Mount

For other uses of the term, see Mount (Disambiguation).

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Mounts are a recurring mechanic in The Legend of Zelda series.^{[name references needed]} They are Animals or Enemies whose movements are manually controlled for the purposes of Transportation, combat, or playing Mini-Games.^[1]^[2] Some Mounts can be summoned with a special Call like Epona's Song. In some games, Link can knock Enemies off their Mounts and use them himself. In other games, he can only use his own.

Epona is the most frequently recurring of Link's personal Mounts. Beyond that, using a Cucco to fly is the most frequently recurring form of Animal-based transportation in The Legend of Zelda series.

Appearances

Link's Awakening

Main article: Flying Rooster

In Link's Awakening, Link revives the Flying Rooster. It then follows the hero around Koholint Island. Picking up the Flying Rooster causes Link to fly just above the ground, allowing him to retrieve the Bird Key in Tal Tal Heights. When Link completes Eagle's Tower, he can no longer use the Flying Rooster, as it has gone to live in the Henhouse.

Ocarina of Time

Main articles: Cucco, Epona and Horse

In Ocarina of Time, when Link jumps off a ledge carrying a Cucco as a child or adult, he will glide slowly downward. Link can use this technique to gather the Cucco Lady's Cuccos in Kakariko Village for a Bottle. Lone Cuccos at Zora's River and Gerudo Valley can be used to obtain Pieces of Heart nearby.

Adult Link can mount the saddled Horses at Lon Lon Ranch. A Horse canters when its rider digs their heels into its sides.^{[citation needed]} It gallops when whipped.^[3] Link can whip his Horse up to 6 times in succession to maintain a gallop. The number of remaining whippings is represented by a meter of Carrots which regenerate over time. A galloping Horse can jump over fences, but only if approaching the fence head-on.^[4]

Link's primary Mount is Epona. Epona is able to jump over taller fences than regular Horses. Link wins Epona from Ingo by beating him in two horseback races. He escapes Lon Lon Ranch on Epona's back by making her jump over the outer fence. After this, he can Call her at any time by playing Epona's Song. Epona can also jump across the broken Bridge over Gerudo Valley. Link needs her in order to play at the Horseback Archery Range and to hunt Big Poes, who only appear while Link is on horseback. Link can draw his Bow while on horseback, but cannot use his other Weapons. He is also invincible while mounted on Epona.

Princess Zelda and Impa ride a white Horse out of Castle Town as Ganondorf purses them on a black stallion. Phantom Ganon rides an identical stallion.

Majora's Mask

Main articles: Cucco, Epona and Snapper

In Majora's Mask, Link rides a young Epona without a saddle, which he was unable to do in Ocarina of Time. Skull Kid steals Epona from him in the Lost Woods. Link must retrieve her from Romani Ranch in order to jump the fences in Termina Field barring the entrances to the Great Bay Region and the Ikana Region. Link also needs her in order to race the Gorman Brothers at the Gorman Track. During the "Protect the Milk!" event, Link defends Cremia's Carriage} against the masked Gorman Brothers as they attempt to attack the Carriage on horseback.

One of the Bombers in West Clock Town uses a Cucco to glide away from Link when playing Hide-and-Seek.

The Sub-Boss Gekko mounts a Snapper.

Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons

Main articles: Animal Companion and Flying Cucco

In Oracle of Ages, Link mounts one of the three Animal Companions to traverse the Nuun Highlands. Each Animal Companion has an attack move as well as a special ability. Ricky the Kangaroo can leap up cliffs and over holes, Moosh the Bear can fly, and Dimitri the Dodongo can swim against currents and up waterfalls.

In Oracle of Seasons, Link mounts all three Animal Companions, but as in Oracle of Ages, he can only summon the one whose Flute he owns (Ricky's Flute, Moosh's Flute, Dimitri's Flute). Their special abilities are needed to traverse Holodrum Plain (Ricky), Mt. Cucco (Moosh), Sunken City (Dimitri), and Natzu (whichever one Link can Call). In Oracle of Seasons, Link also uses a Flying Cucco (similar to the Flying Rooster from Link's Awakening) to reach the eastern summit of Mt. Cucco where the Spring Banana Tree is located.

Four Swords Adventures

Main article: Epona

In The Field stage, the Links instantaneously mount Horses when one of them picks up a Carrot. The Horses are needed to jump fences and can also trample Enemies and Grass. They disappear after a certain amount of time^{[clarification needed]} unless the Links pick up another Carrot before then.

Horses also appear in the Bucking Broncos Mini-Game.

Twilight Princess

Main articles: Bullbo, Cucco, Epona, Golden Cucco, Kargarok and Twilit Carrier Kargarok

This articlesection is incomplete.

Reason: Bullbo mechanics
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In Twilight Princess, Link mounts Epona to herd Goats at Ordon Ranch. Epona disappears when a band of Bulblins mounted on Bullbos attack Ordon Village. Their leader, King Bulblin, rides Lord Bullbo. Epona reappears in Kakariko Village after throwing off a pair of Bulblin riders. Link subdues his frenzied Horse and regains the ability to Call her with Horse Grass and later the Horse Call. Link can draw his Bow and swing his Sword while mounted on Epona. Unlike previous games, he is not invincible while mounted and can even be knocked off Epona by attacks. Likewise, Link can knock Bulblin riders off their Bullbos. When King Bulblin kidnaps Colin, a mounted battle ensues between him and Link. Link then defeats King Bulblin in a joust. Later on, Link again mounts Epona to fend off mounted Bulblins attacking the Wagon carrying Telma and Ilia to Kakariko Village. As part of the final battle, Link fights Ganondorf on horseback. Ganondorf summons Phantom Riders to attack Link.

Bulblins always ride two to a Bullbo— one steers the creature while an archer sits behind. In Gerudo Desert, where Link cannot Call Epona, he can instead ride Bullbos and use their charging ability to destroy the wooden fences in the area.^{[clarification needed]}

Cuccos can once again be used to glide to otherwise unreachable places.^[where?] In particular, Link uses the Golden Cucco to cross the gorge in Faron Woods in order to reach the Sacred Grove. The Flight-by-Fowl Mini-Game features Cucco-gliding as well.

After Wolf Link kills the Twilit Carrier Kargarok's Shadow Bulblin rider, Midna can mount the beast and steer it up Zora's River with Wolf Link in its claws. The same is true for the giant Kargarok used to play the Fruit Pop Flight Challenge.