Walking is yesterday’s news, which is why we’re here to tell you how to get Epona in Zelda Ocarina of Time!
Hyrule his a big ol’ place, and walking from Kokiri Forest all the way to the desert gate in the Gerudo Fortress can take a long time.
Plus, with all those Stalchilds out at night, there’s no telling what could happen!
Link has always loved getting about on horseback; taming a trusty steed was one of the first things I did in Breath of the Wild when I came down from the Great Plateau.
In Ocarina, however, getting a horse isn’t as simple.
Players need to complete a set of tasks as both Young and Adult Link in order to get Epona later in the game.
Sorry, little Kokiri dude, but you can only ride her once you’ve pulled the Master Sword from the Temple of Time and grown into your big-boy-pants.
So, let’s crack on with figuring out how to get Epona in Zelda Ocarina of Time!
How To Get Epona In Ocarina Of Time – Young Link
Before you start running off in search of the stables, there’s a little bit of groundwork you need to complete first.
On your way to meet Princess Zelda, you’ll find Malon in Hyrule Castle town. She’s placed slap-bang in the middle of the path, so you won’t miss her.
Speak to her and find out about her Father who still hasn’t returned. Then head off towards the castle.
Not so fast… head back into the market square now and then back towards the Castle. Malon will have now moved from the path to beside some vines on the road to the castle. Again you can’t miss her.
Speak to Malon again and she’ll give you an egg. Weird present, right?
Once you’ve sneaked your way past the guards (don’t get caught) and reached the main castle, walk around the moat until you find a sleeping man by a waterfall.
Wait a little bit until your egg hatches, and then pull the Cucco out and wake him up. It usually happens through one day/night cycle.
The man is Malon’s father, Talon, and he’s the owner of Lon Lon Ranch. Once awake, he’ll run back to the Ranch and resume his duties… which means falling asleep there instead.
Heading to Lon Lon Ranch
If you’re leaving from Kokiri Forest, keep to the left of the main path that leads towards Hyrule castle until you find a second path. This one leads you to the a high-walled area on top of a hill. If you’re leaving from Hyrule Castle, just walk straight and you can’t miss it.
There are various other quests at Lon Lon Ranch such as a Cucco finding game with Talon and a heart piece in a cowshed at the far end of the fields, but you’ll find Malon and Epona in the main horse yard.
Pull out the Fairy Ocarina in front of Malon and learn the song she’s singing. Once you play Epona’s Song, a young Epona will run over to you.
Now that you’re BFFs, it’s time to carry on with your adventure and forget about Epona for a little while.
How To Get Epona Zelda Ocarina Of Time – Adult Link
Ok, so you’ve grown up a bit and started wearing white leggings, which means it’s time to head back to Lon Lon Ranch.
The Great Ganondorf has put Ingo in charge (he’s the guy with the Jacobean Ruff below), and he’s a nasty piece of work. If you pay him, however, he’ll let you ride one of the horses inside the pen.
Guess which one you’re going to be riding?
Head inside and play Epona’s song. She’ll come running, and then you can practice riding around on her a little bit.
Once you’ve successfully jumped over a couple of fences, head back to talk to Ingo. He’s a gambling man, so he’ll ask you if you want to have a wager in a race.
Stay on the inside and don’t ever use all of your carrots. Use them slowly instead of a pulling off a massive boost all at once.
Beat him once, and he’ll up the stakes; if you win again, you’ll get Epona.
This race is trickier, but if you keep your wits about you, you’ll trounce him in no time. Remember to stay inside again, but don’t let Ingo pin you against the fence.
Just keep using those carrots in a calm fashion. And don’t worry about Epona getting hurt; she’s a virtual horse…
Once you win, Ingo will let you have Epona, the prize horse he was going to give to the Great Ganondorf.
Still, Ingo being the snivelling idiot that he is, he won’t let you leave the ranch.
Pick up speed by using carrots all at once this time and jump straight over the closed gates. The result; this beautiful still below from that emotional cutscene.
So there you have it; that’s how to get Epona in Zelda Ocarina of Time!
I hope that you have lots of fun riding around Hyrule field searching for bottles and heart pieces, and that you and Epona enjoy roaming together for many years to come!
Still hungry for more Zelda content? Check out our best Zelda ROM hacks for twists on classic games!
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Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
