Embarking on a journey through the boundless cube-filled world, every adventurer dreams of a loyal companion to brighten the long path and help them reach their destination faster. However, you won't be able to ride a swift horse or a well-fed pig without a Minecraft saddle. Unfortunately, this item cannot be crafted in-game — it must be found in the world. Let's delve into how to acquire riding gear in this popular sandbox adventure.

Minecraft saddleImage: talentscopeinc.com

The saddle — item card

  • Brief: used to mount's necessity and control rideable mobs: horses, donkeys, mules, pigs, striders.
  • Crafting recipe: none.
  • Type: transportation.
  • Rarity: common.
  • Selling price: 8–10 emeralds.
  • Stackable: yes.
  • Where to find: in chests, fortresses, abandoned mines, temples, villages, catch it while fishing, or buy from leather workers in villages.

Minecraft saddleImage: Ensigame

If someone were looking for "how to make a saddle in Minecraft" they're out of luck — in the standard game without modifications, it's impossible to craft the item from leather and string.

How to use: right-click on a mob while holding the riding gear in one's hand, or place it in the designated inventory slot of a tamed animal. The player will need a fishing rod with carrots or warped fungus to choose the direction when riding a pig or a strider, respectively.

Minecraft saddleImage: 9minecraft.net

How to get a saddle in Minecraft

Imagine that you're about to embark on a journey to the End, a mysterious dimension full of puzzles and treasures. To reach the portal, it's necessary to cover a vast distance. Walking would take too much time, but luckily, there is a loyal friend — a horse. Digging through the inventory to find the riding gear, but... the item is nowhere to be found!

Minecraft saddleImage: Ensigame

To avoid such a situation, let's find a Minecraft saddle beforehand and let it gather dust in your chest until the right moment. There are several ways to obtain mount equipment in the game's natural environment — chests!

Location with a chestChance of spawning
Fortresses2.5%
The End City13.3%
Jungle temples13.5%
NPC villages, in the blacksmith's chest16.2%
Desert temples23.5%
Abandoned mines28.3%
Nether fortresses35.3%

In the Bedrock Edition, riding gear can also be found in fortress chests (2.4%) and jungle temple chests (15.3%).

Minecraft saddleImage: 9minecraft.net 

Apart from looting chests, players can try to fish up a saddle — the chance of such a catch is 0.8%. If spending time fishing doesn't appeal to you, visit a leatherworker, a specific NPC villager. To create this profession, it's necessary to place a cauldron. Then, by trading with them and leveling up the seller to an expert, the desired item should appear in their inventory.

Minecraft saddleImage: Ensigame

Equestrian accessories can also drop from killing a ravager. There's also an 8.5% chance to obtain horse furniture from a strider if it's already saddled.

In creative mode, obtaining the necessary item is much easier. We've detailed how to switch between survival, creative, and spectator modes using hotkeys in another article.

Mods

Craft a saddle in Minecraft is only possible with the help of third-party mods that modify the game files, otherwise, it's not possible.

Minecraft saddleImage: Ensigame

For example, the "Craftable Saddles" mod allows you to craft horse furniture on a workbench using 5 pieces of leather, two strings, and an iron ingot. Additionally, the mod has a recipe for a name tag, another item that can't be crafted in vanilla, only found in the open world.

Patience and attentiveness will surely lead to the coveted Minecraft saddle, which will make your journeys across the boundless expanses of the game much more comfortable and faster.

Main image by Ensigame