Horses of Hoofprint Bay How to Buy Horses: Steam Guide & In-Game Tips

Horses of Hoofprint Bay How to Buy Horses: The Quick Answer

If you have been searching for "Horses of Hoofprint Bay how to buy horses," there are really two answers, and this guide covers both:

• Buying the game itself: Horses of Hoofprint Bay is a PC-only title available on Steam for $26.99, with a 15% introductory discount bringing it to $22.94 through November 11. A free demo is also available if you want to try before you buy.
• Buying horses inside the game: You start with one horse chosen on the ferry ride to your new farm, and additional horses are purchased from the breeder in town once you have stable space and money saved up.

The game launched on November 4, 2026, from developer Thogli Studios and publisher The Mane Quest, and it is already sitting at "Very Positive" on Steam, with 99% of 436 user reviews rating it positively according to the official Steam store page.

Where and How to Buy Horses of Hoofprint Bay

The game is sold exclusively through Steam on PC. When a player asked in the Horses & Video Games Facebook group whether the game was on mobile, the community confirmed it is PC-only and available on Steam — there is no phone or console version.

Here is what you need to know before purchasing:

A few buying tips worth knowing:

• Try the free demo first. The October demo is limited to 25 in-game days, but saves from that demo carry over into the full game, so nothing is lost if you upgrade. Older February demo saves do not transfer.
• Check your OS. Minimum requirements are Windows 10 version 21H1 or newer, or SteamOS/Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 on Linux. The game is marked playable on Steam Deck.
• Buy soon for the discount. Per the Steam Community hub, the 15% launch offer ends November 11, and the DLC adds over 50 pages of behind-the-scenes sketches from the hand-drawn art process.

Your Starter Horse: Picking Your First Horse in Horses of Hoofprint Bay

You do not buy your first horse — you arrive with one. The game opens with your character on a ferry bringing you and your horse to a plot of land you bought with your savings, and you choose your starting mount from a lineup brought ashore.

Based on the full-release gameplay walkthrough, the opening choices include a bay, a paint, a palomino, a chestnut, and a gray. Your pick is purely cosmetic at this stage, though the streamer chose the chestnut specifically because it matched her character's burgundy sweater.

After arrival, your early goals are simple: feed and water your horse daily, groom it, muck out the stable, and build a riding arena. The in-game library warns that neglected horses can develop serious conditions — from thrush and laminitis to sepsis — and that horses can even be taken away from you if care slips too far.

How to Buy Additional Horses From the Breeder

Once your yard is established, a goal appears asking you to buy a second horse from the breeder in town. This is how the horse-buying loop works in Horses of Hoofprint Bay:

1. Save up money first. The streamer deliberately waited until she had earned cash from lessons, competitions, and boarders before buying, so she would not be left broke.
2. Build space before you buy. She purchased and built a field (which took two in-game days) before adding a second horse, so her horses would not be cramped in one paddock. Larger stable upgrades come later — stage two costs $2,500 in-game.
3. Visit the breeder and browse the roster. The town breeder offers a rotating list of horses with names like Fabriano, Fancy Nancy, Burko, and Chester. Each horse has its own personality, and you can inspect temperament before committing.
4. Watch for stallions. The streamer bought "Mr. Horse" without realizing he was a stallion — which led to an accidental pregnancy when he shared a field with her mare. If you do not want surprise foals, plan turnout carefully or pay the vet to geld your stallion.
5. Expect ongoing costs. Every new horse means more feed, water, grooming, and mucking. A big bale of hay runs $80 in-game, and hard keepers will drain your feed supply quickly.

The exact price of individual breeder horses varies, so check the in-game listing before you commit.

How to Afford Horses: Making Money in Hoofprint Bay

Because buying horses is only half the equation, you will need steady income to support them. The game's library lists every earning method: winning competitions, training horses, breeding, selling semen, completing quests, giving lessons, and accepting boarders.

Schooling boards are the standout earner — the streamer took in a horse named Blackbeard for $1,000 and had seven days to train him up. Just remember that training burns energy: a horse that is pushed too hard becomes exhausted, loses confidence, and cannot work the next day.

What to Check Before You Buy a Horse

Horses in Hoofprint Bay have real personality traits that affect gameplay. Before spending your savings at the breeder, keep this checklist in mind:

• Keeper type: "Easy keepers" hold their weight on normal feed, while "hard keepers" eat constantly and will strain your budget.
• Temperament: Fresh or "explosive" horses are difficult to train and more prone to acting up. The streamer dealt with an explosive mare that required lunging before every session.
• Confidence level: Low-confidence horses react slowly in training and need confidence-building exercises before they can show.
• Inheritance traits: Traits like "good inheritance" mean bred foals get a slight potential boost, while "bad inheritance" does the opposite — this matters if you plan to breed. Muffin's "good mom" trait combined with Mr. Horse's good inheritance produced a notably strong foal.
• Stallion vs. mare: Know the sex before buying. An unrecognized stallion turned out with mares leads to unplanned pregnancies, and per community reports, there is no way to terminate a pregnancy once it happens.

FAQ

How much does Horses of Hoofprint Bay cost? The standard edition is $26.99 on Steam, currently discounted 15% to $22.94 as a launch offer ending November 11. A free demo with 25 in-game days of content is also available.

Is Horses of Hoofprint Bay on mobile or console? No. Community members confirm it is a PC-only game sold on Steam, supporting Windows and Linux (including Steam Deck).

How do you get a second horse in Horses of Hoofprint Bay? A goal directs you to the breeder in town. Save money from lessons, shows, and boarders, build field or stable space first, then browse the breeder's roster and buy.

Can horses breed accidentally in the game? Yes. The streamer's stallion impregnated her mare through shared field turnout. You can pay the vet to geld a stallion to prevent repeat surprises.

Can you lose your horses if you neglect them? Yes. The in-game library warns that poorly cared-for horses can be taken away from you, so daily feeding, watering, grooming, and mucking are non-negotiable.

Does the game use AI-generated art? No. The developers state the game is hand-drawn and made entirely by humans without generative AI, which many Steam reviewers highlight as a selling point.