How would horses fit into Fallout?
I love thinking about equines and all their potential uses in the Fallout universe so I finally decided to write it out! Equines(horses, donkeys, mules) have been essential tools and companions for humanity for a very long time, and their roles in the tough Fallout universe would be no different!
I have a lot of thoughts and general headcanons that I've complied into a list that is in no specific order! :)
*horses could be used in many different ways! But caravans, farms, and soldiers would probably use them the most. Horses are best at carrying a rider and traveling long distances. They're strong and hardy and can be more than just mounts. They can drive(pull carts, plows,etc) and even be used in a variety of ways for farming and other labor!
*Donkeys and mules are more common for hauling weight/being pack animals, but they can also be ridden and used for pulling carts or plowing fields! They are both known to be more intelligent and more surefooted than horses, making them great companions for rockier areas. Mules and donkeys are also fierce protectors and can be used as livestock guardians!
*Every equine can have multiple uses, but mules and horses are the most desirable due to being the ideal ride. Mules are a bit more stubborn than horses and aren't nearly as willing, so horses are always preferred by the majority.
*Horses and their special body types were all bred for different reasons. They can be used for almost anything under the sun! Some were bred for war, or race, or heavy work, or leisure riding, or simply just for a pretty color and good temperament.
*So, different kinds of horses have different uses. For example, larger and more muscular horses like draft breeds are used more hard work like plowing and driving carts. The horses of average size would be used more for personal mounts. The horses with smaller and more lean builds would be used mostly for riding. Horses like that are usually faster and made for endurance, while drafts and similar are bred for their strength.
*Smaller donkeys would be perfect for people living in and around canyons, or even just traveling through. They are incredibly sure footed animals and do the best in the desert areas where you find most canyons. Their small tough feet are perfect for small and precious canyon lands. I highly recommend reading about the history of this, like the donkeys and mules who work(ed) in the Grand Canyon
*Horses and donkeys both do fine in any kind of weather, but horses do have better coats to support them in the rain and cold. Where donkeys do not have as much water resistance in their coat. So regions make a big difference in what kind of equines you would see.
*Equines would do lots of caravan work. They can haul carts and packs just like Brahmin. Mules probably end up doing a lot of hauling since they are extra sturdy. Caravan guards could be mounted on horseback too, riding solo on their own mounts would be so beneficial. Like larger field of view for being up high, intimidation, and they can travel much further for longer chunks of time than on foot.
*If you're asking what I mean by intimidation; Horses can be very scary. First off, they're huge animals with a nasty bite and even nastier kick. Also, trained war and riot horses have no issue with running people and things down. Horses are very dangerous and can do a lot of damage if needed.
*I love love LOVE the idea of NCR rangers using horses to travel! Maybe some of the ghoul rangers have some extra hardy ghoul horses.
*Maybe the NCR and other groups have a specialized cavalry?? There are a lot of possibilities with this thought!
*The NCR would probably save the horses for higher ups and specialized groups like Rangers.
*Caesar's legion would so use horses to do a lot of work and to travel. Horses are very resilient but can also die very very easily. I could see the legion working a lot of horses to death and using them in odd shows of bravery and glory. I also picture legionary spies and other specialized members like assassins using horses to get places fast.
*The commonwealth Minutemen would be unstoppable if they had horses! They could help others and spread even faster with the help of horses. I love picturing them sharing the skill of horsemanship to the rest of the commonwealth as they spread and grow. *I love picturing the minutemen having stables at a few of their settlements, maybe even one or two have training areas.
*Horses would be very helpful to the big Brahmin ranchers out west. I could go on and on for reasons why, but mainly they would be best for helping herd and to travel the large farms and grazing land quickly.
*Ranchers/farmers of any sort would def have horses or at least a mule or donkey. There are lots of farm animals that aren't shown in the games that definitely survived and have a number of uses. Like goats, sheep, and pigs.
*I love picturing old world ranches and ranchers surviving and building their ranches back up in the new world. Their herds half mutated and ghoulified but still strong.
*Thinking of surviving ranches and ranchers, I always picture a ghoul cowboy and his loyal ghoul mule mount. Maybe he even has a loyal herding dog that tags along!
* Riding horses isn't just something can do with no prior knowledge. You can try, but If you want to survive your first ride and not have your incredibly valuable animal die on you; you'd have to learn at least the basics of riding and horse care.
*Equines need a lot of training before they can do any sort of work. It's also considered unhealthy to ride a horse and work them hard before they are fully grown. (It can cause joint and growth plate issues, along with a million other things) Horses are not full grown until the age of five. Horses can live well into their twenties and even thirties, while donkeys have an even longer life span and can live past the age of fifty.
*As someone who works with horses at a horse rescue, I have seen it all. And one thing I know for certain, these majestic animals can die so fucking easily. Even in today's world it can be rare to have a horse die of old age. Most die of problems like damage in their legs and feet, and tummy troubles. Horses would have to toughen up quite a bit to survive in the wasteland! But I still bet they wouldn't live very long lives.
*Ghoul equines would be on a whole different level. They would be extra strong and fierce, toughened by the wasteland. perhaps even mutating to grow extra long 'wolf teeth' for a more ferocious bite. Their skin and whats left of their hair toughed by the world. Maybe their vision is even better than before, their eyes glowing in the dark.
*Horses would be incredible assets to tribals and similar. I could see the skill of horsemanship passed down through generation after generation. There would for sure be some tribes whose ways of life revolves entirely around their horses and the nomadic way of life they can build around them.
*The wasteland is cruel, no matter if you're on the east coast, west coast, or somewhere in between. Equines would be almost everywhere. Horses would be much more common in the midwest. No one needs a horse in the ruins of Boston or DC, not that they'd survive a trip into the dangerous old world cities. They'd be much more common and useful out on the big open spaces like the plains and deserts.
(*If you want a more fallout "realistic" picture of where horses would be since they'd be more rare: They'd only be in very specific areas that have the things horses need to survive like abundant grazing land. So they'd mostly be herds and groups scattered throughout the midwest and west coast. Appalachia and the Deep South would have a lot of horses as well, but they probably survive the best in the midwest. They'd be in little pockets out in the in the wasteland, more than likely protected by people who keep them thriving in the wasteland. )
*Everyone loves the idea of mutated zebras and their tribal riders surviving in the bombs. I've thought a lot about zebras in the apocalypse and talk about them in this post!
*Cooper Howard is clearly an expert horseman who seems like he was born on horseback. He's probably gone through his share of mounts while surviving out in the wasteland. He's still got his spurs on and his saddlebags, he's just waiting for the next horse he finds suitable
*Raul Tejada knows how to ride a horse well. I don't think he was an actual Vaquero, but he for sure has a few skills in horsemanship. I like to think that he would be quite found of horses.
*Some groups would be drawn to horses, but I could see some completely avoiding them. Like how the Rust Devils and Gunners from Fo4 prefer their robots for labor instead of animals.
*I imagine the Brotherhood of Steel and other developed groups like the Institute and Enclave would not find horses worth their time
*Super Mutants probably treat them like any pack animals, so they'e probably seen as food. Unless someone out there(Enclave) tried and succeeded in putting FEV into horses. They did it to dogs with the mutant hounds, so it seems possible in the Fallout universe! A super mutant horse would be scary af
*Groups of raiders using horses to raid caravans and homesteads would be super interesting. I could see a group getting into horsemanship just because they started stealing horses from the NCR.
*The Fiends probably eat horses or sell them for drugs. So it really depends on which group of raiders/tribals you get. The Great Khans would probably respect horses and maybe even use them, but the fiends do not.
*horses require routine care like hoof trimmings and dental work for longevity. This means a lot of things! There would need to be people who specialized in horse health. The most important requirement is hoof care by a professional called a farrier. They do a number of helpful things, but mostly, they put shoes on the horses hooves to keep them protected and strong. Wild horses break down their always growing hooves on rocks and stuff by all the traveling they do. Domesticated horses don't wear down like that so they need routine work.
*Farriers in the fallout world would probably specialize in metalwork as a whole. Making their homes and shops in cavern towns where the most livestock traffic comes through. I could see some Farriers even specializing in horse health as a whole, so they also do dental and other vet work.
*Equines are incredibly strong, with hooves and teeth that can pack a real punch. So many ignorant people would be killed by these animals, which can happen very easily if you can't ride well and don't know anything about horse body language
*I love horses with all my heart. I think they are wonderful and intelligent creatures. They are some of the best companions I have ever had the honor of knowing, they are just incredible.
BUT, they can spook at things and throw your ass in a heartbeat. Sometimes they even do it just because! But more often than not, horses act up because of pain and discomfort. Like a saddle that doesn't fit right or a bit that causes pain. Maybe even the rider is making them uncomfortable by pulling on the reins or giving improper signs the horse doesn't understand. A lot of things like this need to be taken into consideration when it comes to horses and work. These incredible animals are very high maintenance, and I haven't even mentioned how much water and food they consume in just a damn day! Or how they need to build muscle and stamina just like humans do! A lot of these things would make equines not really worth the trouble for a lot of people and groups.
*
These are just some of my most coherent thoughts!
If you have any thoughts or anything please share! I love to think what others think about topics like this!
