The First RedM Equestrian Server: How The Rift Trails Started

Every community starts somewhere. The Rift Trails started with a simple problem: during the pandemic, horse people couldn't get to their horses. What began as a way to fill that gap became the first RedM equestrian server of its kind, and it's still going strong years later.

If you've been searching for a horse-focused server in Red Dead and wondered who did it first, this is the story!

Born during the pandemic

Back in 2020, riders and horse owners suddenly found themselves stuck at home, away from the barns and animals they loved. A small group of us started meeting up inside Red Dead Online instead, hosting trail rides for PC players who just wanted to ride, talk, and relax together.

Those first rides were never meant to become anything big. They were a way to cope, to stay connected, and to keep a little bit of the horse world alive when the real one was out of reach. But people kept showing up. The rides got bigger. The conversations got deeper. And a community formed around something that felt good!

From trail rides to a sandbox server

Red Dead Online is a beautiful place to ride, but it comes with limits. You can't tame every horse, you can't build your own facilities, and you can't shape the world around the way you actually want to play.

That's where RedM came in. RedM is a community-made framework that lets you run a custom multiplayer server with settings the base game never gives you: access to every horse model, custom cosmetics, player-built spaces, and mechanics designed around horses instead of gunfights. It runs completely standalone and never touches your Red Dead Online account or data.

We used it to build Rift RedM, an equestrian sandbox where the horses come first. It was the first server to treat RedM as a dedicated horse game rather than a roleplay world with horses in it. That "first of its kind" moment is still the foundation everything else is built on.

More than a Redm Equestrian server

What kept The Rift growing wasn't just the features. It was the people, and the choice to stand for something.

Today the community is over 14,000 members strong, and it runs on kindness, inclusivity, and connection. We host charity trail rides and events that raise awareness and funds for causes we care about, including LGBTQIA+ advocacy, mental health, and social justice. Riding pixel ponies for fun is the start. Using that community to do a little good in the real world is the part we're proudest of.

It's an 18+ space with active moderation, so the vibe stays welcoming and drama stays low. You can log in to destress on a quiet trail ride or jump into something chaotic and fun. Both are on the table.

Why "first" still matters

Being first isn't just a bragging right. It means years of building and refining based on what riders actually asked for. The Rift RedM server today includes dozens of horse breeds and coats, custom horse and tack design with thousands of options, player-built ranches and equestrian facilities, custom training courses, on-map events, and community-run competitions. None of that appeared overnight. It's the result of a head start no newer server can go back and claim.

When you join The Rift, you're not joining a copy of an idea. You're joining the original.

Come ride with us

The Rift Trails proved that a horse-first community could thrive in Red Dead, and we've been welcoming new riders ever since. Whether you're here for relaxing trail rides, custom horses, or a kind and welcoming community, there's a place for you in the saddle.

Ready to see where it all started? Join our Discord at discord.gg/RiftTrails and take your first ride with the original RedM equestrian server

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