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So I tried searching the messageboards, but I didn't see a definitive answer to my question. Regarding the Cavalier's Mount ability.
Mount (Ex): A cavalier gains the service of a loyal and trusty steed to carry him into battle. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level. The creature must be one that he is capable of riding and is suitable as a mount. A Medium cavalier can select a camel or a horse. A Small cavalier can select a pony or wolf, but can also select a boar or a dog if he is at least 4th level. The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts.
Is the Cavalier's Mount free, or do they have to pay for it? Does it strictly have to be from the Druid list, or could a Cavalier at level 1 take a heavy horse as a Mount? If Mounts are purchased, do you have to pay for the combat training, or is it granted?
If these questions have already been answered, I apologize for re-asking it, and ask if somebody could direct me to the appropriate answers. Thank you in advance.
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A Cavalier's mount has to, by RAW, be one of those listed: a camel or a horse for a medium-sized Cavalier, a pony or wolf (or boar or dog at level 4 or more) for a small-sized Cavalier. Any other choices would require DM approval.
The mount doesn't have to be purchased - it's essentially the same basic thing as the Druid's Animal Companion class feature.
A Cavalier can't select a 'heavy horse' because the horse he selects isn't the horse out of the Bestiary - it's the horse from the Druid section in the main rule book, and therefore has it's own special rules and features. Usually this means it's actually a little weaker than a 'purchased' heavy warhorse at level one, but soon makes up the difference as the character levels, because it levels with him (as per the rules for animal companions).
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The stats for a Cavalier's horse are listed in the Animal Companion section for the Druid in the core rulebook (page 54). Animal Companions (including the Cavalier's mount) generally use different stat blocks to those found for 'generic' members of the species in the Bestiaries - so ignore the Bestiary stuff completely and just use the listed Animal Companion stats.
A druid's horse normally gets combat trained at level 4, the cavalier gets it right away. What 'combat trained' means is that the hooves and bite are primary attacks (otherwise the hooves would be secondary; this can be found in the horse entry of the bestiary) and the horse knows some free tricks (check the handle animal skill for details).
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A druid's horse normally gets combat trained at level 4, the cavalier gets it right away. What 'combat trained' means is that the hooves and bite are primary attacks (otherwise the hooves would be secondary; this can be found in the horse entry of the bestiary) and the horse knows some free tricks (check the handle animal skill for details).
The horse knows the six tricks listed for combat training under Handle Animal, which take up the six tricks a standard INT 2 horse can learn. If by "free" you meant that the cavalier doesn't have to train the horse to use them, I'd concur. It also gets further bonus tricks as listed for an animal companion.
edit: The cavalier gets a free mount at the start of play but must buy any equipment he needs for it. If the cavalier's mount dies, he must take 1 week of mourning, then spend the 8th day obtaining and bonding with a new mount (24 hours, no effective cost, as per the druid's companion - explain it as you prefer in story terms, probably involving some sort of knightly vigil). I believe the cavalier can retire his mount and take 24 hours to get a new one with full abilities, as a druid can.