by Stormtrooper on May 20, 2025
Mounts are very important in World of Warcraft, and it is not only about traveling across the map, but also about getting an in-game advantage, running away from high-level bosses, and completing quests faster.
There are many different mounts in World of Warcraft, but for some reason many people are interested in getting a trusty horse. However, if you are a beginner, you have to understand that mounts are connected to races. In other words, certain horse mounts are only available for Alliance players, and some horse mounts (not many) are available only for Horde players.
So, if you want a horse as your main mount, you are better off playing Human Alliance since there are more options. We currently have the War Within expansion where players can reach up to level 80, and getting a horse is easier than ever before.
All you need is gold, some quests, and knowing the location where to get it. Let’s go though the multiple ways of getting a horse as a mount is WoW War Within expansion.
You cannot get a horse the second you create your character. There is something called riding skills, where you need to reach a certain level, and spend some money to unlock these mounts.
To ride any horse, you need riding skills:
Apprentice Riding (Level 10): 4 gold, 60% speed, unlocks basic mounts.
Journeyman Riding (Level 20): 50 gold, 100% speed, unlocks epic mounts.
Expert Riding (Level 30): 250 gold, enables flying mounts (some horses fly).
Fortunately, this can be done quite easily. The total cost for a basic horse setup (Apprentice + mount) is around 5 gold, which is farmable in 1-2 hours at level 10.
Higher skills for epic or flying horses (300-550 gold) require level 20-30. Train in Stormwind (Alliance) or Orgrimmar/Silvermoon (Horde).
After you’ve completed these requirements, it is time to get your first mount.
There are two types of ground mounts, one that increase speed by 60% and epic ones that increase speed by 100%. Other than that, all horses are the same. The only difference is in the aesthetics.
We all want faster horses, right? WoW may not be a race like Belmont Stakes, but having a faster horse makes things easier. But epic horses in WoW are hard to get just like the Belmont Stakes winners.
To check the list of all the fastest horses at the Belmont Stakes, click the link below: https://www.twinspires.com/belmont-stakes/winners/
Alliance players, especially humans, have the easiest path to obtaining a horse mount. Your progression until level 10 will naturally guide you to vendors in Stormwind or Elwynn Forest, where you’ll learn Apprentice Riding (at level 10).
These vendors sell basic horse mounts. So, if you are a Human race, you can head to Katie Hunter at Eastvale Logging Camp (77.5, 67.2) or Gregor MacVince in Stormwind (67.6,37.8) for Worgen.
These basic horses, like the Brown Horse or Pinto, are cheap, and will cost you around 1 gold each, but they need 20 riding skill.
But what if you are an Alliance player but not human? How to get a horse as a Gnome or Dwarf?
Well, you’ll need Exalted reputation with Stormwind to buy horses. This takes time, where you have to grind quests which can take weeks.
Paladins get exclusive horse mounts through class quests or abilities, making them a go-to for horse lovers. Here’s how, verified via Wowhead (2025):
Level to 20 (Retail): In Retail WoW, Paladins unlock the Summon Warhorse spell at level 20, granting a free horse mount (e.g., Thalassian Warhorse for Blood Elves, Charger for Humans). No gold or quest needed.
Classic Paladin Quests: In WoW Classic or Season of Discovery, Alliance Paladins start the “The Tome of Nobility” quest at level 40 in Stormwind’s Cathedral of Light. It leads to a Charger mount after gathering materials (e.g., 10 Sungrass, 40 gold). Horde Paladins (Blood Elves) follow a similar quest in Silvermoon, costing ~50 gold.
High-Level Mounts: At level 60 (Retail), Paladins can unlock epic mounts like the Divine Steed or Argent Charger via talents or quests.
Free for Retail Paladins at level 20, and Classic quests add lore-rich rewards. Cost: 0 gold (Retail), 40-50 gold (Classic). Classic quests are time-intensive (5-10 hours); ensure you’re on the right patch. Available in Retail, Classic, and Season of Discovery.
Horde players face a tougher road, as horses aren’t their racial mounts (e.g., Orcs get wolves). The main path is the “Two Sides to Every Tale” achievement:
Complete Battle for Azeroth Campaigns: Finish the entire Battle for Azeroth (BfA) war campaign on both Horde and Alliance characters to earn the Bloodflank Charger, a horse mount. Requires level 50+ and 20-30 hours per campaign.
Reputation Grind: Alternatively, Horde players can grind Exalted reputation with Stormwind (via Alliance quests or cloth turn-ins) to buy horses, but this is impractical (months of grinding.
The Bloodflank Charger is a rare Horde horse, perfect for collectors. The downside is that it is time-heavy (40-60 hours); no gold if you skip reputation.
Special horse mounts, like the Ghastly Charger or Sinrunner Blanchy, come from events, codes, or rare drops:
Headless Horseman (Hallow’s End): During October’s Hallow’s End event, queue for the Headless Horseman dungeon via Group Finder (level 10+). The Headless Horseman’s Mount, a flaming horse, has a ~0.5% drop rate. Run daily for 7-14 days.
Sinrunner Blanchy: Complete a six-step quest in Revendreth (Shadowlands) over six days, feeding Blanchy items like apples and brushes. Requires level 50 and Shadowlands expansion.
Ghastly Charger: Redeem a loot code via Landro Longshot in Booty Bay, available through rare TCG cards or promotions. Rarely obtainable in 2025.
Vendor Mounts (PvP): Lieutenant Karter in Stormwind’s Champions’ Hall (72.4, 50.8) sells horses like the Stormwind Steed for 50-100 Honor, earned via PvP.
These mounts are unique, with Blanchy’s glow and the Headless Horseman’s flames stealing the show. Cost: 0 gold for events; $100-$200 for codes.
There you have it. The best and easiest way to get a horse is to choose a Human Alliance character from the start. But even if you choose another race from Alliance, you’ll be able to get a horse, but later on or at a higher level.