Horses of Hoofprint Bay: Beginner Guide

Horses of Hoofprint Bay is a hand-drawn 2D barn-building sim: you take over a run-down stable, care for your horse, train its strength and confidence, and compete for prize money. The loop is simple on paper — care, train, compete, upgrade — but skipped chores and overspending both bite. This guide covers a sensible first-session route.

Start with the basics: character, horse, and first build

On a new game you name and customize your character, pick an outfit, then choose your starting horse from a set of coat options (roan, bay, dun, paint, palomino, chestnut, gray, and others). After a short ride to your new home, you'll be asked to build a riding arena — and you'll likely be nearly broke afterward. That's normal for day one.

The main menu also has a "Create a horse of your own" option. It's a standalone customization toy and does not load into your save, so don't expect it to affect gameplay.

Establish a daily care routine

Care is the backbone of the game. Neglected horses can develop a long list of problems — cuts and abrasions, hoof abscesses, thrush, laminitis, dehydration, exhaustion, hunger, saddle sores, infections, and more — and horses can be taken away if care lapses. Build a short routine and repeat it every in-game day:

• Groom your horse (curry comb and brush)
• Use the hoofpick to help prevent hoof problems
• Muck out the stable — dirty stalls can lead to hoof infections
• Check hunger and feed if needed
• Check overall health status before training or showing

The game sets daily goals like "groom your horse" and "muck out the stable," which is a good prompt for the routine. Watch for hunger warnings: in one release-day playthrough, a horse was healthy but hungry before its first show, forcing an emergency feed run. Some horses are "hard keepers" and need more feed attention than others.

Train before you compete

Training builds the stats that qualify your horse for competitions. "Caprilli" training works as an early exercise, with stamina visibly increasing after sessions.

A few practical points:

• Train when your horse has energy; don't stack training and a show on the same day if energy is low.
• Check the stat gains after each session and repeat exercises that are working.
• Upgraded facilities open up more training options. In one playthrough, grid work, rhythm training, lunging, and confidence training courses appeared after an upgrade; the store page confirms advanced building stages unlock new training courses (Steam page).

Enter shows — but budget for the trailer first

Competitions (show jumping and cross country) are the main early income source, but you need a trailer to transport your horse to shows. In one release-day playthrough the trailer cost 200 in-game currency, and the player was already broke around that purchase. Plan for that purchase before you count on show winnings.

Once you can enter, shows are worth it: a narrow first-place finish still paid a meaningful sum. Enter events your horse's stats actually support, and don't drain its energy right before a show.

Build sustainable income beyond prize money

Several income paths are available:

• Prize money from show jumping and cross country competitions
• Training horses for others
• Breeding and selling foals or stud services — the high-tech breeding station lab lets you preview possible foals and sell more stud services (Steam page)
• Completing quests — in one playthrough, a trail quest to find a lost hoof boot awarded prestige
• Giving lessons
• Accepting boarders — there are three tiers: feed/pasture only, feed plus brushing and medical monitoring, or full training for the owner

Boarding is a good mid-game option because the lowest tier is low-effort. Don't take on boarders until your own horse's routine is stable.

Upgrade and hire staff as income grows

Save for building upgrades that expand horse capacity and unlock better training courses, staff applications, and the breeding lab. Once you can afford it, staff applications let you assign a staff member to an individual horse for care — useful for keeping a growing herd healthy while you focus on your main competition horse.

What to prioritize in your first session

1. Finish the arena build and accept being broke on day one.
2. Set up the daily care routine and hit the daily goals.
3. Train consistently and watch stamina and strength gains.
4. Save for the trailer, then enter a show your horse can handle.
5. Reinvest winnings into upgrades before expanding your herd.