3.2 - Skills and training

3.2.2 - The skills

On Howrse, there are six skill categories:

• stamina
• speed
• dressage
• gallop
• trot
• jumping

The maximum skills that a horse may reach during its lifetime through the activities that you will have it carry out is determined at birth according to its breed and ancestors. They vary, therefore, from one individual to the next, even within the same breed. However, as logic dictates, a trotter will never become a champion flat racer! As the potential of a horse cannot be extended infinitely, there will come a time when your horse will no longer progress. It is up to you to develop your horse's skills to their fullest!

There are three main ways to develop your horse's skills:

• rides
• training
• competitions

Pay attention to your horse's health. If you train him, have him go on rides, or enter competitions and he is not at 100% health, he won't win the maximum number of skill points. If your horse doesn't gain the maximum skills, he won't be able to retrieve them later.

There are also two other ways to improve skills:

• Games when the foal is between 8 and 16 months old. You can get up to 60 skill points by playing games with a foal.
• Missions starting from when the horse is 2 years old. They make you lose 30% energy. The increase in skills depends on the quality of the missions at the center where your horse is boarded. Missions allow a horse or pony to earn skill points in two of their skills with the highest potential. Please note that the skills gained through the missions will stop increasing when your horse turns 25!

When you have completed the development of a horse's skill, said skill is displayed in bold type in the horse's genetic potential. Completing the development means finishing training and rides, and having the horse earn all the skills possible in competitions.

3.2.3 - Training

Training starts at 1 year and 6 months for rides. There are 2 types of rides: forest rides and mountain rides. Each one develops specific skills:

• Forest rides develop dressage, gallop and jumping
• Mountain rides develop stamina, speed and trot

You will see the stars of the Skills frame (in the centre of your horse's page) fill in progressively. Note that gaining skills is limited, and after a certain time, your horse will no longer gain anything by doing rides.

When your horse is 2 years old, it can start training. Each skill requires a specific training. Each training requires 3 hours. You can combine several training types during your horse's day, but always check its energy level and what time it is on its history so that it can get enough rest. Remember, you have to bed it down at 10:00 pm at the latest!

When your horse reaches 5 years old, you can go on beach rides. These are special rides during which you can change the allocation of your horse's skills by transferring them from one skill to another. The longer the ride, the higher the transfer of skills. Warning, the transfer is limited and corresponds to 2.5% of the genetic potential of the horse.

Remember, if your horse's morale isn't at 100% when it goes for rides on the beach, the transferring of skills will be less than optimal and lost for good.

3.2.4 - Bonuses

They appear in a frame in the horse's page. These are points added to the skills, but they are not to be confused with the skills. They may make a difference in the results of the competitions, but do not count for the minimum required for the competitions.

They may be associated with:

• at the equestrian center where a horse has been boarded according to its prestige
• with various items bought from the store, on the Black Market or found during the activities performed by your horse

They are also displayed with a + sign in front of them when you hover your mouse over the "Skills" frame.