Can You Get a Permanent Horse in Skyrim?
The short answer is – yes! While the horses you buy from stables can permanently die, through certain questlines and DLCs you can obtain specialty horses that will remain with you throughout the entire game. These horses have their own unique advantages, but provide vastly increased utility compared to standard horses.
Purchased Horses – Convenient but Fragile
The most straightforward way to get a horse is to simply purchase one from a stable for 1000 gold. These horses will fast travel with you and aid basic exploration. However, they can be killed in combat and will not respawn – losing your investment.
Pros:
- Available right away with gold
- Good for early game travel
Cons:
- Not combat-viable
- Permanently dies if killed
- Basic stats and speed
Without mods or console commands, bought horses provide no permanence. But they offer early convenience if you can spare the 1k gold cost.
Frost – Stalwart Steed of the Dawnguard
Frost is a unique horse granted as a reward for completing the Dawnguard DLC quest "Promises to Keep."
With notably higher health and stamina compared to standard horses, Frost is a sturdy companion for adventure and battle.
| Stat | Frost | Standard Horse |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 562 | 369 |
| Stamina | 148 | 102 |
| Speed | 38 | 40 |
His only downside is frosty reception – requing Dawnguard progression to obtain.
Once earned, Frost remains a permanent fixture for the rest of your playthrough. He can still potentially die in combat, but will reliably respawn at the nearest stable after fast traveling.
Overall, Frost is an excellent mid-tier horse that provides an easy permanence upgrade from basic purchases.
Shadowmere – Sinister Steed of the Dark Brotherhood
This magnificent black horse strikes fever in the hearts of man and beast. His name echoes through history – bearing powerful figures like Reman Cyrodiil and Lachance.
Shadowmere‘s mythic legacy makes him an iconic Skyrim companion – obtained by completing the Dark Brotherhood "Cure for Madness" quest.
Though shrouded in mystery, his necromantic origins grant combat prowess unmatched by mortal horses:
| Stat | Shadowmere | Standard Horse |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 769 | 369 |
| Stamina | 250 | 102 |
| Speed | 35 | 40 |
And most importantly, Shadowmere cannot permanently die. If he falls in battle, he will respawn in 10 days.
This makes Shadowmere the undisputed best permanent horse in Skyrim – leveraging cool background lore with god-like endurance. He epitomizes a top-tier mount.
Arvak – Cadaverous Steed of the Soul Cairn
Unlike Shadowmere, this bony horse projects an aura of death instead of delivering it. Finding Arvak requires a journey to the ominous Soul Cairn domain.
There you‘ll discover his skull embedded in the ground – fusing him to your service after defeating a keeper.
Why consider a creepy half-horse over healthy counterparts?
- Available earlier than Frost/Shadowmere
- Can summon wherever/whenever
- Spooky ghost aesthetic
| Stat | Arvak | Standard Horse |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 292 | 369 |
| Stamina | Inf. | 102 |
| Speed | 31 | 40 |
Arvak trades raw strength for flexible travel – able to be quickly summoned in any environment. Plus having infinite stamina enables rapid long-distance galloping.
These exotic mechanics combined with spectral immortality make Arvak popular despite modest combat ability.
At the end of the day, the core answer remains clear – you CAN obtain horses in Skyrim that permanently stay with your character. Whether desiring convenience, toughness or versatility – options exist to upgrade from basic stable purchases. Just be ready to prove your worth through daring quests!
