I crested a ridge and watched a horse frozen in amber under a red sky. You feel the update stretch the map and pinch your playtime—this mount is free, but it won’t come without a little work. I took the quest, and you can follow the same clean steps to claim the steed.
I’ll walk you through the Before the Dawn sequence, the NPC to find, the tiny items that matter, and the tricks I use so the horse actually helps me explore faster. If you play on Steam or Xbox, or follow Singularity 6 on Discord and Reddit for hot tips, these steps are the fastest route to a reliable mount.
The update laid out new ridgelines and camps like fresh paint on an old fence. How to reach the Royal Highlands and what to expect
The Royal Highlands is part of the new area added in the update. You can get there early even if you’re still mid-campaign, but be warned: moving through the Highlands will reveal bits of the main quest you might not want spoiled.
Head toward the marked region on your map from the main road. The area contains a small encampment where Hassian hangs out—he’s the NPC who points the whole horse sequence into motion. If you prefer video guides, the Palia community on YouTube and creators on Steam have quick clips that show the short route to the camp.
How do I get a horse in Palia?
Find Hassian in the Royal Highlands and you’ll see a horse trapped in amber beside him. You need a pickaxe to break the amber, and that becomes possible after you start the Before the Dawn quest. Once the amber is chipped away, the sequence moves fast: collect a small set of flowers, feed the horse, then try the mount.
Where is Hassian located?
Hassian sits near the Highland camp—look for a small cluster of tents and a campfire on your in-game map. If you’ve opened the Royal Highlands region, the camp sits roughly halfway through the area’s main trail. Talk to him to trigger the sequence; he won’t hand you the horse until you begin the Before the Dawn quest.
What are Dawnspur Lilies and where do I find them?
Dawnspur Lilies are the one consumable the horse wants. They grow in nearby clearings and along the lower ridges; they’re common enough that you’ll find three without wandering far. Grab three, return to Hassian and follow his prompt to feed the horse—he’ll nudge you to try riding. After that, Hassian returns to camp and you keep the mount.
The first time you mount, the world opens up under your feet. How to equip, ride, and keep the horse sprinting
Open your tool menu and pick the saddle icon; the horse will appear in your ride list. Select it and you’ll mount using your normal movement controls—keyboard or controller works the same. If you prefer, the Steam controller bindings and Xbox layout are both supported out of the box.
The horse has a stamina bar that drains when you sprint. I treat the stamina like a gas tank you babysit: don’t burn it on every stretch. Ride through golden orbs to refill a chunk of stamina instantly, and save sprints for cliff jumps or quick escapes.
Back at your ranch you can breed horses and keep variants that match your playstyle. A bred mount becomes a time-saver for exploration and questing; if you enjoy crafting and base-building, breeding is a natural follow-up to claiming that first wild stallion.
You’ll notice tiny conveniences that add up during long runs. Quick tips and community tools I use
Save often before you test jumps or speed across tricky ledges. If you want video walkthroughs, creators on YouTube and streamers on Twitch show the exact camp routes. Use Discord and the Palia subreddit for spawn locations and Dawnspur Lily pins shared by other players.
Finally, the whole sequence costs nothing in real-world money—this free mount is part of the update. If you do see add-on packs or cosmetics listed in USD, check the store price and remember to factor the euro equivalent (€) shown on your platform for a quick reality check.
So: will you grab the free wild horse now and roam the Highlands, or will you raise and breed a champion at your ranch to flaunt later?