I'd love to use horses from the start of a new game, but mine always charge straight at the enemy and get killed. Even if I leave them quite a long way behind me, they rush into hopelessly-outnumbered combat whenever they can. If I were a melee fighter maybe I could charge with them and protect them, but I prefer to play as a weedy mage who has to stay out of the thick of battle. And at the start of a new game 1000 gold for a horse is a lot to lose every time, even if I could learn to cope with repeated bereavement. Has anyone any horse-preserving tips?

I thought I had one right up until you said 'mage'.

Therefore the only answer I can offer is this ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAp9sFVdERQ

Thank you for that, anyway

I suppose if you are handy with a blade, just stay on the horse and swing away...? Thats the only other option until (or if ) they allow mounted spellcasting.

I was hoping for an answer to suicidal horses myself. Since you are a mage Ingenue, how about investing in some of those heal other type spells, see if you can heal the silly creature fast enough to keep him alive. I left Frost a long, long way from some locations and he still managed to jump into the fray and get himself killed. My very low level Orc wannabe warrior is hoping to keep a stable hack alive long enough to enjoy some mounted combat. Mind you he is probably as suicidal as the horses, it is probably not going to go well.

Unfortunately I'd have to get too close to the battle to cast Healing hands. Ah well, looks like I'll need a 'Cautious horses' mod.

I don't know if this is a solution, but it seems to be working for me.

+Fast gallop for about 2 seconds away from the target.
+Make sure the horse is not pointing to the target when you dismount!!
+Keep your weapon/spell drawn until you're about "6 feet" from the horse and draw them as you're approaching the target.

I've been doing these steps for about 20 levels now, and I've yet to see my horse attack since then.

I think it's the drawing of the weapon/spell near the horse that excites it to attack, but I could be wrong.

Shadowmare seems pretty immortal to me. One time he went head on against elder dragon while I couldn't stand against the dragon shadow was like "problem?".

Interesting! Thanks very much, I'll try it this evening

i dont like horses because they act like warriors...real horses run before they fight not charge towards certain death

Charge in and stagger with destruction spell at point blank range, run and get behind something close by, turn and stagger again. Some enemies have a short stagger duration like trolls so keep that in mind.

If you don't have that perk yet, I guess a calm spell or shout.

Now if you have the fully charged knock-back shout, you could use that on the enemies (it does do a very small amount of damage so if you do use this shout, make sure that it only grazes your allies (a graze has the same effect as a first level shout which only causes a stagger).

...Oddly enough, the number one cause of horse-death for me is the horse being sling-shotted across the field the moment I dismount.

When my horse was slaughtered in Oblivion, I stopped using them. I was on PS3 then but now on PC, I have a mod to make horses essential. If you'd also like your follower to ride, there's a mod for that too. These two mods really make having a horse fun for me again...I can't stand it if they die. I find that sometimes the horses will fight and sometimes they'll run a short distance away and wait.

I've been using the same horse from the Whiterun stables since level 3 and I'm at level 27 now. I play on Master difficulty and I even use mounted combat vs up to 6 enemies at a time. I even fight Dragons on horses, and my horse is still alive and kickin'. Not sure why so many people lose their horses, I'm not even cautious whatsoever, I just run in and fight stuff.

Again, I play on Master difficulty with no crafting skills, and my damage perks are only 1/5 (20%) so I'm nowhere near overpowered, the game is actually very challenging for me and I have yet to have my horse die.

I guess some people just have bad luck?

Or you have amazing luck with horses...

My horses die every second or third battle I fight, which has caused me to dismount and heal them. I didn't use them prior to the horse combat patch at all, and I haven't started a mage character since that patch so I have no idea how they to keep them alive, but in Oblivion I always dismounted a long way away. It was annoying but it ensured they wouldn't join the fight.

For one, I employ jousting/cavalry type tactics when using my horse, I don't just stand next to the enemy and let them hit my horse 5 times in a row. I usually use a 2-hander to run in/out every few seconds, unleashing a power attack everytime I swoop in. It not only ensures victory, but the safety of my horse as well.

In RL, if you just stay in one spot with your horse while swinging at an enemy below you, you'll simply get yourself and your horse killed. It's no different in this game.

Honestly, I feel that I've perfected mounted combat. I would make instructional videos with tips on effectively using it, but I'm on 360. :/

I do the same thing, but against four or five enemies a few are bound to hit your horse every now and then. If I don't heal my horse after every two or so quick battles the horse will die

I feel your pain...

Travelling north from Rorikstead, my faithful steed Diego and I ran across a bandit camp. (You know one I'm talking about?). Three bandit archers opened up as I dismounted and charged into the fray. Once everything was said and done, I look back and my horse looked like a pincushion laying dead on the ground. *sigh* Well..... [censored]......

By the eight that was a long walk to Solitude.

Its odd, but my horse seems to run away... Been in a few fights where the horse goes in and fights for a bit, then turns around and runs away, usually taking a non-direct route back to where I dismounted. Never really used horses too much, but im telling you, my horse gets the hell out of dodge when things start to get hairy. Pretty crazy haha.

My horse died fighting an ancient dragon. Served the foolish creature right, if you ask me.

As we roleplay, we imagine our characters in the world and even though I'm using a mod that makes the horse essential, I can hear it when he's hit because he sounds like he's in pain. Still imagining, I have to get away from the danger to him and myself. I can run away fast or run for a ways, stop and heal us both and go back to the fight, with him or without him. It would be like tactics in real life and the signs are there when the horse is in danger; we have to learn them. The enemy really go after the horse because if they bring it down, you're down there with them and they can get you.

Thank you, that sounds like the answer for me as well.