Ride

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 Ride (05%) 

This skill is intended to apply to saddle horses, donkeys and mules, granting knowledge of basic care of the riding animal, riding gear, and how to handle the steed at a gallop or on difficult terrain. Should a steed unexpectedly rear or stumble, the rider's chance of remaining mounted equals their Ride skill. Riding sidesaddle increases the level of difficulty by one level. An unfamiliar mount (such as a camel) might be ridden successfully, but the level of difficulty would be higher.

If an investigator falls from a mount, either because the animal has collapsed, fallen, or died (or because a pushed Ride roll failed) at least 1D6 hit points are lost in the accident - although a Jump roll can negate this loss.

Opposing skill/Difficulty level: Basic animal handling or riding a mount at walking pace does not require a skill roll.


 * Regular difficulty: riding at speed; holding onto a scared mount.
 * Hard difficulty: riding a mount at speed in rough, unfamiliar terrain where weather conditions are poor (e.g. a heavily wooded forest at night in the pouring rain).

Pushing examples: whipping or pushing the mount aggressively - perhaps forcing a horse to jump a ravine or high ditch; taking a risk of keeping your mount rather than jumping clear as trouble approaches.

Sample Consequences of failing a Pushed roll: the rider is thrown from mount and takes falling damage; mount is injured; rider's foot is entangled in the mount's bridle and the rider ends up being dragged for some distance.


 * If an insane investigator fails a pushed roll, they become obsessed with the animal.