It's a complex system, filled with great descriptive text, and it's not being used. It needs an overhaul, so horses can become useful. I think the biggest drawback, is the inability to group with others. If you set your horse to walk, then you should be able to group with those on foot. That, all by itself, would lead to horses being used more. Riders being able to group together, as long as their horses are set to the same speed, would also be a great improvement.

Training horses takes far too long. The time frames should be cut in half. The amount of boredom is high, while you wait for a Ranger to train a mount, and it's no doubt boring for the Ranger as well.

Previously on the Horse page of Elanthipedia, it said that Combat could be taught to 20th circle Paladins by the stable master. After reaching that circle, and talking to the stable master, I realized it was broken, and removed it from Elanthipedia. I strongly suspect the next time I reach a circle where it tells me the stable master will train me, it will also fail. Meaning there are no circle bonuses for Paladins, like there are for other classes.

I've also noticed that grooming your mount is pointless. The stable will groom your horse, and for that reason, I'm probably just going to trash all the grooming equipment I thought would be needed. If grooming your horse trained a skill, that would at least be something.

I'm hoping we can open discourse on how to improve horses and make them useful.

-Hawk

Having areas blocked off to horses is annoying, I agree. As a "for instance" you can't take your horse into young ogres, because of the rock face that needs to be climbed. That's realistic you say? Well, honestly, the narrow trail and cliff also require climbing, yet a horse has no difficulty scaling those. The barricade you have to climb to get into Rock Trolls, would seem to be able to be jumped or climbed, if the cliffs in young ogres can be climbed.

As to stowing gear, according to Epedia, Estate Holders can have their gear packed up by the stable boys, in an oilcloth packet, although I'm not sure if this is exactly what you were referencing in your post.

I'm just glad someone saw the post and commented, after seeing how long ago discussion stopped on the subject of horses, I really didn't expect it. ;)

-Hawk