Getting your first horse can be exciting, if only because they can get you places much faster than on foot. But horses are more than just speedier modes of travel, they can be equipped with armor and used in battle, learn skills, produce offspring, and be sold to other players for a tidy sum. In all honesty, you could easily spend all of your time in Black Desert becoming a horse whisperer. So take time to learn about and equip your horse properly.
Horses are a big responsibility because they don't magically appear or disappear at will. If you hop off your horse and leave it somewhere unattended while you go exploring, there's a good chance it might die if a monster stumbles upon it. Taking the time to find a safe place to leave it, and always keeping carrots on hand to keep its stamina high will save you from expensive bills to heal your horse at the stablemaster. By taking the time to train your horse and teach it new skills, it can become an invaluable companion.