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What Is a Horse in Stardew Valley
A farming simulation game such as Stardew Valley would be incomplete without crops to tend to and animals to take care of. For the most part, they cover a great deal in terms of expenses and basic daily monetary needs. Although it might take some time to harvest from them, they are definitely worth it.
There is a wide range of types of animals that you can have while playing Stardew Valley. You can have domestic pets, either a dog or a cat. Also, you can’t miss the barn animals which are the most common in farming games and are the primary source of several farm products. Aside from these, there are a lot more animals you can take care of which you would surely meet as you play through Stardew Valley.
While animals could be mostly seen as sources of byproducts such as eggs, milk, and wool, some animals in Stardew Valley have a more diverse role in the game. Among these animals that offer a different purpose inside the game are the horses. But before that, how can one own a horse in Stardew Valley?
How to Get a Horse in Stardew Valley?
Actually getting your own horse in Stardew Valley is not a difficult goal to achieve. All you have to do is simply own a stable. Once you have your own stable on your farm, you are automatically granted a horse. Imagine the money you can save by not having to buy both a horse and its shelter. The generosity of Stardew Valley to its players is, indeed, commendable. It should just be brought to your notice that you can only have one horse in the game.
Acquiring the horse is one thing you can get done easily but, having a stable is another story.
Building a Stable on your Farm
Prior to your ultimate objective of acquiring a horse upon having a stable, there are a few things you should take note of and take action on before you could actually build a stable on your farm.
Resources Required for a Stable
A stable, would not magically appear on your farm just because you wish or you decide to have one. Like any other buildings and crafts in Stardew Valley, the stable is not built out of thin air. There are materials that you should gather first in order to successfully build your own stable.
One of these resources that you should take care of is Hardwood. A stable requires 100 hardwoods. There are two places in the town that are great sources of such woods needed for the stable. The first one would be from the Forest Farm; you can start a new game on the Forest Farm and collect hardwood from the large stumps.
Conversely, the second place to get hardwood from is the Secret Woods which is located in the hidden area in the northwest of the Cindersap Forest. Upon accessing the area, you would undoubtedly have your consistent supply of hardwood since large stumps are also regularly spawned in the Secret Woods. It’s just that, to break the stumps in the Secret Woods, you should have atleast a steel axe.
Apart from Hardwood, building a stable also necessitates you to have 5 Iron Bars. Coincidentally, the steel axes which you need to hit the tree stumps with–particularly in the Secret Woods–also require the material essential to make an iron bar which is iron ores. Iron ores are, needless to say, found in Mines. However, they are abundant in the deeper part of the mines; You can find iron nodes between floors 41 and 79 while. You can spot Iron ores from floor 71 to floor 79.
Considering how long it might take to go that far into the mines just for the iron ores and nodes, you need not to worry since there are other places where you can get them. You can find Iron ores while fishing. Visit the Hill-Top Farm map and the Four Corners of the map, they might also spawn some iron ore. If you don’t want the trouble of going out of your way towards these locations, you can just buy them from Blacksmiths for 150 gold.
Purchasing a Stable
Once you have completed collating the resources necessary for building a stable, you can now proceed to the Carpenter’s Shop in the Mountain area of the town, run by Robin–the town carpenter.
For an amount of 10,000 gold, along with the Hardwood and Iron Bar, you can ask Robin to start building your stable. Just be a little patient because it would take Robin two days to construct your stable, and at the same, for you to finally have your own horse.
Horses as Mobility Booster in Stardew Valley
Ultimately, the role of the horse in Stardew valley is for you to ride on while you stroll or travel throughout the town. You must admit, walking from one place to another is quite a tiresome errand. It takes so much trouble and time just to get to your destination.
But, mounting a horse saves you such trouble and time; you can also preserve your stamina by riding a horse. It significantly increases your movement speed by 30%; imagine the time you can save and the tasks you could finish more if you have a horse to travel with. On top of that, the crops would not impede your movement while mounted on a horse. The horse, however, is unable to travel through small gaps while moving vertically.
Also, what gives more convenience is that even if you are riding a horse, you could still interact and carry out some action. For instance, you could still open and close gates, coops, and barns. You could still place items inside the Shipping Bin and interact with the Fish Pond. Most of all, you can absolutely speak with the villagers while you are on a horse.
Horses as Pets in Stardew Valley
Unlike other animals on your farm, the horse in Stardew Valley does not require such maintenance. In fact, they do not ask for food and water. It also does not need much attention like petting. Even with an oblivious treatment, the horse goes back to the stable every night. So, if you happen to leave it somewhere else.
In terms of name, you get to name your horse in Stardew Valley the first time you try riding it. You can also accessorize your horse with hats.
