Horses, and keeping players from having them

[TFWoods3]

I've always had a problem with players having horses in the game, it seems to cause problems or force the GM to make sure he keeps horse speed in mind with outdoor encounters. So I try to keep players from having them, at least early on.

Does anyone else restrict easy access to horses or do you allow them and plan ahead (" Hmm, if they see a troll blocking the road up ahead, they could just ride around him at top speed, I better make it a one hex narrow path.")

[Oberoten]

With a trolll I'd say let them. Trolls are DUMB, people'd be able to ride past them a few times.

... of course even a troll will learn that they do after five-six or maybe nine times and then take precautions. Maybe crude such as pits and hidden sharp stakes, but they will try and be sly too. Even if they slyness isn't so efficient as that of a more clever being.

[Phystus]

I just factor it into my planning.

But there is another tactic available: make the party not want to have horses.

A few cases of whinneys at inopportune times, high stable fees, and horses bolting at a sudden fright (with half the party's gear on board) should quickly cool the party's interest. Make sure they spend some time looking after the beasts, too. Use an encounter with an irritated druid to drive the point home if they don't.

Don't forget that animals that aren't trained for war are likely to be a real handful in combat, transforming what would be an easy fight on foot into something memorable (in a way the party won't want to repeat!). Warhorses (ponys, dogs, etc.) are even more expensive to buy and maintain, giving you another swipe at their pocketbooks. Be sure to catch those expensive horses in some area-of-effect damage spells from time to time too.

In short, look at horses not as a vehicle for characters, but as a vehicle for DM mischief, and make the most of it!

~P

[TFWoods3]

Good tips the Phystus, if they ever get some horses.

[turelus]

I would say don't start messing with them too much, I know horses are a pain but you don't want the players to feel helpless/worthless with their horses because no matter what they do it runs off or they can't afford to stable it.

Remember as a DM your job is to keep the game fun for everyone including yourself, some of the ideas mentioned above may just annoy your players more than solve the problems.

I myself would just talk to my players about my problems/issues and I'm sure they would help me out.

[Sorontar]

I think horses aren't in games enough because of the nature of many of the pre-designed adventures.

God help the guy who wants to play a character based on a Rider of Rohan and takes mounted feats and then has to tie his main weapon up outside most adventure sites to be eaten by anything that walks past.

Just let them do what they want but ensure that the horses are just one more dynamic feature you use in your game. A horse making noise may well happen and give the party away, but a horse may well smell ambushers ahead and start to play up slightly which a party may pick up on if they are paying attention.

[Oberoten]

Having done some work-time in stables I have to admitt that yes, horses are a bit of a hassle if on the road.

But with a GM that knows his horses they are a good oportunity for roleplaying in their own right. Heck what would Lucky Luke be without Jolly Jumper?

[Phystus]

I guess I should mention that I don't actually do that sort of stuff very often in my own campaign. But I do enforce the rules that exist in the game system (D&D 3.5 in my case) about horses (and other mounts and animals). Most rule systems have some rules about encumberance, care, feeding, fatigue, and the effects of training (or lack thereof) on a mount. Making sure they're followed is a bit of a pain at times, but does provide a lot of opportunity for roleplaying, as Obe pointed out. And FG makes keeping track of encumberance so easy there's no reason not to enforce it.

I guess my point really is that you should let them have horses, but don't let the horse just become a mechanism to convert gold into an improved movement rate and carrying capacity. As long as the players take the minimal roleplaying time needed to say "I feed the horses" or "let's tie them up down in the next valley before we head to the dungeon" I don't mess with them.

~P

[Sigurd]

Yea that power creep is something else.


Imagine, Horses!

[Oberoten]

Speaking from my own experience :
In winter the horses should have spiked shoes. Not even that will always help, I had a clydesdale step on my foot with those and I have nice little scars for it.

And this gentlemen, was a FRIENDLY big lug who looked at my foot apologeticlly with a quizical expression saying "What is he pushing at me for... oh, that smells like it'd hurt..."

Horses are wonderful, albeit all too often dead-dumb animals.

- Obe

** Edited :

Point of this is of course showing how FUN you can have with horses.

- Obe