Red Dead Redemption 2 How to Bond With Your Horse

When you get a new horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 you will start from a level 1 in Horse Bonding. Increasing Horse Bonding will allow your horse to unlock special moves and better abilities. There are four different levels of Horse Bonding.

Your horse will get more health and stamina, you’ll be able to call it from greater distances and while in combat, it will be able to cross deeper water and navigate more difficult terrain, and it will become more difficult to steal.

There are a few different ways to bond with your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2. You can calm it when it’s agitated. You can feed your horse when its hungry. You can clean it when it’s dirty. You can also lead your horse.  To bond with your horse you must approach it without a weapon drawn and press the LT/L2 button.  This will give you options to brush, lead, pat, feed, or you can tell it to flee.

As bonding levels increase you will also unlock special abilities.

At Bonding Level 2 you will be able to Rear. Rearing can be done by holding RB/R1 while tapping X/Square.
At Bonding Level 3 you will be able to Skid. Skidding can be done by holding RB/R1 and pressing A/X.
At Bonding Level 4 you will be to Drift. You can drift by using the Left Stick and pressing it right or left to avoid obstacles.