Confidence guide
Raise your horse’s confidence, stop bucking and spooking, and understand why the hearts disappear.
To raise confidence in Horses of Hoofprint Bay, use confidence training and praise your horse (S by default) right after you change its gait. Treats add a little confidence, more for horses with the Snacky quirk. If your horse stops showing hearts when you pet it, that is normal: players report hearts stop at high confidence, around 80.
Why confidence matters#
Horses with low confidence pick their own pace, buck, snort, and refuse jumps, which makes even easy training slow. Raising confidence makes them follow your commands. Players say you also need to desensitize horses to spooky objects before they cooperate.
Praise after changing gait#
Players report a fast way to build confidence: during any training or trail ride, change the horse’s gait yourself, then press S (default key) to praise it for obeying. Praise only seems to work right after a gait change.
Confidence training#
For a horse that bucks during full-board training, players recommend the confidence training, found near the bottom of the training list.
Treats#
Treats give a tiny amount of confidence if it is not already maxed, and add a little weight. Horses with the Snacky quirk get more confidence from treats.
Why your horse “hates being touched”#
Hearts appear when you pet a horse in a spot it likes. Players report that once confidence reaches about 80 or more (the last bar), the hearts stop appearing. The horse does not dislike you; it has simply reached high confidence.
Rebellious horses#
A player who analyzed the game explains that horses change speed on their own until confidence is nearly full. A Rebellious horse keeps doing this even at high confidence and gives less warning.
What still needs verification
Exact confidence values, including the heart threshold, come from player reports and need in-game verification.
This page reflects official information and Steam Community answers reviewed on November 6, 2026. Player answers are identified as community reports in the text and sources. It has not been verified against a specific playable build. Suggestions are editorial guidance, not tested outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop my horse bucking?+
Work on confidence with confidence training and praise.
What key praises the horse?+
S by default, right after a gait change.
Why did the hearts stop?+
Players report hearts stop at high confidence, around 80.
What do treats do?+
A small confidence boost and a little weight.
Sources
- Steam discussion: Horse bucking (player answers) ↗
- Steam discussion: Correction in Confidence training (player answers) ↗
- Steam discussion: What do treats do? (player answers) ↗
- Steam discussion: Why do my horses suddenly hate being touched (player answers) ↗
- Steam discussion: Traits and Characteristics (player answers) ↗
Game: Horses of Hoofprint Bay · Release: November 4, 2026 · Images © Thogli Studios. Editorial policy