Recently, we introduced the expert evaluation system in disciplines. Today, we’re excited to share updates for another major horse “career” in the game! We have some exciting changes planned for In-Hand (Conformation) shows to make them more interactive and realistic.
In-Hand-Specific Training
In-Hand will be getting its own dedicated training system! Currently, In-Hand only requires Groundwork training, but that’s not quite realistic. Groundwork is just the basics—teaching a horse to wear a halter and walk on lead. To truly excel in the show ring, your horse needs much more polish than that.
You’ll need to practice standing square (positioning forelegs and hindlegs evenly), trotting in-hand, working on flexion from the ground, and more! Like other careers, this training won’t be available until your horse turns 2 years old. Yes, we know some of this training could realistically be done on younger horses, but for the sake of consistency and balance across all careers, we’re limiting training to horses 2 years and older.
Introducing: muscle tone
Currently, In-Hand shows are only affected by conformation, body condition score, and coat condition. You could take a pasture potato straight out of the field, brush it off, and it’d perform just as well as a horse that’s been actively training for barrel racing (assuming the same body condition score).
That’s just not realistic. In real life, physical muscle tone matters. A horse that hasn’t been exercised won’t trot as athletically as one that’s been worked regularly. To account for this, we have decided to add a new stat to the horses that specifically impacts in-hand shows.
How muscle tone works:
- New stat ranging from 0 to 100
- Horses with 90-100 muscle tone will perform their best in-hand
- Raised through training or exercise
- Declines if a horse rests too long—you’ll need to regularly work with them to maintain their muscle tone
- Housing affects muscle tone loss! Horses in pastures lose muscle tone more slowly than barn-kept horses
This brings us to another new feature…
Turnout Time Management
In real life, barn-kept horses aren’t in their stalls 24/7. They get turnout time in arenas or small paddocks, but due to limited space, horses rotate through turnout throughout the day.
In V2, you’ll be able to manage turnout time for your barn-kept horses in Legacy!
How it works:
- Each barn gets 24 hours* of daily turnout time per rollover, for every 10 stalls in the barn
- Think of it this way: your barn has access to an arena and paddock on that 2-acre plot, allowing horses to be in turnout on a rotating schedule
- A 30-stall barn will have 72 hours available, for example (bigger barns = more turnout spaces)
- You can assign turnout time to each horse in the barn, with a minimum of 1 hour per horse and a maximum of 5 hours per horse
- More turnout time = less muscle tone loss per rollover
*Numbers are subject to change as we balance the system
Age Decline
In real life, horses show signs of aging—swayed backs, less snappy trot movement, and other changes that affect their appearance and athleticism in conformation shows. We’re now simulating this in-game.
How it works:
- In-Hand scores will begin declining once horses reach 15 years old
- The effect starts very small and gradually increases with age
- This helps balance in-hand careers with discipline careers
This system will add strategic depth to career management. You’ll need to think carefully about when to retire your horses, making titling more challenging and rewarding. Retiring a horse isn’t a bad thing—it’s realistic, and it opens up shows for younger horses, creating a natural cycle you’ll manage throughout your gameplay.