Ride the horse...dismount to collect alchemy ingredient.

Ride the horse...dismount to fight bandit.

Ride the horse...go off a cliff.

No more riding the horse.

Not worth it even at 1K

Like Cobra951, all of my horse shopping is now done at either Legion or Stormcloak camps. Once accessible to ride, they're great. Dismount outside the gates of Solitude, mess around in the city a bit, come back out, mosey down the road a bit, and the horse is walking back to where you found it originally. Mount up and ride again. So far, haven't had one of them get involved in any fights, they just sort of amble away and you have to chase them down again, but at least they stay alive.

I never use a horse. I don't even use Shadowmare and wish it would stop mapping with me. If it dies, I could care less.

Until combat gets better so you can actually fight on a horse, they are pointless.

I think the onpy use for horses is a sort of suicidal cusion. Cause when you fall off a cliff on a horse that would normally kill you sometimes only the horse dies and not the rider.

Agreed. Although I really don't mount shawdowmere much as I prefer to run as to actually explorer every little thing.

God, that was such [censored]. I wanted one so bad and it took me forever to save up.

Once, in a fit of wishful thinking, I saved, then killed everyone at the stable, stole a black horse, and went on a merry gallop through the forest while guards tried to chase me down. heh heh.

I feel the same way with Shadowmere. I don't want the damn thing following me around like a lost sheep, there are times when I want stealth which is hard with a horse clumping around behind you. I normally go into a bandit camp, let Shadowmere charge in and then walk away, he does die with several bandits hacking away at him but that's the only way to get rid of him.

Combat, herb gathering and so on should be possible while remaining on horseback.

Having to dismount to pick up alchemical ingredients in the biggest minus point for me. I love the feeling of running along in the wilds and swooping up many ingredients as i run (ingredients are usually located in bunches). Makes my hands feel full and makes me feel like i've gathered a bountiful harvest

Screw logic, the horse should eat the ingredients and poop it out again later on, while preserving their usefulness