If you’re not interested in “Barbenheimer” this weekend, your attention might be drawn to the newest country expansion pack to hit the Sims 4.
The Sims 4 released the “Horse Ranch” Expansion Pack on Thursday, July 20, allowing Sims fans to finally ride and take care of horses. In addition to this new animal fun, Sims also experience other fun activities with the pack: nectar making, square dancing, hiring a ranch hand (similar to how maids function) and caring for goats and sheep.
“Horse Ranch” brings not only horses in the world, but sheep and goats as well. Horses work similarly to pets in the “Cats & Dogs” pack and the sheep and goats work similarly to chickens in the “Cottage Living” pack.
Starting in Create-A-Sim, the pack brings a world of cowboy aesthetic clothing. Some swatches of clothing include “dirty” clothing that makes your Sim look like they’ve been working on the ranch. Like with “Cats & Dogs,” horses are customized the same way. The CAS menu offers new traits for horses to have as well.
Unfortunately, this is where the first missed opportunity lies in the pack. When a family works on a ranch, oftentimes you might find the kids even working or doing lighter chores to help with the care of the animals and produce. This pack does not include a lot of those Create-A-Sim options for kids. Arguably, the only things kids might need are cowboy hats and the basic cowboy necessities, which could come in future packs if not already.
The CAS menu also includes new traits, Horse Lover and Rancher, to aid in the gameplay of working on a ranch or with horses. There are new aspirations for Sims as well, Championship Rider (found under the athletic aspirations) and Expert Nectar Maker (found under the culinary aspirations) for Sims to explore even more opportunities.
Once you get to building the perfect ranch, the pack offers a wide selection of wooden build items for the country-themed home you want to build. There are also a wide array of new equestrian supplies for your Sims to use with the horses. These include feed and watering stations and a hay bed for your horse to use.
When you’re happy with your ranch and Sims, the fun has only just begun. New gameplay and skills your Sims unlock include horse riding and nectar making. The ability to take care of mini goats and sheep is probably more useful if you have the “Cottage Living” pack since the wool and milk can be used for the cross-pack gameplay. If not, you always get more Simoleons for your hard work on the ranch.
With horse riding, the horse Sims have the opportunity to gain four new skills: temperament, agility, jumping and endurance. With learning these skills, the horses can compete at the Equestrian Center for the chance to win trophies, ribbons, Simoleons and other prizes.
There’s a lot to do, especially if you cross-play with “Cottage Living” or other packs, so hiring a ranch hand who functions like a scheduled maid is the perfect addition to make sure you can spend more time enjoying the parts of the pack you like, including barbecues and other fun events in the new pack.
The world, Chestnut Ridge, has three neighborhoods with 13 lots. Some other great features include swimmable water, rabbit holes and a secret cave that kind of acts like a “mini-game” for your Sims to explore.
The pack is wonderful. As someone who loves farming simulation games, this pack in addition to the “Cottage Living” gameplay is perfect. If I had to say anything about the pack, I think it lacks a lot of depth on what the pack could have done for the horses and put more detail on the nectar making. I’m not complaining at all as an avid “nectar” fan, but I think the purpose of a horse ranch pack should be that the main focus in the development is horses.
First & Jenn 
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