Doing both of these things is important for maintaining the bond with your horse, as well as keeping its health and stamina bars full. 

Of course, you’ll actually need a brush to keep your horse’s coat clean of dust and dander. However, you can’t just go into any store and buy a brush. Instead, you have to complete a quest to get it.   

Luckily, that quest is pretty easy – and it’s one you can start and finish very early in the game. Here’s how to complete it and get the horse brush. 

Complete the Quest: Exit Pursued by a Bruised Ego 

To start this quest, you’ll need to find Hosea Matthews in your camp. From your tent, head toward the horse hitch near the edge of the camp (the one where you almost always leave your horse when entering the camp). He’ll be sitting on a rock cleaning his gun. 

Once you start the quest, Hosea will ask you to help him hunt a Legendary Bear. In fact, this is the first Legendary hunting quest in the game, and it’s also how you gain the ability to find other Legendary animals on the map. 

However, before you head off to kill the bear, you’ll need to take a horse to the Valentine stables. Once you get there (it’s on rails, so you won’t have to look for it), sell your horse and purchase another one. 

I’d suggest just buying the $13 horse, since all of the others are priced too high this early in the game. That especially true if you haven’t unlocked fast travel yet and need that precious $325. 

Once you buy the horse, you’ll automatically get the horse brush. 

There are two ways to use the horse brush: while riding or while standing. While riding, simply open the item wheel with “L1” on PS4 or “LB” on Xbox One and go over to the horse tab. Select the brush and Arthur will automatically start brushing.

While standing next to your horse, hold “L2” on PS4 or “LT” on Xbox One and then press “right” on the D-pad. 

You can brush your horse as much as you want, but you will only increase your bond every few brushes. Essentially, you can’t spam it for bonding points. 

Be sure to check out our other Red Dead Redemption 2 guides while you’re here.