How to Get Epona - Malon's Friend Side Quest - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Guide - IGN

Malon's Friend is a secondary quest you can fulfill in the Threads of Time quest list, and is centered around Lon Lon Ranch, and befriending the horse, Epona, which you can eventually ride. Doing so will require you to visit the ranch several times - once when you are a child, and again when you're an adult.

Though you can visit Lon Lon Ranch in the center of Hyrule Field shortly after leaving Kokiri Forest, there's not much you can do there at first. Instead, you'll need to first meet with Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle (meeting both Malon and Talon who work at the ranch in the process). After leaving the castle, be sure to head back to the ranch at the earliest opportunity.

Entering the ranch, you should first make your way directly past the buildings and over to the main part of the ranch housing all the horses in a large field (assuming its still daytime). In the middle, you'll find the girl Malon singing her iconic song to a young horse that will bolt away when you draw close.

Malon will introduce you to her "friend", whose name is Epona. Apparently she's very shy, but opens up when she hears the tune Malon sings. Malon will ask if you have and instrument to accompany her with, so oblige by pulling out your Fairy Ocarina. Follow along with her tune:

Enter the prompt, and you'll learn Epona's Song, and the horse will immediately come running!

Note that some Threads of Time, like "Malon's Friend", aren't entirely essential to complete your main story objectives, but are important side quests that you can start at any time, and complete them later in the story.

You can't do anything more with Epona for now since she's too small to ride (as are you), but there are a few other things to take note of in the ranch, including finding some Gold Skulltulas, Heart Pieces, and earning an Empty Bottle by playing a game with Talon.

After collecting all Spiritual Stones and unlocking the Door of Time, you'll return to Hyrule seven years later. Much has changed, but it also means the little horse you befriended has grown as well.

Return back to Lon Lon Ranch to find the place transformed for the worse. Now called Ingo Ranch, the conniving stablehand has curried Ganondorf's favor to take over the place, forcing Malon to work for him as he sells his steeds off to donate all of their money to the new King of Evil, forcing the ranch deeper into debt.

If you come back at night, you'll find Malon alone singing her song quietly at the edge of the field, wishing someone would help her and take her beloved horse Epona away from all this.

While you're here, be sure to inspect the crumbling tower in the corner of the ranch where you once found a Piece of Heart. You can actually hookshot up to the vines and climb the tower to find a small Treasure Chest with a Business Seed.

During the day, take Ingo up on his offer to ride the horses for a 20 Rupee fee. Once your inside the pen, play Epona's Song, and the normally skittish and now fully-grown horse will come galloping over. It's worth taking a minute to get used to the controls - testing how she runs around corners, and jumping over barriers by picking up speed by pressing A to consume carrots (which only replenish after a short time has passed).

Once you're feeling confident, approach Ingo while riding Epona and talk to him. He'll have a wager: one race around the track, and whoever wins get 20 Rupees.

To win, take to the inside of the track, and space out your carrot usage when on the straightaways. Gallop faster after waiting a few moments so your carrots deplete at a steady rate, and you'll leave Ingo in the dust!

Ingo will be so pissed, he'll challenge you to a second race. If he wins, he gets the money, but if you win, you'll get to keep Epona! Ingo will be faster on this attempt, but you may find its still a lot easier than it was in the original game. Be ready to gallop forward on those straight shots, when Ingo will also try and make his move, to ensure you beat him when going around the corners, then blast the remaining carrots to blaze over the finish line!

True to his word, Ingo will let you keep Epona... but he won't let you leave the ranch. Barring the gate, you'll need to find a new way out. Luckily, if you look around the ranch's walls, you can find low fencing in each direction. Just make sure you have plenty of runway to build up speed before pointing Epona at the low walls, and she'll make a mighty leap out of Lon Lon Ranch!

Epona is now officially your trusted steed! This means you can play Epona's Song anywhere in Hyrule Field or Lake Hylia, and she'll come galloping over. Once you have a suitable ranged weapon, you'll even be able to use it on horseback and hunt down Poes!

To help celebrate, be sure to return to Kakariko. By now, the Pocket Cucco you were given will have hatched, and it's time to share the good news with someone who needs to wake up. Head over to Talon in the large home by the center of the village and pull out the Cucco to give him a mighty wake up call.

After telling him to spoke with Ingo and Talon, he'll promise to turn over a new leaf and hurry back. If you head back after him, you'll find that Talon will have taken back control of the ranch after Ingo came to his senses, and things are back to normal!

Be sure to speak with everyone, and Malon will thank you for breaking Epona out, and hopes the two of you will have fun together. She'll now offer an obstacle course race that you can attempt. Race around the track while hopping barriers and dodging obstacles for a fast time. If you complete in under 40 seconds, she'll transport something cool to your home in Kokiri Forest!

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