Horse
Horses are a mean of travel in Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
When you start your first real assassination quest, the assassination of Tamir, you can get the option to travel across the Kingdom by horseback. Three horses wait outside the gates of Masyaf, and the player can choose to ride whichever horse they prefer.
All of the horses are the same speed, but they are all different colors. The horses waiting outside a city all keep the same color when passing through different regions, however, the non-purebred horses change color when passing through different regions. It's unclear why, but the speed and other stats of the horse remain the same when you pass through one region to the next, even if the color does not. Horses outside cities will always be black, white or ginger. Ezio can ride horses at any time during the game.
Controls
Assassin's Creed
To control a horse, walk up to it and the player should mount it automatically, if not, press the Feet button. Use the Feet button to blend when on a horse: While blending only Templars will attack you and Altaïr can pass guards without attracting attention. Pressing only the forward button will make the horse trot, holding the high profile button and forward will make the horse canter. Holding forward, high profile and feet button makes the horse go into gallop. Press attack button while standing still to rear the horse, causing fear in civilians, press attack while holding high profile draws Altaïr's sword and he can attempt to fight NPC's on horseback (feet button sheaths the sword). To jump, simply trot, canter or gallop up to an applicable object and the horse will jump, there is no need to press the feet button.
Assassin's Creed II
Horse gameplay stays exactly the same as in Assassin's Creed, besides the fact that the 'blend' feature is removed.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, you can ride a horse inside the city and perform assassinations from horseback. Horseback combat mechanics have been improved, and Ezio will face mounted opponents. Ezio will also be able to use most weapons available, like crossbows etc.
Moves
Some possible moves are:
- Jump forward off your horse into a haystack
- Do a 180 degree turn while rearing
- Kick out at guards behind you
- Jump off your horse and attack someone with the hidden blade
Beware, if knocked off the horse, it may crush you instantly killing you or run away from Altaïr or Ezio, and he will have to find it again or mount another one. Only the sword and Eagle Vision can be used while on a horse.
A horse will sometimes follow you if you dismount and are not fighting (like if you are dismounting a viewpoint). Sometimes if you jump off a horse and fight a group of guards nearby, the horse will rear and kick the guards, and causes them to stumble, but it isn't a fully reliable way to defeat the opponents.