Ranch Rider: The Lost Herd

About the Game

Ranch Rider: The Lost Herd is a 3D horse-riding and herding adventure on ZOQSY. The farm's animals have wandered off across the countryside. Saddle up, ride out through meadows, hills, forests and river lands, find the strays, and whistle to gather them. They follow your horse along the trail you ride — walk or trot and they keep up, gallop into them and they scatter. Lead each herd back to the farm and up to its own pen: cows to the pasture, sheep to the fold, goats to the goat yard, donkeys and ponies to the stable paddock. Wrong animals will not go through the wrong gate. The horse has a real walk, trot and gallop, stamina, tight turns at low speed and wide ones at full gallop, and can jump low fences and walls. Rivers can only be crossed on bridges, steep slopes and rocks block the way, mud slows everyone down and bogs marked with red flags send the herd into a panic. The campaign has 100 levels in ten worlds — the Home Farm, Green Valley, the Golden Meadows, the Mountain Ranch, the River Lands, the Forest Frontier, the Stormy Countryside, the Wild Ranch, the Grand Farm Expedition and the Legendary Ranch — with round-ups, lost calves, races against the weather, mountain passes, river crossings, night rescues by lantern light, mixed herds, delivery runs and multi-stage grand rescues, ending with the Lost Herd. Each animal has its own look and personality: eight cow breeds, eight sheep breeds, calves, lambs, four goat breeds, donkeys and ponies. Rescued animals live at the farm afterwards. Earn coins, stars and restoration points to train your horse, restore the farm and unlock coats, saddles, blankets and outfits. Every level was completed by an autopilot that rides through the game's own rules before release. Progress is saved in your browser. Keyboard and mouse or touch controls; Auto, Low, Medium and High graphics.

How to Play

Pick a level and press Ride out. The briefing tells you which animals are lost and how many can follow you at once. Ride with W A S D or the arrow keys (the joystick on touch screens) and use the compass at the top to find the strays — yellow rings mark animals you can gather. Slow down near them and press E (or WHISTLE): animals within range join your herd and get green rings. Walk or trot back to the farm so they can keep up; galloping into the herd scatters it. Lead them to their own pen — a golden light marks its gate — and they walk in on their own. Keep the herd away from bogs with red flags, cross rivers on the bridges, and whistle again for any animal that falls behind (red ring). Finish faster with fewer scares for three stars.

Controls

• W A S D / arrow keysRide and steer (S slows down and backs up)
• Shift (hold)Gallop · X — Walk / trot
• EWhistle to gather nearby animals
• SpaceJump low fences and walls
• Drag the mouseLook around · Wheel — Zoom
• Touch: joystick on the left, drag on the right to look, WHISTLE / GALLOP / JUMP buttonsTouch: joystick on the left, drag on the right to look, WHISTLE / GALLOP / JUMP buttons
• EscPause

Features

• ✓100 hand-designed levels in 10 countryside worlds, ending with the Lost Herd
• ✓A horse with walk, trot and gallop, stamina, jumps and terrain-aware riding
• ✓Herding AI: animals follow your trail, keep their spacing, scatter and regroup
• ✓Cows, calves, sheep, lambs, goats, donkeys and ponies in 28 breeds, each with a personality
• ✓Pens with gates, bridges, mud, bogs, night rescues, weather and timed missions
• ✓Farm restoration, horse training, coats, saddles, blankets, outfits and an animal collection

Gameplay Tips

• •Stop before you whistle: nervous animals bolt if you race up to them.
• •Trot when animals follow you — gallop only when you ride alone.
• •Count the herd before heading home: the counter shows how many follow you.
• •Plan the route home around bogs and over the bridges.
• •The Lead Rope upgrade lets more animals follow you at once.

FAQ