dead Redemption 2, but even if this does no favors to immersion, it can often make them much more fun to use in-game. While it might seem unfair to compare the two, some of the most interesting differences between them make both stand out. Revisiting Oblivion in 2025 via Oblivion Remastered makes the contrast even more striking, as the classic Elder Scrolls approach now feels like the product of a totally different time.

There's an extensive variety of reasons for these differences, including the style of the games, the nature of their stories, and the purpose of the horse. When it comes to fun factor, though, Oblivion Remastered beats RDR2 horses in several major ways. Once you see the differences between the two, you can't unsee them.

5 Oblivion Remastered's Horses Are Great For Travel

The Horses Have Different Purposes

The purpose of a horse in Oblivion Remastered is to allow for faster travel across Cyrodiil. You're able to master steep terrain and outrun various enemies throughout the game. You can also use them to avoid running out of stamina, allowing you to be ready to fight if need be. Overall, the functionality of horses in Oblivion Remastered is almost solely for traveling purposes. They're not exactly useful in battle, though, as you'll have to dismount to properly engage enemies.

However, you can upgrade your horse to one with a faster speed, with the fastest ones being the Black Horse and Shadowmere. Shadowmere is a highly sought-after horse that's actually capable of fighting back when attacked, making it a truly special mount. Being the best horse in the game is a tough job, but someone's got to do it, and Shadowmere was born for the title. She has no encumbrance, so you can load her up to the brim with materials and weapons. To give and take from her inventory, you must first knock her out.

In RDR2, the horses serve multiple purposes, such as carrying equipment, allowing you to travel at a faster pace, and attacking enemies on horseback. This is the same in Oblivion Remastered, as different horses have different stats, and their prices can appropriately vary. However, every Oblivion Remastered horse will be great at crossing terrain, which isn't as true of the 19 breeds of horses with unique stats associated with RDR2.

4 Oblivion Remastered's Less Realistic Looks Can Be Charming

Two Different Art Styles To Compare

RDR2's approach to the horses is more realistic. The horses are portrayed with realistic textures and movements. They tried to stay as true as they could to represent an actual horse. This, of course, does help with the immersion of the game to make it feel like you own a legit horse, and it can seem like a fairly obvious perk to the game.

On the other hand, playing a video game is a great opportunity to get lost in a world that isn't reality, and Oblivion Remastered is the perfect game for this prerogative. Its horses have generally realistic appearances, but they still have some level of cartoon charm, and the infamous horse armor can provide a lot more personality than a standard saddle.

Realism was prioritized over imaginative fun when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2. While the level of realistic detail that was put into the horses is impressive, overall, they don't leave much room for the expression of creativity. Neither option is objectively the superior one here, as it all comes down to personal taste, but it's easy to appreciate Oblivion Remastered's take after years of games pushing more and more toward realism.

3 Oblivion Remastered Horses Have Fewer Downsides

One Is Clearly The Winner Here

The behavior of the horses in both games is vastly different as well. In RDR2, the behavior can be unpredictable. If not trained well, the horse may decide to throw you off its back and flee if it feels threatened. Unfortunately, if you've packed the horse up with supplies, both the horse and whatever you stocked it with will have to be chased down. When they're standing around, you can see them snipping at bugs, defecating randomly, and moving their ears to sounds. Stamina is limited, and if you have horses in the water when it runs out, they'll drown.

You can give Red Dead Redemption 2 horses tonics to give them temporary boosts.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have Oblivion Remastered horses. They appear to have unlimited stamina, as they don't seem to get fatigued no matter how hard you push them. They can still take fall damage and damage from enemies, but these can both be frequently avoided with careful play. Although they are slow-moving, you can also travel in the water with them. They can also be poisoned and contract diseases. It can take several days for them to get over a disease, or you can do a Wayshrine Blessing on the horse to remove any ailments.

Another point to make is when it comes to fighting. In Red Dead Redemption 2, horses will not fight with you. Sometimes they will stomp threats, but other than allowing you to ride horseback while lassoing something, they do not participate in the actual fight. In Oblivion Remastered, some horses will fight enemies you go up against. One horse in particular that will help you in a fight is Shadowmere. You can get Shadowmere as a reward from Lucien Lachance after you do the Purification quest in the Dark Brotherhood questline.

She also can not really be killed during combat. If she happens to go down to 0 health while in a fight, she will become unconscious, only to revive later on. To get her to fight by your side, simply dismount her when an enemy engages. She may only deal a little bit of damage, but you can use her as a distraction to gain an advantage over the enemy.

If you lose Shadowmere, or she goes unconscious, she should respawn back at Fort Farrgut.

Using the Wayshrine Blessing will not only permanently give a +110 bonus Fortify Speed but also cure any damage and disease. Unlike the realism aspect of RDR2, you can cast various spells, such as 100-point Fortify Acrobatics, on your horse. This particular spell allows the horse to perform the water jump perk. It will bounce on the water matching the speed it runs at. One thing both games have in common is that the horse may have a tendency to run away during confrontations. If they sense there's danger, you may have to run after them in either game.

2 RDR2 Horses Can Be Harder To Acquire

Is The Cost Worth It?

As mentioned, there are a few different kinds of horses you can get in both RDR2 and Oblivion Remastered. In Oblivion, there are eight horses you can get. Each one of these breeds will have different abilities and varying prices. There are actually numerous horses listed under each category of Bay Horses, Imperial Legion Horses, Black Horses, Chestnut Horses, Paint Horses, and White Horses.

Shadowmere, a very popular horse in the game, falls under the Black Horse category. She has one of the highest speeds, an attack of 20, a speed of up to 38, and 500 health if not armored. It's all about weighing out the pros and cons. While the price for the horses starts at 500 gold, once you're deep enough in a game, you can make that and more by looting a single bandit.

It's also easy to rely on stolen horses in Oblivion Remastered if you're careful to mount and dismount out of sight. If you want to avoid spending any money but are intent on avoiding any legal risks, you can also get one for free from Weynon Priory early in the main quest.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, you also have the option to steal horses. However, the game's more aggressive bounty system creates higher stakes, raising the difficulty of riding around without spending a dime. There are also limitations to stealing a horse and claiming it as your own at the stable. The prices for horses in this game start from under $100 and work their way up. Obviously, out of all 19 horses, some are better than others, but most of them will get the job done. The stats can vary depending on their coat.

1 Oblivion Remastered Has Lower Maintenance Horses

From High-Maintenance To No Maintenance

On the subject of maintaining horses, while playing Red Dead Redemption 2, you'll probably notice how much you have to care for the horses. They're treated as important creatures in the game, and killing one can result in a loss of honor. For your personal horse, the more you feed, groom, and ride it, the stronger your bond will become. This also allows the horse to gain more abilities, which is critical if you wish to progress through the game with it.

If you don't increase a horse's stats in RDR2, it could cause issues when you encounter shootouts or other threats. The horse could buck you off or flee the area. The realism factor circles back here because it is similar to real horses. The more you take care of a horse, the more trust you instill between you and them.

In Oblivion Remastered, you don't have to worry much about your horse. It won't normally run off unless it's actively being chased, and you don't have to worry about feeding it. Unlike RDR2, it is very low maintenance. The last thing you want to think about when going on perilous missions is whether your horse has had enough to eat or if you need to find water for it. You only really have to make sure they don't die from various ailments or get attacked by enemies.

Your relationship with the horse is valued in RDR2, meaning there's more work you have to put in compared to Oblivion Remastered.

They do have a low default personality in the game, making them easy to manage, but it can also contribute to them taking off sometimes during battle. With an intricate game, it's nice to have a portion of it where it's mindless, allowing you to relax and enjoy the game. You can just go about your business while the horse takes care of itself in Oblivion Remastered.