What’s the best way to bond with my horse to prevent it from fleeing?

Bonding with your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 is essential to ensure it remains loyal and doesn’t flee during dangerous situations. The bond level between you and your horse determines its trust in you, which affects its behavior, responsiveness, and willingness to stay by your side. Bonding is measured on a scale from Level 1 to Level 4, with each level unlocking new abilities and improving your horse’s overall performance.\n\nTo start bonding with your horse, focus on basic interactions like patting, feeding, and grooming. Patting your horse (by pressing the appropriate button when near it) increases its trust and calms it down after stressful situations, such as combat or riding through rough terrain. Feeding your horse with items like hay, apples, or wild carrots (found in the wild or purchased from stables) also boosts bonding. Grooming your horse with a brush removes dirt and improves its health, which further strengthens your bond.\n\nRiding your horse is another critical way to increase bonding. Simply spending time traveling together builds trust. To maximize bonding while riding, avoid pushing your horse too hard by galloping for extended periods or riding through dangerous areas like cliffs or predator-infested zones. Instead, alternate between trotting and galloping, and take breaks to let your horse recover stamina. Additionally, using calming commands (pressing the calm button while riding) helps reduce stress and reinforces your bond.\n\nCompleting specific activities with your horse also accelerates bonding. For example, leading your horse on foot for short distances or hitching it at towns and camps shows care and builds trust. If your horse is injured, using horse tonics or revivers (purchased from stables or crafted) not only restores its health but also strengthens your bond. Similarly, avoiding reckless behavior like crashing into trees or falling off cliffs prevents your horse from losing trust in you.\n\nTo reach higher bond levels quickly, focus on consistent, positive interactions. At Bond Level 2, your horse will respond better to commands and be less likely to flee. By Bond Level 3, you’ll unlock the ability to perform advanced maneuvers like drifting and rearing. At Bond Level 4, your horse will have maximum health and stamina, making it more resilient in dangerous situations. Reaching this level ensures your horse will rarely flee, even during intense combat or predator encounters.\n\nPractical examples include bonding with the White Arabian horse found near Lake Isabella. This horse is skittish by nature, so frequent calming and grooming are necessary to build trust. Another example is bonding with the War Horse, which is naturally brave but still requires regular care to maintain loyalty. Always carry horse care items like brushes, food, and tonics to ensure your horse stays healthy and happy.\n\nIn summary, bonding with your horse in Red Dead Redemption 2 requires consistent care, positive interactions, and avoiding reckless behavior. By patting, feeding, grooming, and riding your horse regularly, you’ll build a strong bond that prevents it from fleeing. Focus on reaching Bond Level 4 for maximum loyalty and performance, and always be prepared with horse care items to maintain your bond in challenging situations.