Horse Games That Break the Mold: Weird, Wonderful, and Wild Rides You’ve Never Heard Of

Horse racing has been around for centuries. Long called the “game of kings,” the sport quite literally dates back to an age when monarchs still reigned supreme. Many of today’s races have been going on for hundreds of years.

As you research how to bet on Preakness Stakes online, understand that you are participating in a tradition that dates back to 1873.

Despite the fact that horse racing is a game that has been around for almost as long as domesticated horses, it’s a rarely represented niche in the world of video games. If you want a great virtual equine experience, you’ll need to dig around a bit.

The Ranch of Rivershine

The Ranch of Rivershine falls neatly into what is now often called the “cozy niche.” Cozy video games are generally plot-light, allowing players to explore a comfortable, idyllic world at their own pace. Stardew Valley (which also allows you to ride horses, by the way) is quite possibly the most famous example, but there are many others.

The Ranch of Rivershine—currently available only on Steam—puts you in the owner’s chair of a ranch located in a small community obsessed with horses.

The game allows you to raise and compete with horses but at a pace that suits you. Throughout the game, you’ll also have the opportunity to befriend villagers at your own pace. Like many cozy games, the story is discoverable at your own pace.

The Sims 4: Horse Ranch Expansion

The Sims franchise is a well-known life simulator. You build a character—or characters—wind them up and set them out upon the world.

As the god of their virtual world, you are responsible for their health, wealth, and happiness. The Sims 4 features an expansion pack that allows you to extend your role to the world of a horse ranch. Using all the classic Sims mechanics, you are able to build the ranch up. Breed horses. Develop the land. Take care of the people living on your ranch.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that the Sims franchise has introduced equines. The Sims 3 had a pet expansion that also allowed you to breed horses. Many reviewers actually feel that the breeding mechanics are better in that game, allowing you to focus on generational breeding over singular couplings. However, if you want a more comprehensive ranch experience, Sims 4 is the way to go. The game can be found on all major consoles.

Star Equestrian

Star Equestrian is actually an MMO (massively multiplayer online game). For those that don’t know, that’s the format used by fantasy epics like RuneScape and World of Warcraft—both games that also include horses as mounts.

The game is available on mobile and PC. It puts you in the position of a rancher taking care of your horses. On Star Equestrian, you are able to explore a diverse and open world full of interesting geographical features and virtual friends playing from all over the world. There are also horse racing/jumping competitions, and daily quests that encourage you to interact with the unique and open world.

Star Equestrian is free to play which makes it at least worth trying out for horse lovers who like to experience their hobby virtually. Of course, gamers all know that “free to play” is code for “stuffed with ads and microtransactions.” Hey, it’s the price of admission. If you’re interested in a horse game that is truly unique, Star Equestrian is at least worth trying.

Horse Adjacent Games

Also worth mentioning are the horse-adjacent games. Titles like Red Dead Redemption, where equines are constantly around, but as supporting characters rather than central components to the story. There are so many examples of these titles that it would be impossible to adequately do them justice.

Horses are, of course, a natural mount option in many fantasy RPGs. Games like “The Elder Scrolls” series have featured them for decades. In fact, the recently remastered Elder Scrolls Oblivion once infamously made headlines for offering optional horse armor as a micro-transaction. The Zelda series is also well known for using horses to help our silent protagonist Link get around Hyrule.

There are loads of virtual opportunities to connect with equines—whether you are looking for high adventure or the quieter, more serene life of a ranch hand.

Find Your Ideal Experience

The thing about horses—there are so many different ways to experience them. Especially virtually. Whether you want to run a ranch and compete in competitions or ride on horseback to kill a dragon, there is a game out there for you.

The options in this list are only the tip of the iceberg. While we highlighted some of the most interesting or unique titles in circulation, there will always be more to choose from in the fast-moving world of video games. What’s your favorite way to relax virtually with horses?