Horse Breeds & First Pick
Your starter breed shapes early deliveries — not a permanent choice; you can sell and breed later.
| Breed | Strengths | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferghana | High Strength | Heavy cargo, rivers, mud | Slower on flat sprint routes |
| Akhal Teke | High Agility | Fast light courier, plains | Lower carry / harsh biome tolerance |
| Mongolian | Balanced stats | All-rounder, learning the systems | Not best-in-class for any extreme biome |
Recommended first horse for most players: Ferghana if you overload bags; Akhal Teke if you chase timed light deliveries.
Yam rank & gear unlocks
Complete deliveries to raise Yam rank (Prestige on the mission board). Each tier unlocks tack, merchant stock, and recipes — not just bragging rights.
| Rank tier | Key unlocks | Merchant & crafting | Route planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Post-tutorial |
Basic tack, mission board, storage chest access | Village merchant: hay, bandages, starter tools | Short plains runs; learn mood + saddle balance first |
| Early Yam First delivery loop |
Improved saddlebags, more contracts on the board | Wider general-merchant stock as rank rises | Light timed courier jobs; train Strength on mud legs |
| Mid Yam Steady prestige grind |
Advanced nomad camping kit, mid-tier tack, better trader breeds | New workbench recipes (cold/heat tonics, survival gear) | Mountains / desert — craft tonics first (Items) |
| High Yam Long-route specialist |
Top-tier tack, longest & harshest contracts | Premium merchant gear; trained horses sell for more | Multi-stop steppe loops — match traits (Routes) |
Exact rank numbers and item names shift in Early Access — open the mission hut Prestige tab after each patch to see your next unlock.