Available from a stable for 150 Scrap, horses are one of the best methods of transportation in Rust.
Capable of traveling at much faster speeds than running on foot, they’re perfect for moving loot, getting back into a fight, or quick recycle runs.
Over time, horses can become fatigued and gallop for shorter periods of time. They can also lose health when attacked or take fall damage.
Feeding a horse some food can replenish health as well as stamina.
Use a hitch and channel to store food for your horse to eat, or just drop the food on the ground in front of your horse.
When it comes to horse food, some items replenish more stats than others. It pays to know which feeds you should use yourself and which feeds you should feed your horse.
This list is the definitive guide to feeding your horse in Rust, with ratings that take into account replenishment as well as ease of food acquisition.
10) Berries
restored health: 0
resistance restored: 0.3
Found exclusively in forest biomes along with a few other items on this list, berries come in the dozens and you’ll quickly get a huge stash.
Berry bushes have a huge surface area to make them easy to spot and collect. It won’t take long to get a hundred or more different varieties.
Constantly feeding them to your horse is a great way to maintain his stamina while he is on the move.
9) Cacti Meat
restored health: 6
resistance restored: 0.3
The most surprising entry on this list, who knows why horses enjoy eating these prickly pieces of cactus, but it’s in the game.
Harvested by cactus plants found exclusively in the desert, it might be the only reliable source of food for you if you’ve built in the harsh, hot weather.
Players can also eat cactus meat for a good amount of nutrition, but it would be much easier for you to save it for your horse if it needs a quick health refill.
8) Cooked Pork
restored health: 10
resistance restored: 3.8
7) Mushrooms
restored health: 6
resistance restored: 1
Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods in the game as you can get a few stacks in just a few minutes. You will have to travel to a forest to look for them.
While they are tasty snacks for your horse, they are essential for early game PvP, restoring 3 health to the player with each bite.
However, most players don’t bother with them. If you are one of them and always ignore mushrooms, start collecting them to feed your horse!
6) Cooked Fish
restored health: 10
resistance restored: 3.8
With the introduction of fishing in Rust, acquiring large amounts of raw fish for cooking is a snap. put your hands in a Rodhead to the nearest fishing village and spend a few days in the game casting your hook.
If you’re using other methods of acquiring horse feed, you’ll no doubt have a ton of bait scooped up and ready to go.
Hunting and harvesting sharks is another viable method of obtaining raw fish for cooking.
A rare catch, such as a catfish or salmon, will produce 18 raw fish. That’s enough to restore 180 health or 38 stamina!
5) Pickles
restored health: 10
resistance restored: 3.2
Just 10 Scrap will give you 60 Pickles from the Food Market in the Outpost. That’s enough to provide almost 200 stamina points to your horse.
If you can afford the trips to the outpost, pickles might be the best food you can use to feed your horse. They are basically useless to players though, having an inventory full of pickles isn’t the best idea if you really need to spend more time acquiring better food.
4) Corn
restored health: 12
resistance restored: 4.8
One of the best foods in the game for both horses and players, corn grows quickly near rivers. Building near a river is always recommended for new players.
But not too close, as players often visit the rivers to stock up on vegetables and no one wants constant encounters while trying to farm or return to base.
Corn’s high health restoration, as well as decent stamina restoration, make it an ideal budget option for your horse.
3) Cooked Bear Meat
restored health: 10
resistance restored: 6.4
Killing and harvesting a bear is no easy task as they have 400 health, super fast sprint speed, and high attack.
Once you take one down, harvesting it will yield between 8 and 19 Bear Meat, depending on the tool used.
Such a large amount of meat will keep you and your horse fed for a long, long time.
That said, hunting bears is always a risk as you have a chance of being ambushed by other players.
Definitely kill any bear you come across on your travels, but don’t go out of your way to try and find one.
2) Pumpkins
restored health: twenty
resistance restored: 6.4
Found en masse along rivers, a single trip (perhaps on horseback) can produce dozens of gourds. Consume them to receive pumpkin seeds, ready to be planted and produce up to 5 pumpkins per yield.
No other food will restore as much health to your horse as a pumpkin, tied for second for stamina restoration.
The only thing stopping pumpkins from taking the number one spot is their use for players, as they are easily the best food item in Rust. Save them for you and your friends!
1) Potatoes
restored health: 12
resistance restored: 8
Found in the Red Forest biome, as well as Mushrooms, this food is very easy to obtain in large quantities.
Potatoes give the player a lot of calories, but very little hydration restoration, so giving your horse a decent portion of your supply is recommended.
Quite a bit of health and stamina regeneration is pretty much all you need, as you’ll get at least 2 potatoes per wild plant and up to 6 per planted crop.
No other food is as good for horses as potatoes due to their incredible restorative abilities and ease of availability!