How to Use a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online

The world of Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) expands with each major patch, and players can't walk everywhere. That's where trusty mounts come in, allowing you much faster movement speed both in and out of combat. If you haven't had a chance to ride one, it's a pretty simple process and you can buy a horse from any stable on the map. Here's what you need to know about obtaining, summoning, and using mounts in Elder Scrolls Online.

How to Summon a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online on PC

If you're playing on the PC version of Elder Scrolls Online, summoning a mount is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is equip any mount in your "Mount" submenu (accessed by pressing "U") and press "H" (for "Horse") to summon your mount and start riding it immediately.

How to Use a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online on PC

Using your mount out of combat is pretty much the same as moving with your character. On PC, use the WASD keys and the mouse to change the direction of your camera.

If you want to get off your horse or any other mount you might be using for the character, just press "H" again. This causes the horse to vanish into thin air, available to be summoned again at any time. There is no waiting time for the horse to arrive like in some other games.

Alternatively, you can use your attack, block, or start firing an ability to dismount while still in combat stance.

If you want to gain speed on the descent, you must sprint, jump (with the horse), then quickly crouch and uncrouch (tap the "Crouch" command twice). This way your character uses the momentum gained from the horse for better range.

How to Summon a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online on a PS4

When playing ESO through the PS4, you have access to much of the same mechanics as the PC version, with just a different keybinding layout. Summoning (and subsequently mounting) a horse is done by pressing the touchpad on the controller. You will first need to have obtained and bound a horse via the menu.

How to use a mount in Elder Scrolls Online on a PS4

Same for the movement on foot, your horse (or any other mount) is controlled via the main movement keybinds. You can even sprint or jump on horseback for a slight speed boost or height gain.

Crouching, blocking, or using abilities will immediately get you off the horse. Alternatively, you can hold down the touchpad again, but most other key combinations like pad are usually within reach and don't require holding down the key.

You can sprint and jump on horseback, then quickly crouch and stand up (pressing the "Crouch" key again) to get a slight speed boost when dismounting from a horse.

How to Summon a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online on an Xbox

On Xbox consoles, riding a horse is just as easy. All you have to do is have a horse linked to your character (usually by buying one), then press and hold the "View" button (also known as the "Select/Share" button, it looks like two-screen) to summon and mount it immediately.

How to use a mount in Elder Scrolls Online on a PS4

Like PC and PS4 controls, moving on the horse is the same as moving normally, with a slightly more limited moveset but increased speed and carrying capacity.

If you want to get off the horse, you can hold down the "View" button again and the horse will disappear.

Alternatively, since 'Sight' isn't always at hand, you can just block to get off the horse faster, as most players already keep their finger near the blocking key combination out of habit.

If you want a slight speed boost on the descent, you can start sprinting on horseback, jumping, then crouching and relaxing before you hit the ground, increasing your momentum until you come back to a normal speed.

How to Equip a Mount in Elder Scrolls Online

If you have obtained a mount (usually by playing certain quests or using the game store), you will need to equip that mount to your character:

1. Open the game menu (PC: "U" or "Alt", PS4: "Options", Xbox: "Menu").
   
2. Select the collections tab (if you used "U" on PC, you're already there).
3. Go to the "Mounts" tab on the left.
   
4. Click on the mount you want to use in the grid.
   

All characters on your account will share unlocked mounts. If you don't see any available mounts, you'll need to buy a horse first. You can do this by going to any stable (they have a horse icon on the map) and interacting with the stable master inside.

How to Upgrade Mounts in Elder Scrolls Online

When you start, your horse is just a tiny bit faster than you are on foot. This is why new players should spend time (and money) improving their horse's stats.

Three total stats can be upgraded: speed, stamina, and carry capacity.

Speed ​​is the stat you need to level up first if you need to get somewhere fast. When fully upgraded, it speeds up the horse by 60%.

Carrying ability improves the number of extra item slots you get while mounted, up to 60 at max rank. It's a nice upgrade if you lug around a lot and don't want to be cluttered.

Finally, Stamina is relatively self-explanatory. This stat only comes into effect during combat, as you will immediately dismount when taking damage on a depleted horse. Since you can't fight on horseback anyway, you can level this one last.

Upgrades are done by talking to a Stable Master at any Stable and selecting the appropriate choice. Each time you level up a horse skill, you must wait 20 hours until you can do it again. If you press "C" (on PC), you can hover over the hourglass in the "Riding Skills" section to see how long you have to wait for the next upgrade. Typically, you want to increase the horse's speed as soon as possible, so keep an eye on that timer.

Are there differences between horse mounts?

While some previous versions of the game used different horses to provide separate bonuses, "Update 6" in 2015 streamlined much of the system. As a result, all mounts got the same stats at all levels. It doesn't matter what color or type of horse you're riding (or what other animal you've persuaded to be your mount); your speed only depends on the driving skills you have improved throughout the game.

Level Up in Elder Scrolls Online

Horses and other mounts in ESO are reliable when you need to get from point A to point B quickly, and can even get you out of a tight spot to avoid combat. Summoning and dismounting a horse is as easy as pressing a button, as long as you have a mount of the character equipped in your "Collection" menu.

Which mount in ESO is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below.