On my YouTube channel at the moment I’m doing a Sims 4 Horse Ranch/Get Famous Rags to Riches Let’s Play and there are a few things with the Horse Ranch expansion that I’ve noticed that interrupt gameplay or I think could be improved. So, to make playing more seamless, I’ve come up with a list of some small quality-of-life mods that will hopefully improve your experience of the new pack and game in general. I also did a similar video and blog post last week on 10 of the best mods to improve ranch and farming gameplay so I’ll link the post at the bottom of this page for you to check out too.
Special Paddock Gate by LittleMsSam
This first one on this list is so simple, it’s kind of crazy it’s not already in the game! It's the Special Paddock Gate from LittleMsSam. By default, the gate is locked for all Sims and the only way to get through is to be mounted on a horse. Horses can also pass through it if you do the 'Call Over' option on them. It’s great because you can use it to make a paddock that the horses will stay in unless you interact with them without all the trouble of constantly locking and unlocking gates. You can also choose to Allow or Disallow certain Sims through the special paddock gate by clicking on it and selecting whichever option you want.
Live-In Service Workers by LittleMsSam
Personally, I feel like the Horse Ranch expansion should have come with the option to have live-in employees because it comes with a lot of furniture that’s perfect for making a ranch-hand or farmworker bunkhouse. The next mod on this list aims to make this possible - it’s the Live-In Service Workers mod and is also by LittleMsSam. First, you need to apply to Live In Services lot trait to your lot, and then you’ll be able to hire up to two live-in ranch hands from a list of NPCs in the world by using your Sims’s phone and selecting 'Hire Live in Ranch Hand'. Any live-in employees you have will also need a bed assigned to them so that they can sleep during the night.
Link - https://littlemssam.tumblr.com/post/183029459928/live-in-services-you-can-hire-two-live-in-nannies
In Fence Water Trough by Objuct
Mod number 3 is a small functional trough that slots perfectly in between a fence so that horses in two adjoining paddocks can use it at the same time. It blocks Sims like a fence would and is fully functional for two horses to drink simultaneously. It’s great for saving space or just for a fun new design feature.
Playable Pets by Andrew
Sometimes when you have a lot of horses or other pets, it can be useful to be able to click quickly between them to check their needs. For this scenario, I recommend the Playable Pets mod. It allows you to select your horse or pets like you would a normal Sim and check their needs as well as control them. This is also great when training horses because you can click on jumps and get them practicing without interrupting whatever your Sim is doing to start the interaction off.
Faster Nectar Making by ClaudiaSharon
Now I personally don’t mind how long it takes to make nectar in The Sims because it usually sells for so much that it seems worth the time investment, however - if you’re annoyed about how long the process takes there’s the Faster Nectar Making mod which gives you three options for how much you want to speed it up, from 41 Sim minutes to 18 Sim minutes. Hopefully, this will help you really pump out the nectar and reduce the amount of time you need to spend in superspeed!
BONUS: Chesnut Ridge Map Replacement by 20thCenturyPlumbob
Alright, so I know I said this was a list of 5 but I’ve included a little bonus because I love the 20th Century Plumbob Map Replacements and they just released one for Chesnut Ridge. They make the map look so much better and really improve the experience, so definitely try them out if you haven’t heard of them before!
I hope you’ll find these useful for your game! Happy modding!
Want More Farm or Ranch Mods?
Here are my Top 10 mods for farming and ranch-style gameplay! They pair perfectly with the Cottage Living or Horse Ranch expansion packs.