How to Always Win the Horse Race in Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley
Players who are new to Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley may initially find winning the horse race challenging. However, it's important to note that with practice and experience, victory is achievable.
In addition to unfamiliarity with the mechanics, lack of preparation before the race can also hinder performance. To help new players improve their chances of winning, here are some dos and don'ts to consider:
Tips to Always Win the Horse Race
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| Horse race illustration (It's actually Innocent Life) |
Follow the following tips to win the horse race:
1. Raise your horse's heart
If your horse has more hearts, the running speed of your horse will also be faster. This will greatly facilitate you when following the horse race.
Raising your horse's heart is easy enough, you just need to feed, brush, talk to, and take it to a walk every day. In addition, you can also train for the horse race with Bob or Gwen.
2. Carry the support items for the race
Here are the power-up items and their effects that you can carry for the horse race:
- Carrot: increase speed by 1.1x for 4 seconds.
- Mineral Carrot: increase speed by 1.2 x for 5 seconds.
- Pontata Root: increase stamina by 30% of the maximum amount.
- Alfalfa Sprout: increase stamina by 10% of the maximum amount.
- Mineral Alfalfa Sprout: increase stamina by 15% of the maximum amount.
- Herb: increase stamina by 20% of the maximum amount.
- Fodder: increase stamina by 5% of the maximum amount.
The selection of the above items honestly depends on the type of race you follow.
Short type
Because the distance is short, it depends on the speed, so you should carry some Mineral carrots. If you don't have one, just take some carrots.
Long type
Because the distance is quite long, it depends on the horse's stamina, so you should carry Potato roots. If you don't have one, just take some herbs.
Steeplechase
In Steeplechase horse racing, timing is crucial when navigating obstacles, making stamina-boosting items essential for maintaining a competitive edge.
While speed is important, ensuring your horse's stamina remains high throughout the race is paramount.
I usually use Herbs among the recommended items due to their effectiveness in replenishing stamina.
Note: Press the Triangle button to use all the support items above during the race
3. Do not spend your stamina too quickly
Even with supporting items, wasting stamina can lead to losing. Your horse's stamina decreases constantly, and if it runs out, your horse will slow down significantly.
Therefore, avoid excessively pressing the Circle (O) button to speed up your horse. Use it wisely, such as when you're about to be overtaken by another rider.
4. Slow down when entering the turn of the track
Well, this is usually violated. If your horse pace is high at the turn, you will most likely have trouble turning left, and eventually crashing into the right-side fences of the track.
Under these high-speed conditions, you can hit the Square button to slow down your horse.
5. Take the left line of the track
If you see Gwen or Bob during the race, they often take the left lane of the track. Why? Because the side has the shortest distance from the track.
6. Never hit another Rider
It will only slow down the pace of your horse.
7. Keep practice
Theory alone is insufficient; practice on the race track is necessary to develop strategies for winning the race.
By familiarizing yourself with the track through direct practice, you can refine your techniques and increase your chances of success.
These are the tips for consistently winning the horse race in Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley. If you have additional tips, feel free to share them here. Thank you!
Read also: Villager Birthdays, Likes, and Hates - Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley Guide