Nintendo has one of the most memorable characters in the world. This is a company that made people emotionally attached to plumbers, mushrooms, pink puffballs, talking stars, haunted masks, sentient trees, and a dinosaur who is definitely not a horse but carried Mario around enough times to deserve a mention.
So, what about horses? Well, horses have always had a surprisingly special place in Nintendo history. In most cases, they are the loyal companions of the main characters, but sometimes they are giant skeleton horses that you have to beat.
The point is that Nintendo’s horse history is vibrant. It’s not just one kind of horse. They gave us cozy farm horses, racing horses, fantasy horses, and even monstrous horses.
This inspired us to go on a search and find every memorable horse character from Nintendo’s library.
Epona
We have to start with Epona. Since we’re talking about Nintendo’s horses, there is no other correct answer other than Epona.
Epona is not just a random horse from Nintendo’s history; she is THE HORSE. And for those that don’t know (if there are any), this is Link’s trusted companion. Everyone who’s played Zelda knows the feeling of riding across Hyrule Field for the first time and realizing the world suddenly felt bigger and more emotional.
So, when did this horse become so important for the story? Well, it all clicked with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This was the moment where Epona became the most important horse in Nintendo’s history. The moment you win her from Ingo at Lon Lon Ranch, you start creating memories.
You then come back and try to race Epona there. Link is growing with the horse. Yes, horse racing was available in Lon Lon Ranch, and Epona dominated the scene. Back then, you probably got so inspired and went to place an actual exacta bet on TwinSpires.
And even though the horse didn’t have many features, or any special emotional connection to Link, somehow it made the game feel different. This isn’t just a mount you use to travel faster, but it quickly becomes your friend.
This legendary horse returned across the Zelda series. We’ve seen Epona in Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and through amiibo functionality in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
So, without a doubt, this is one of the most important horses in Nintendo’s library.
The Wild Horses of Breath of the Wild
Next, we have to move to a much newer Zelda game because it pushed the mechanics of horses in Nintendo games. When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild arrived on Switch, everyone went crazy!
Apart from the innovative gameplay changes and puzzles, they also reworked how you interact with horses. So, instead of simply receiving one legendary mount, players had to find, approach, calm, tame, name, register, and bond with their new companions.
This made horse ownership feel much more personal.
The wild horse system worked because it made Hyrule feel more alive. Horses are literally everywhere, and they react to you. Plus, some are gentle, some are fast, some have better stamina, and some are harder to tame. Just like in the real world.
But once you register one at a stable, it becomes yours. Now, we cannot choose one particular horse character from the Wild Horse selection, so we decided to include them all since they are very important characters in Nintendo’s history.
The Giant Horse
Then there is the Giant Horse.
The Giant Horse in Breath of the Wild is not subtle.
It is huge. It is powerful. It looks like it belongs to someone who says “final boss energy” without irony. Many fans associate it with Ganondorf-style imagery because of its size, coloring, and intimidating presence.
Catching it is a whole event.
You do not simply stroll up and say, “Hello, would you like to be my peaceful travel companion?” No. You need stamina, patience, and the willingness to climb onto a horse that looks like it could drag a wagon, a house, and perhaps a small government.
The Giant Horse is memorable because it feels different from every other mount in the game.
Zelda’s Royal White Stallion
The Royal White Stallion in Breath of the Wild is the elegant opposite of the Giant Horse.
This horse feels like a storybook creature. White coat, royal connection, graceful design, and just enough mystique to make players feel like they are finding a piece of Hyrule’s lost history rather than simply catching another mount.
The quest tied to this horse adds to its appeal. You are not just looking for a good horse. You are tracking a descendant of Princess Zelda’s horse, which immediately gives the animal emotional weight. It connects the open-world adventure to the memory of Hyrule before the Calamity.
The Golden Horse in Tears of the Kingdom
Tears of the Kingdom gave players another special horse to obsess over: Zelda’s Golden Horse.
And yes, it looks exactly as royal as it sounds.
The Golden Horse is one of those mounts that immediately feels collectible. Which is exactly why people struggle to find the Golden Horse in Tears of the Kingdom. It is bright, beautiful, and tied to Zelda’s presence in the world. In a game where players can build flying machines, glue rockets to shields, and commit engineering crimes against common sense, there is something wonderfully old-fashioned about still wanting a gorgeous horse.
Final Thoughts
There are many other horses, like all the farm horses of Story of Seasons, Mario Sports Superstars Horse Racing Crew, or Pokémon creatures like Ponyta and Rapidash.
Some are only cute, some play a vital role in the story, but the point is that many of them became iconic to Nintendo. Let’s just hope they continue using horse creatures in their new games.
