While horse riding makes a return in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with a few improvements, there's one missing bridle and saddle set that was introduced in Breath of the Wild that was likely kept out of the sequel for good reasons. Though not included in the base game, Breath of the Wild added a new side quest that rewarded players with the Ancient Bridle and Saddle as DLC. But unlike other gear, this particular set provided players with new abilities for their horses, with the bridle adding more spurs while horse riding and the saddle allowing horses to warp when whistling.
Yet while some bridles and saddle sets returned for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were nowhere to be seen. Their absence was probably not an oversight, however, not only because their inclusion in Tears of the Kingdom would have conflicted with its story following Breath of the Wild, but also because one specific ability they granted would have potentially detracted from the sequel's new Zonai devices. So even though the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were arguably the best set from Breath of the Wild due to their utility, their removal in Tears of the Kingdom was likely justified.
The Ancient Bridle and Saddle Were Exclusive to Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Ancient Bridle and Saddle were not the only Sheikah-related things to have mysteriously disappeared in Tears of the Kingdom, as every Guardian, Divine Beast, and shrine have all seemingly been removed bar a few exceptions, such as the remnants of a Guardian atop Hateno's research lab. Even Link's Ancient Armor set and Sheikah Slate were removed, which suggests that the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were not singled out when it came to Breath of the Wild's sequel. Given that Tears of the Kingdom has shifted its focus towards the Zonai, it's possible that anything associated with the Sheikah was exclusive to Breath of the Wild.
In addition to this, unlike the Ancient Armor set or the Sheikah Slate, the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were specifically added to Breath of the Wild as DLC much like the Master Cycle Zero as part of The Champions' Ballad. As a result, the Ancient Bridle and Saddle would not have been available to players who didn't also buy the game's expansion passes, meaning that their presence in Tears of the Kingdom might have led to criticism for the U-turn on Breath of the Wild's paywall. Therefore, Tears of the Kingdom's transition away from Sheikah technology helped circumvent what could have been a complicated situation for Nintendo.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Pushed Zonai Vehicles as Its Alternative
Though Tears of the Kingdom does make some effort to showcase its horse riding with a few side quests and mini-games centered around it, many players will soon realize that it's both faster and easier to travel across Hyrule using the game's new Zonai devices. For Tears of the Kingdom's story, this does make sense, as the recent appearance of Zonai technology sometime after Breath of the Wild coincides with the events of Ganondorf's return. Consequently, just as the Zonai and their history within Hyrule are integral to the game's story, so too are Zonai devices a core part of Tears of the Kingdom's gameplay.
However, the result of Tears of the Kingdom pushing players to use and experiment with these Zonai devices means that other areas of the game have become virtually redundant such as horse riding. While the Ancient Bridle and Saddle were useful in Breath of the Wild to summon Link's horse anywhere in Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom has an abundance of options for building vehicles out of Zonai devices. From the player's inventory of items, the Depths' Zonai depots, and even Link's Autobuild ability, constructing any vehicle is just as easy as it was to whistle for Link's horse in Breath of the Wild.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.