Image Credit: Starissa
Horses have a variety of skills they can learn, depending upon their coat. They have a chance to randomly obtain 1 horse skill each time they level. Pearl Shop items can help you obtain the skills you desire. Read more about how this works below.
The most important horse skills for movement speed are Sprint, Instant Acceleration, and Drift.
Horse Skills List
The table below lists the skills that horses have a chance to learn.
| Icon | Skill Name | Keyboard | Description | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Caution | Auto-activates in fall zone | Prevents horse from running off a cliff (can still jump over it if timed right) | 4,350 |
 |
Charge | Q (Champron required) | Horse charges enemies | 1,530,000 |
 |
Drift | ← or → + ↓ while Running | While running, turn towards the desired direction. Drift resets the cooldown on Instant Accel. | 2,320,500 |
 |
Fore Chop | F | frontal attack | 4,350 |
 |
High Jump | SPACE while running fast | While sprinting, press SPACE to jump over obstacles. | 86,400 |
 |
Hind Kick | ↓ + F | backward AOE attack | 4,350 |
 |
Instant Accel | While Running F | Horse temporarily runs faster | 2,320,500 |
 |
Quick Back | ↓ | Horse steps backward faster | 79,200 |
 |
Quick Ride | Auto-activates while riding | you can mount the horse faster | 86,625 |
 |
Quick Stop | While Running ↓ | you can stop the horse faster | 105,600 |
 |
Roar | SPACE (Stirrups required) | Use while standing to regenerate HP + MP for 30 seconds | 264,000 |
 |
Sideways | ← or → | horse can strafe right or left, T5+ Horses only | 3,836,250 |
 |
Sprint | ↑+Shift (Saddle required) | horse can temporarily run faster | 3,315,000 |
 |
Start Accel | Lift front leg with SPACE, then ↑ | Press SPACE to raise the front legs and press ↑ to accelerate forward. (Bypass slowly gaining full speed.) | 4,350 |
 |
Streak Leap | Jumps immediately after a jump | horse can jump repeatedly without stopping | 1144,000 |
 |
Two-seater | Guild or Party member R | allows another player to ride with you, T6-T8 and Doom Horse only | 4,972,500 |
 |
S: Fore Chop | AP Up with Fore Chop | stronger Fore Chop skill (Horse does a frontal AOE attack), T8+ Horses only | 226,800 |
 |
S: Hind Kick | AP Up in Hind Kick | stronger Hind Kick skill (Horse does a backward AOE attack), T8+ Horses only | 226,800 |
 |
S: Instant Accel | F during Instant Accel | While sprinting, press F to continuously charge forward. T8+ Horses only | 10,687,500 |
 |
S: Sideways | Speed Up in Sideways | faster Sideways skill (horse can strafe right or left), T8+ Horses only | 10,687,500 |
Dream Horse Only Skills
All T9 Dream Horses start with 3 skills. One unique Doom/Arduanatt/Dine skill, plus Courser’s Spirit, and Double Jump. Other desirable skills have to be learned as the horse levels.
| Icon | Skill Name | Keyboard | Description | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
S: Charge | Q while Charging | Charge +damage & +range. Horse can use Charge twice, consecutively. T9/T10 Dream Horse only. (20% Chance to learn.) | 12,150,000 |
 |
Courser’s Spirit | Auto-activated while unmounted | Horse regenerates its HP and Stamina when it’s parked. T9/T10 Dream Horse only. (100% Chance to learn.) | 9,562,500 |
 |
Double Jump | SpaceBar while Jumping | Jump a second time in the air. Must have Steak Leap & High Jump. T9/T10 Dream Horse only. (100% Chance to learn.) | 13,162,500 |
 |
Wings of Freedom | Wings of Wind ← or → also during descent after using Leap S to quickly descend |
Allows Arduanatt to turn sideways while using Wings of the Wind, T9/T10 Arduanatt Dream Horse skill only. (10% Chance to learn.) | 21,937,500 |
 |
Wings of Wind | E while Double Jump also during descent after using Leap S to quickly descend |
Glide after Double Jump/Leap. Reduces fall damage by 100% when Arduanatt uses Double Jump. T9/T10 Arduanatt Dream Horse skill only. (100% Chance to learn.) | 21,375,000 |
 |
Earth of Life | E also during movement and while using Sprint or Instant Accel |
Heals Dine and 10 friendly targets for 300 HP and 300 MP/WP/SP every 3 seconds for 30 seconds. Cures desert illnesses. Cooldown: 3 minutes. T9/T10 Diné Dream Horse only skill. (100% Chance to learn.) | 21,375,000 |
 |
Earth of Protection | Auto activates while using Earth of Life | All DP, Evasion, AP +10 for you and up to 10 party members for 30 seconds. T9/T10 Diné Dream Horse only skill. (10% Chance to learn.) | 21,937,500 |
 |
Dark Flame Steps | E | Knockdown and dismount target on hits. Inflict 200 Burn Damage per 3 sec for 15 sec on hits. T9/10 Doom Dream Horse skill only. (100% Chance to learn.) |
21,375,000 |
 |
Dark Sprint | F during S: Instant Accel or F during S: Charge | Press the key again for an additional IA or Charge. Knockdown and dismount target on hits. Inflicts damage proportionate to the rider’s AP. Recover rider’s HP +100 per 3 sec for 15 sec when using skill. T9/10 Doom Dream Horse skill only. (10% Chance to learn.) |
21,937,500 |
Mythical Arduanatt Skills
Mythical Arduanatt has 3 unique skills that are learned upon birth.
 |
Mighty Leap | E during Instant Accel |
Swiftly ride the winds to leap mightily into the air. Not available when weapon is unsheathed. 400 Stamina. 100% Chance. T10 Arduanatt only.
|
 |
Wings of Swiftness | Press F during Wings of Freedom |
Having learned the ways to read the wind currents, the Mythical Arduanatt pierces through the winds during Wings of Freedom to descend at even faster speeds. T10 Arduanatt only.
|
 |
Flight | ↑ (W) + E while idle or E after raising forelegs with Space |
After floating into the air with elegant movement, spend some time floating mid-air. Not available when weapon is unsheathed. 400 Stamina continuously. T10 Arduanatt only. Lasts as long as you have Stamina.
|
Mythical Dine Skills
Mythical Dine has 3 unique skills that are learned upon birth.
 |
Triple Jump | SPACE during Double Jump |
During Double Jump, you can jump one more high. 200 Stamina.
Requres the skills High Jump, Streak Leap, and Double Jump. |
 |
Quicksilver | Automatically activated |
Mythical Dine can run on water.
|
 |
Protection of Okiara | E while falling after jumping |
While falling from a high place after jumping, it uses the power of water to slowly land.
|
BDO Horse Skills, Coats, & Tiers Tool
For the BDO Horse Skill Tool, click the button below to gallop there. 🙂 The tool has a more complex horse skill list that shows which horses can learn which skills. Includes filterable horse coat data like HP, Stamina, LT, Speed, Acceleration, Turn, Brake, Experience per Level, Color Theory values of Red/White/Black, etc.
Horse Skill Gain Chance For Dream Horses
| Arduanatt (Female) | Arduanatt (Male) | Dine (Female) | Dine (Male) | Doom (Female) | Doom (Male) | |
| Hind Kick | 8.10% | 10.20% | 8.10% | 12.30% | 16.50% | 16.50% |
| Fore Chop | 8.10% | 10.20% | 8.10% | 12.30% | 16.50% | 16.50% |
| Drift | 4.38% | 4.17% | 4.38% | 3.96% | 2.70% | 3.12% |
| Sprint | 2.06% | 1.99% | 2.06% | 1.92% | 1.50% | 1.64% |
| Start Accel | 6% | 6.70% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| High Jump | 4.20% | 4.62% | 4.20% | 4.20% | 4.20% | 4.20% |
| Quick Stop | 4.20% | 5.04% | 4.20% | 5.88% | 7.56% | 7.56% |
| Instant Accel | 2.06% | 1.99% | 2.06% | 1.92% | 1.50% | 1.64% |
| Charge | 2.70% | 3.12% | 2.70% | 3.54% | 4.38% | 4.38% |
| Sideways | 1.01% | 1.01% | 1.01% | 1.01% | 1.01% | 1.01% |
| Quick Back | 8.10% | 9.15% | 8.10% | 8.10% | 8.10% | 8.10% |
| Streak Leap | 6% | 6.70% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Roar | 4.20% | 5.04% | 4.20% | 5.88% | 7.56% | 7.56% |
| Caution | 4.20% | 4.62% | 4.20% | 4.20% | 4.20% | 4.20% |
| Quick Ride | 6% | 6.70% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Two Seater | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | ?% | ?% |
| S:Hind Kick | 4.05% | 5.10% | 4.05% | 6.15% | 8.25% | 8.25% |
| S:Fore Chop | 4.05% | 5.10% | 4.05% | 6.15% | 8.25% | 8.25% |
| S:Instant Accel | 1.03% | 1.00% | 1.03% | 0.96% | 0.75% | 0.82% |
| S:Sideways | 0.51% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 0.51% |
| Courser’s Spirit | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Double Jump | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| S:Charge | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Earth of Life | 0% | 0% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Earth of Protection | 0% | 0% | 10% | 10% | 0% | 0% |
| Wings of Wind | 100% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Wings of Freedom | 10% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Dark Flame Steps | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| Dark Sprint | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 10% |
T8 Horse Comparison
Base Stats for Tier 8 horses are shown in the chart.
- Horses with well-rounded stats are 8-7 and 8-1.
- 8-5 has the best Speed/Accel, but the worst Brake/Turn.
- 8-6 has the best Brake/Turn, but is last in Speed/Accel.
Some of the horse coat codes might be unfamiliar. They are from the old horse coat coding system from the community, before the game started to display its own codes. (Many training changes occured in the Sept 21, 2022 patch.)
Thank you to bdolytics.com for the data values!
| Horse Coat | Code | Speed Accel |
Brake Turn |
LT | HP | Stam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
8-1 T8B |
128.5% | 125.5% | 90 | 1613 | 3290 |
 |
8-4 T8C |
128.8% | 136.0% | 135 | 1620 | 3361 |
 |
8-2 T8D |
130.0% | 124.0% | 135 | 1792 | 3409 |
 |
8-3 T8A |
131.5% | 122.5% | 90 | 1783 | 3296 |
 |
8-5 T8E |
136.0% | 112.0% | 135 | 1675 | 3441 |
 |
8-6 new |
128.0% | 137.0% | 135 | 1828 | 3392 |
 |
8-7 (T4Q) |
129.0% | 126.0% | 135 | 1909 | 3396 |
 |
8-8 (T4P) |
135.0% | 114.0% | 135 | 1792 | 3408 |
 |
8-9 new |
129.0% | 135.0% | 135 | 1846 | 3380 |
** Courser Skills
How Horse Skill Gain Likely Works by Cappuccino
Thank you to Cappuccino for the following Horse Skill theory. Quoted from a forum post.
NOTE: This post is an extension of conversations taking place in the Breeder’s Discord, but because of its length could not be easily posted there.
What does it mean when my horse levels up and I get the message “chances of learning a skill has increased”? Why do horses learn skills early on but not many (if any) in their 20’s? Do costumes, branding stones, and the appearance change coupons work and how?
Skills: The Hidden XP Bar
When your horse is running, it gains xp towards its next level-up based on distance. This is an xp bar you can see and use to predict how long you will need to ride your horse before it levels.
Every time your horse levels, more xp is needed in order to level up again. By the time the horse level 28, you might have to autoloop an entire night on a high tier horse in order to hit level 30 as opposed to spending one night to get from level 1 to level 15.
Skills seem to work in a similar fashion.
Your horse is gaining skill xp every time it levels up, but this is an xp bar that we cannot see.
Every time your horse learns a skill, the next skill requires more xp in order to learn, just like how the horse levels. But because your horse is likely learning a set amount of skill xp on each level up, eventually the gap widens and it takes several level ups to learn a skill.
This is why early on your horse will learn many skills, then slow down in its teens, and then maybe only learn a couple skills in its 20s.
Why are some horses smart and some horses.. not?
The RNG comes into play when the horse is born. (Horses born pre-nerf will learn skills at a rate consistent with old skill gain rates. Early data is indicating that horses coming out of racing seal boxes may not be effected by the nerf either.)
Skill gain RNG is effecting one of two things, either of which would result in the patterns we see.
a) The set amount of Skill XP the horse gets on level up is determined at birth. A low roll means the horse will not be able to meet as many Skill XP thresholds, resulting in a lower number of skills learned.
b) The Skill XP thresholds that must be met in order to learn a new skill may be higher on certain horses, resulting in a lower number of skills learned.
In either case, costumes, branding stones, and change coupons will still have the same effect. The nerf probably made the amount of skill xp the horse learns on level up lower than before.
How do Costumes and other items that effect horse skills work?
Branding, costumes and appearance coupons likely work by boosting the total amount of skill xp your horse has.
Appearance coupons are unique in that even if your horse is level 30, if it was close enough to a Skill Threshold, and the coupon pushes your horse over that threshold, the horse is awarded with a skill.
Branding stones don’t seem to make much difference in skill gain, so the skill xp award is probably low.
Horse costumes seemed to be bugged for much of the early game, but certain ones are finally causing skill gains on horses. Confirmed with testing are the Lahr Arcien and the Karlstein. (Also, unequipping and re-equipping the costume on the same horse may be negating the bonus. It could be a bug.)
There is a lot more data related to this section, such as ideal times to equip a costume or use a coupon, but I feel more testing is needed before publishing.
Mount Brand Spell Stone
Mount Brand Spell Stone gives +10% to horse skill learn chance, but it also has other benefits.
- Your mount must be checked in at the stable to use on horse.
- Reduces recovery costs by 30%.
- Reduces resurrection fee to 1,000 Silver.
- Decreases the durability consumption of mount gear by 50%.
- Your mount’s chance to learn a new skill improves by 10% each time it levels up. (This chance applies to all skills it has yet to learn.)
- Available for: Horse, Donkey, Camel, Miniature Elephant, Alpaca
- The effects of this item is not applied on guild mounts.
- Normal Pearl Shop Price: 500 Pearls
Training Level & Horse Skills
Training level can help you level up horses that have more skills, increasing your chances to obtain a courser.
Training Level Benefits:
- Increases the chance of your mount learning a new skill when your mount gains a level.
- Increases the chance of your mount gaining a minimal movement speed while gaining a level.
- Increases silver paid to you, when using the Horse Market or Breeding Market.
- Training level is not the same as Mastery level, but training level increasess Mastery level. Training vs Mastery.
Courser Requirement
Horse Skills are important in obtaining a Courser.
A Courser is a horse with a specific set of 7 horse skills.
To learn more, please visit our Courser Skills & Training Guide.
Courser has a gold horse head icon.
The whole section “How Horse Skill Gain Likely Works by Cappuccino” seems like a silly made-up theory, as a lot of stuff floating around the internet about horse training is.The only thing I can sort of agree with is that some horses may be born with better RNG but even that is debatable. The whole “hidden exp bar for skills” spiel seems just so unlikely, I mean anyone that trained a lot of horses will have had a bunch of horses that still learned a skill at 21, then again at 22, etc… while couponing out forechop, so in my… Read more »
I feel it is far more likely the OTHER Theory which weirdly is not mentioned. And makes SO MUCH more sense than the above pulled-from-anus theory. Basically (NOT counting skill change coupon process, premium appearance change coupon, etc) all MY testing(both 7ish years ago and recently is simply this. When the horse levels it has a simple ‘will gain skill yes/no?’ check. if ‘yes’ it simply rolls against EVERY skill, INCLUDING skills you know. Hence, when u gain ‘no skill’ at higher levels, your horse likely HAS said skill already. This is supported by the fact that if one was… Read more »
Do you get XP if you charge and enemy with Q? or do you have to just train it without doing that, there are a lot of imp i can kill to get XP in Valia to do this if it’s true.
I disagree with the hidden “skill xp bar”. I think that each skill has a % chance of success. Example: Skill 1 has 100%, Skill 2 has 50%, Skill 3 has 2%. Horse gains a level, begin rolling for skill 1. 100%, so it gains the skill, stops rolling for more skills. Horse gains another level, skips Skill 1 (already learned), tries for Skill 2 at 50% chance of success. Say it fails for Skill 2, tries for Skill 3 (at 2% chance) and fails that as well. No skill learned. You learn the skills with higher success chance at… Read more »
I also wanted to say that each time the horse levels, there is a cumulative increase in chance for each skill. That’s why it sometimes says “Your horse has a higher chance of learning a skill” or something to that effect when horse levels up. I don’t know exact value, but I think it to be 30-40% chance increase. To my understanding, the following impact horse skill learn chance: Trainer level – Adds a flat percentage increase chance (Best to train horses at as high a level as possible, at least Master 1) Horse level – Cumulative percentage chance increase… Read more »
100% sure that it works like this: add all the Skill acquisition rates up. the base chance depends on the specific type of horse. For example 8-3 if you add all the % up u get 90.48% chance to get the first skill on ur horse wjth lvl up. Lets say you get hind kick. (12.45%) The chance to get a skill on your horse with the next lvl is 78.03% and you get Forechop (12.45%) Chance of getting a skill on lvl 3 is 66.58% and you get quick back (7.2%) Chance to get a skill on lvl 4… Read more »
Grumpy Green or Anyone!: What is that ever-changing number that floats in the air next to my horse while I’m riding it across the land? I’ve looked and looked online, and I’ve pondered and pondered, but I can’t find/figure what it’s for. Anyone know?
Do you mean the number from auto navigation? This gives an indication of how long the navigation path is. I think it’s the in-game distance unit. Meters maybe?