Use Free Lunging to Work Off Excess Energy
Free lunge an Explosive horse to work off excess energy before trying to ride again. Explosive results from insufficient exercise and blocks normal player-controlled riding and competition entry. You may need to repeat free lunging before the horse is ready to return to riding.
Steps to Return to Riding
- Choose free lunging for the Explosive horse. This lets you exercise it and begin working off excess energy while normal riding is blocked.
- Check the horse's remaining energy after the session. Use its condition to judge whether it needs further exercise before you attempt to ride again.
- Repeat free lunging while the horse still needs to work off excess energy. Follow its progress rather than expecting a fixed session count to solve the problem.
- Try riding again after working off the excess energy. If the horse remains Explosive, continue addressing its exercise needs before attempting normal riding or competition entry.
Why Paddock Turnout May Not Be Enough
Paddock turnout provides some exercise, but it may not satisfy a horse with high exercise needs. If your horse becomes Explosive despite turnout, use free lunging to address the remaining excess energy. Keep monitoring its needs and exercise it regularly once you can ride again.
When Lunging Feels Unpredictable
An Explosive horse can change speed unpredictably during lunging, making precise training more difficult. Keep your immediate goal on working off excess energy before returning to your usual riding plans. Treat the session as exercise rather than making perfect pacing your priority.
Keep Demo Instructions Separate
The February demo had an early blockage that could leave you stuck with an Explosive horse before completing the initial training; the demo patch notes list a fix for that problem. That specific tutorial issue should be kept separate from managing a horse's exercise needs.
The October demo added walking horses, with or without foals, and the full game released on November 4, 2026. Keep those versions separate when following an older walkthrough. For the excess-energy problem described here, use the free-lunging routine above rather than assuming the addition of walks changes the solution.