For those of us who grew up with an N64, it’s almost certain that you’ll have played (and fallen in love with) one of the best video games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
There is much to do in Hyrule as you follow Link around in his quest to stop Ganondorf. Getting around in the game is much easier on horseback, but one of the most asked questions surrounding the game is how to get the much-loved horse, Epona. So, let’s walk through the steps. Here is how to get Epona in the Ocarina of Time.
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How to get Epona’s Song in Ocarina of Time
You have to be an adult before getting Epona, but there is a requirement to get her that you must complete whilst you’re young Link – you must learn Epona’s song.
To learn Epona’s, simply visit Lon Lon Ranch as a child and go straight to the horse pen. There you’ll see Malon, the daughter of the ranch’s owner, Talon. Approach Malon and interact with her, she’ll introduce you to Epona before teaching you Epona’s Song on your Ocarina. This might be etched into the memory of most Ocarina of Time players, but for those who’ve forgotten it, this may jog your memory: ^ < > ^ < >
Get Epona
Once you know Epona’s song, getting Epona is pretty straightforward once you turn into adult Link. Just follow these steps.
Step 1 – Head to Lon Lon Ranch
As soon as you leave the Temple of Time upon becoming an adult, you’ll notice that there has been a lot of change. The market is completely desolate except for a few zombie ‘ReDeads’ that make a horrifying screaming sound, and Hyrule Castle has changed into Ganon’s Castle.
Ignore them for now and make your way to Lon Lon Ranch. If it’s night time, play the Sun Song with your Ocarina to make it day.
Once you’re there, go into the stables to see Malon and she’ll tell you all that has happened in Hyrule while you were gone. Since Ganondorf took over, monsters have begun to roam the lands and a dark cloud hangs over Hyrule. Change can also be at Lon Lon Ranch, too, where Ganondorf has placed the servile Mr Ingo in charge in place of Talon.
Step 2 – Race Mr Ingo
After talking to Malon, head outside and over to the pen to talk to Mr Ingo, who will charge you 10 rupees to ride a horse. Accept the 10 rupee charge and enter the 1 minute allowed on the horses.
When the countdown starts, look around the pen for Epona, you’ll notice that she’ll run away from you when you approach her. This is when you’ll need to use your ocarina to play Epona’s Song. Do this, and Epona will be tamed, allowing you to ride her. Test out the controls and get a feel for the controls with the time you have left.
As soon as the time is up, talk to Mr Ingo again and pay the charge to ride the horses again. Play Epona’s Song to regain control of Epona, and go and talk to Mr Ingo whilst you are still in your allotted 1 minute of horse time. He’ll challenge you to a race and place a wager on the outcome. Accept the challenge.
There are two races with Mr Ingo. In the first one, simply race around the pen, using your carrots efficiently. The best way is to just use one at a time, as soon as it replenishes use it again immediately, and then .
The second race is harder as Mr Ingo will cut you off every time you try to overtake him. You still shouldn’t have any problems, though, just wait for one of the corners and use your carrot to burn your way past him as he turns.
Step 3 – Get Epona!
After racing Mr Ingo twice, he’ll go ballistic and reveal that he was training Epona especially for his new master, Ganondorf. He’ll keep his promise of letting you keep Epona for beating him in the second race, but he also vows to never let you leave the ranch!
Luckily, there are a number of different walls you can jump over that allow you to escape the ranch and get Epona on your side forever. Just approach a scalable wall at pace and you will automatically jump over it to force your way to freedom.
And there you have it – Epona is yours!
Bonus Step – Ocarina of Time Epona Obstacle Course
There is an extra step you can take at Lon Lon Ranch once you get Epona. The next time you return to the ranch Malon will be by the entrance to the pen. If you talk to her, she’ll tell you that her dad is returning and that Mr Ingo has returned to being a nice person.
She’ll then challenge you to an obstacle course. The course is basically the same route as the race, but with hurdles. If you accept the challenge, you’ll have to beat the Lon Lon Ranch obstacle course in under 50 seconds. It’s quite difficult, but definitely possible.
If you do this, Malon will tell you that she’ll deliver your reward to Link’s house in Kokiri Forest. The next time you return to your house, there will be a cow there. Yes, a cow. If you play Epona’s Song to the cow it will give you some of the finest milk in the land – Lon Lon Milk! If that’s not a great reward, I don’t know what is.
Get in Touch
What’s your favorite quest in the Ocarina of Time? Did you manage to get your hands on some fine Lon Lon Milk? Let us know in the comment section below! If you liked this, you may also enjoy reading our Perfect Dark review for the N64.
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