Red Dead 2 Guide: Here’s How To Set Your Horse To Follow Trails

Extended horseback journeys across Red Dead Redemption 2’s expansive landscapes can become monotonous, but Rockstar Games implemented an intelligent automation feature that delegates navigation responsibilities to your equine companion. This system transforms tedious trail-following into an opportunity for strategic observation and environmental appreciation.

The core experience of traversing RDR2’s wilderness involves navigating diverse biomes including undulating grasslands, arid desert expanses, and dense forest corridors. While the game’s massive open world offers countless distractions and discoveries during any expedition, reaching distant objectives demands significant time investment. This deliberate pacing serves a dual purpose: showcasing the game’s breathtaking environmental design while creating natural rhythm to exploration. However, manual steering through winding paths and maintaining course alignment inevitably grows repetitive over extended periods.

Red Dead Redemption 2’s travel automation transforms riding from an active task to a managed activity. The game incorporates sophisticated pathfinding that enables your mount to automatically navigate toward designated destinations while adhering to established trails and road networks. Your horse possesses remarkable artificial intelligence; once properly configured with destination parameters, it reliably handles route navigation—freeing you to monitor roadside occurrences worth investigating and remain vigilant against potential ambushes by opportunistic criminals.

To initiate equine automated navigation, begin by establishing your destination coordinates. Access your map interface and place a waypoint marker at your target location. The game subsequently generates an optimal route to your objective via trail networks, functioning similarly to modern GPS navigation systems. This computed pathway serves as the guided route your horse will follow throughout the journey.

After mounting your horse, commence riding conventionally and activate the acceleration command (X button on PlayStation, A on Xbox controllers) until achieving your desired travel velocity. Once reaching appropriate speed, maintain constant pressure on the acceleration button to sustain your horse’s pace, mirroring the velocity matching technique used when riding alongside mission companions.

While continuously holding the acceleration input, simultaneously press and maintain pressure on the perspective toggle button (touchpad on PS4, View button on Xbox). A gradual fill meter labeled “Cinematic Camera” appears in your display corner. Upon complete activation, your horse autonomously navigates the trail system to your final destination without requiring additional directional input. The system allows complete controller disengagement while the camera dynamically rotates to provide multiple vantage points of Arthur Morgan’s journey and the surrounding wilderness scenery.

During automated navigation, you can enhance your horse’s velocity by rhythmically tapping the acceleration button synchronized with its galloping cadence. Conversely, applying the deceleration command (R1 on PlayStation, RB on Xbox) reduces your mount’s speed without terminating the autopilot functionality. Depressing the right analog stick cycles through alternative camera angles if the automatically selected perspective proves unsatisfactory. Manual control resumption occurs immediately upon manipulating the control sticks, while tapping the camera button again restores standard perspective.

The cinematic camera automation proves particularly valuable during extended expeditions where manual navigation through countless trail curves becomes burdensome. However, this convenience carries notable limitations. Your peripheral awareness becomes compromised until deactivating the cinematic view, potentially causing missed opportunities when passing spontaneous roadside activities. Additionally, vulnerability increases substantially when delegating navigation duties, as bandit gangs, wanted outlaws, or pursuing lawmen might launch surprise attacks during automated travel segments.

Strategic implementation involves balancing automation benefits against situational risks. In hostile territories like Lemoyne or West Elizabeth, maintain heightened alertness and consider intermittent manual control to scout ambush points. For safer regions such as New Hanover, extended autopilot usage becomes more practical. Understanding these strategic balances transforms travel from mere transportation into tactical decision-making.

Generally, equine automated navigation provides an excellent method for relaxed traversal throughout Red Dead Redemption 2’s diverse environments while appreciating scenic beauty. However, always ensure your sidearm remains readily accessible—unexpected confrontations can materialize rapidly in the unpredictable frontier.

Mastering this system requires understanding several advanced techniques. For optimal efficiency, combine waypoint placement with navigation fundamentals to minimize travel time. The autopilot typically follows the most direct trail routes, but occasionally selects suboptimal paths—manually overriding for brief segments can save significant time. Additionally, your horse’s bonding level influences its pathfinding reliability and obstacle avoidance capabilities.

Common mistakes include over-reliance on automation in dangerous territories and failure to monitor stamina meters during extended gallops. Advanced players should master the timing between acceleration taps and horse gait synchronization to maximize speed without exhausting their mount. The system works exceptionally well for journeys exceeding three minutes of real-time travel, while shorter routes often benefit from manual navigation. Environmental factors like weather conditions and time of day also impact the effectiveness and safety of automated travel protocols.

Explore our additional Red Dead Redemption 2 resources for comprehensive information, including complete equipment optimization guides, legendary animal habitat locations, and comprehensive core mechanics explanations.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Red Dead 2 Guide: Here’s How To Set Your Horse To Follow Trails Master Red Dead Redemption 2's horse autopilot system to travel efficiently while avoiding ambushes and random encounters