Can You Keep All the Tamed Horses in Skyrim? A Comprehensive Stable Guide

The windswept plains of Skyrim beckon adventurers, and what better way to traverse them than on horseback? But a burning question often plagues even the most seasoned Dragonborn: Can you amass a stable of trusty steeds, keeping every tamed or purchased horse under your (digital) roof? The somewhat frustrating answer, in short, is no, not exactly. While you can own multiple horses, the game mechanics limit the number that actively “follow” you. Let’s delve into the specifics of horse ownership in Skyrim.

The Mechanics of Skyrim Horse Ownership

The vanilla game system allows you to own multiple horses, whether purchased from stables, acquired through quests (like Frost), or tamed from the wild with the Creation Club addon. However, only one horse is considered your active horse at any given time. This active horse is the one you last rode or fast-traveled with. The others, while still technically owned, will return to the location where they were originally acquired – typically the stable from which they were purchased.

This system has a few key implications:

• Fast Travel: Only your active horse will fast travel with you.
• Active Companion: Only your active horse will physically accompany you on your adventures.
• Location Tracking: While your other horses exist in the game world, you’ll need to return to their original locations to find them.

Essentially, you can collect horses, but you can’t keep them all together in a single, convenient location, ready to ride at a moment’s notice. There are some exceptions and nuances, but that’s the general rule of thumb.

Special Horses and Exceptions

Certain horses have unique behaviors or acquisition methods that impact how they’re “kept”:

• Arvak (Dawnguard DLC): The summoned horse Arvak, obtainable after progressing in the Dawnguard DLC, is a spectral horse that can be summoned at will. This is immensely useful if you want to temporarily leave your current active horse behind, making Arvak the perfect temporary steed.

• Unicorn (Creation Club): If you tame the Unicorn from the Creation Club content and then switch to another horse, the Unicorn doesn’t return to a stable. Instead, it wanders in the Courtyard of the College of Winterhold.

• Shadowmere: The loyal steed from the Dark Brotherhood questline, Shadowmere, also has a special feature: if he dies he will respawn at the spot where he was originally obtained.

• Frost: This unique horse obtained from the quest related to Louis Letrush, Frost does not behave differently in terms of how many horses you can own; however, if you ride another horse, he will wait wherever he was left.

These special cases offer some flexibility, but the core limitation of one active horse remains.

What About Mods?

Of course, this is Skyrim, and where there are limitations, there are mods! Many mods available on platforms like the Nexus Mods site change how horse ownership works. Some mods allow you to summon any owned horse, keep multiple horses as active followers, or even create a personal stable where all your horses reside. If the vanilla system feels restrictive, exploring the modding community is highly recommended. The impact of gaming can be significantly altered with the use of mods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Skyrim Horses

1. Can I have multiple tamed horses in Skyrim?

In the base game, you can own multiple horses, but only one can actively follow you. Taming another horse will send your current horse back to where you originally obtained it, or, in the case of the Unicorn, the College of Winterhold courtyard.

2. How many horses can you keep in Skyrim?

There is no hard limit to how many horses you can own. However, only one will travel with you at a time.

3. What happens to my horse if I buy another one?

The horse you were previously riding will return to its original stable location. The new horse you purchased becomes your active horse and will follow you.

4. Do owned horses respawn in Skyrim?

Yes, horses you buy or acquire through quests will respawn at their original location if they die. This also applies to Shadowmere.

5. Can my follower ride a horse in Skyrim?

Yes! You can purchase horses for your followers from the city stables. When you mount your horse, your follower will also mount theirs.

6. Where do my horses go when I fast travel?

Your active horse will fast travel with you to the nearest stable outside the destination city. If there’s no stable nearby, it will wait just outside the city gates.

7. Is it worth buying a horse in Skyrim?

In the early game, 1000 gold is a significant investment. However, horses drastically increase your travel speed across Skyrim. If you are more interested in the lore of the game, consider supporting the Games Learning Society and its research on games as tools for learning. More information can be found at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

8. What is the best horse to get in Skyrim?

Shadowmere and Frost are generally considered the best horses in terms of stats and combat ability. All other purchasable horses have the same, lower, stats.

9. Can you keep a stolen horse in Skyrim?

No. Stolen horses will eventually return to their original location. You need to purchase a horse or acquire one through a quest to keep it permanently.

10. What happens to Shadowmere if I ride another horse?

Shadowmere will simply remain where you left him when you switch to another horse. He will not return to a stable or other designated location.

11. Can I give a horse to Lydia?

You cannot directly give a horse to Lydia, but you can buy her one from a stable. Once purchased, she will mount it whenever you ride your own horse.

12. Do horses count as witnesses in Skyrim?

For some bizarre reason, yes, horses can count as witnesses when you commit crimes. Keep that in mind when sneaking around!

13. What happens if I remove the saddle from a horse?

Once you remove the saddle from any horse and put it on the new one, that “main/original” horse becomes a temporary horse and will go away permanently over time.

14. What happens if I tell Maven about Frost?

You will be given the option to steal Frost for Maven Black-Briar. This will lead to a questline where you can acquire Frost.

15. Are Skyrim horses predators?

The article you provided stated it has been “confirmed: Skyrim horses are predators”. This is likely a humorous interpretation or a glitch, as horses are generally considered herbivores.