Taming a horse in Minecraft is a rewarding part of the survival and exploration experience. Horses not only help you travel faster but also add utility to your gameplay by allowing easier movement across biomes, including mountains, forests, and plains. While wild horses are common in certain areas, you can’t ride or control them until they are tamed. Understanding how to tame a horse in Minecraft will make your journey smoother, especially in survival mode where efficient transportation can save time and resources. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from where to find horses to how to equip them once tamed.
Where to Find Horses
Common Spawn Locations
Horses spawn naturally in the following biomes:
- Plains
- Sunflower Plains
- Savanna (Java Edition only)
They usually appear in groups of two to six and can be different colors and patterns. The appearance doesn’t affect their speed or jump height it’s just cosmetic. However, their stats do vary randomly, and some horses will be faster or able to jump higher than others.
Ideal Conditions
Horses only spawn on grass blocks with at least two blocks of free space above. If you’re trying to find horses in survival mode, the best time to explore is during the day. They do not spawn at night, and hostile mobs can make travel dangerous.
How to Prepare Before Taming a Horse
No Items Required
Unlike other animals in Minecraft, you don’t need any food or special item to tame a horse. However, bringing a saddle with you is recommended so you can ride and control the horse once it’s tamed. You can’t craft a saddle you need to find it in loot chests in dungeons, bastions, or mineshafts, or by trading with villagers.
Optional Items
- Saddle Required to control the horse after taming.
- Horse Armor Optional for defense, also found in loot chests.
- Golden Apples or Golden Carrots Can speed up taming, but not necessary.
Steps to Tame a Horse in Minecraft
Step 1: Approach the Horse
Get close to the wild horse. Right-click (Java), press the mount button (console), or tap the mount icon (mobile) with an empty hand to mount the horse. The horse will buck you off shortly after, but this is part of the taming process.
Step 2: Keep Mounting
Keep getting back on the horse each time it throws you off. It may take several attempts before the horse accepts you. The taming chance increases slightly each time you try, and eventually you will see heart ptopics appear around the horse. This means it is now tamed.
Step 3: Use a Saddle
Once the horse is tamed, open your inventory while riding it and place the saddle in the appropriate slot. Now you can control the horse’s movement using the regular movement keys or controls.
Tips for Successful Taming
Be Patient
Each horse has a random temper stat between 0 and 100. The first time you mount it, a random number is rolled, and if it’s higher than the horse’s temper, it becomes tamed. If not, the temper increases slightly, improving your odds the next time. Some horses can take many tries.
Use Golden Apples or Golden Carrots
Feeding a horse a golden apple or golden carrot before attempting to tame it increases the chance of taming. This also puts the horse into ‘love mode’ for breeding. However, it’s not required you can tame any horse with enough patience even without food.
Clear the Area
Make sure there are no mobs nearby that could interfere with the process, especially skeletons or creepers. Taming often happens out in the open, and being attacked while trying to tame can make things chaotic.
How to Ride and Control Your Tamed Horse
Mounting and Steering
After taming and saddling your horse, simply right-click (or the mount button) to get on. Use your regular movement keys or joystick to steer the horse. Horses can run faster than a sprinting player, making them ideal for long journeys.
Jumping
Hold the jump key to charge the horse’s jump bar. Release it at the peak for the highest jump. Some horses can jump over fences or small walls, which adds mobility and escape options in the field.
Health and Armor
A horse has its own health bar and can take damage from falls, mobs, or drowning. You can equip horse armor to provide extra protection. Unlike wolves or cats, you cannot heal a horse directly. However, feeding it apples, hay bales, or sugar can restore health.
How to Breed Horses in Minecraft
Breeding Requirements
To breed horses, you need two tamed horses and either two golden apples or two golden carrots. Feeding each horse one of these will cause them to enter love mode and produce a foal.
Foal Growth
Baby horses take around 20 minutes to grow into adults. You can speed up their growth by feeding them sugar, apples, wheat, or hay bales. The baby horse will inherit stats like speed and jump from its parents, but with some random variation.
Storing and Protecting Your Horse
Building a Stable
To keep your horse safe, consider building a stable. This can be as simple as a fenced enclosure or a full barn with stalls. Horses can wander if not secured and may take fall damage or drown if left unattended near hazards.
Using Leads and Fence Posts
You can tie your horse to a fence post using a lead. This prevents wandering while still allowing the horse to stay in the open. Leads are crafted from string and a slimeball.
Common Problems and Solutions
Horse Keeps Throwing You Off
This is normal. Keep trying until heart ptopics appear. It’s part of the taming process.
Can’t Control the Horse
If you’re unable to steer the horse, make sure you’ve placed a saddle on it. Taming alone does not grant control you must equip a saddle.
Horse Disappeared
Horses can despawn if not named or tethered, especially in older versions of Minecraft. Use a name tag or keep them in a fenced area to avoid losing them.
Taming a horse in Minecraft is a simple yet essential skill that opens up new opportunities for faster travel and adventure. By following the right steps finding the right biome, patiently mounting the horse, and equipping it with a saddle you can take full advantage of what these animals offer. With practice, you’ll not only tame horses with ease but also breed stronger ones and keep them safe in your own stable. Whether you’re exploring caves, deserts, or villages, a loyal horse can make your journey smoother and more efficient.