I've noticed that, aside from Tullius and the Thalmor at the beginning and that one rich dude you randomly encounter, there are no other people on horses in skyrim. What's up with that? Would the hold guards not be much more effective on horses? Why are there no mounted highwaymen? Is there some kind of royal decree that states that only the dragonborn may ride horses?

With access to stables and horses at only 1000 gold per (7 guards could be riding from breezehome alone) it's kinda strange that nobody uses them. Sure, people own horses, but they never ever ride them.

I see them in every game I play.

there's Hunters as well.

and you could credit the sparseness of the NPC populace as a whole wandering Skyrim's roads to the growing dragon menace and ongoing civil war.

I see hunters, nobles, and Dawnguard faction members on horses, But with the vampire epidemic, werewolf population increasing, dragons, end of the world, including a hole other host of creatures on murdering rampages I can understand why some people maybe less inclined to leave the house.

Some hunters are also on horse, but it's true that not many people use them.

I remember I would see people riding on horses all the time in oblivion. There is also that

This

The pass with Haemar's Shame, never ever been through that without meeting someone on a horse.

Exactly, there are just random nobles on horses.

@PooHunter
They dont even use them.....
They own horses for nothing.

Because someone was asking about this over at the Scripters' Hideout ... I thought I'd share what we "learned" there ... here ...

A horse will only be used for a journey, (by an NPC) if:

• The NPC owns a horse and the horse is "stabled" near their current location
  
• The distance to be travelled is "great enough" (no one has yet come up with a minimum distance)

So, the problem is not a lack of horse-riders ... It's a lack of far-away places NPCs need to go

(which is why, when you see a horse and rider, it's usually in the middle of nowhere)


Most NPCs have a daily schedule that sees them travel from their front door, to their shop, to the pub and then back home ... They don't need to use a horse for that

Skyrim originally was not to have horses.
They were added quite late in development due to massive fan demand.
This I think explains a few things about Skyrim horses and why there are barely any other NPC's that use them.

Lol. Its funny how everyone is in denial about the lack of horses. Primarily guards should be the ones with horse patrols. Like they say, "A good steed can mean the difference between life and death." Funny huh, I guess everyone in Skyrim is obsessed with death.

What? Of course they don't own it for nothing! It brings the TES world to life! People riding on horses, going about their daily business.

It would be nice to see horse riders or a farmer walking next to one with firewood on its back Ect.

http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28200000/Whiterun-Concept-Art-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-28215449-1600-505.jpg

How man times have you come across an overturned cart with a dead horse (or two) and murdered riders/passengers? Denial? No, I don't think so. Horses are also sparingly available, quite expensive, and prone to being killed by bears, or even wolves. Commoners aren't out and about travelling from hold to hold seeing the sights, they're home, working. Merchants, that's the only thing really missing on Skyrim's roads, it would be nice to see more than just Khajit walkers. Just a few random wagons (not carts) with armed details for protection.

Because the NPC's found out that the horses are pretty much useless.. just like we have .. but yes i agree, its not like oblivion where guards were riding long the roads all the time.. i would like to see that in skyrim aswel.

There were only really two NPC's who rode horses in Oblivion; Black Horse Couriers and Imperial Legionaires. There were just A LOT of them.

Dont forget hunters and the dead travelers you see not too far from horses. These are dangerous times my friend.

Horse riding is too mainstream in Skyrim.

NPCs with horses:

- Hunters, they occasionally ride them, especially near Haemar's Shame and North Shriekwind Bastion
- Some bandits, though they are dead and the horse just stands near them
- Headless Horseman
- Noble
- Elenwen, General Tullius, Imperial guards during intro
- Peddler being attacked by Bandits/Foresworn, dismounted
- Soliah in Dawnguard

General horse locations
- Stables
- Imperial/Stormcloak camps/forts
- Bandit camps
- Hunters' camps
- Orc Strongholds
- Dead horses where travelers have been attacked
- horse at abandoned horker hunter's camp northeast of Snow Veil Sanctum
- Blackbriar Lodge (Frost)

In Oblivion the only NPCs with horses were Guards and Blackhorse Couriers. The only locations I remember were at stables.

Seems like there are a lot of horses compared to Oblivion and a greater variety of NPCs make use of them.

Oblivion also had a herd of wild horses, by Fort Alessia, but they could not be ridden.

considering they cost 1000 septims and die from a sabre cat growling at them. I wouldn't buy a horse either.

I just wish there were more enemies to fight that were on horseback.