How to Ride a Horse in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Tame the horse by mounting it repeatedly until hearts appear, then open its inventory and equip a saddle. Since 1.21.6 saddles are craftable (3 leather + 1 iron ingot). Right-click to mount, and hold jump to charge big jumps.

What you need

A horse (plains or savanna herds)
Saddle (craftable since 1.21.6: 3 leather + 1 iron ingot, or loot/fishing)
Optional: horse armor, golden apples for breeding, lead

Step by step

Find horses in plains and savannas, usually in herds of 2-6.
Empty your hand and right-click the horse to mount. It will buck you off; mount again and again until hearts appear. That means tamed.
Get a saddle: craft one since 1.21.6 (3 leather in the top row and left/right center, 1 iron ingot in the middle slot), or loot one from chests (dungeons, Nether fortresses, villages) or fishing.
Open the horse's inventory while mounted (or shift + right-click) and place the saddle in the saddle slot. Add horse armor in the armor slot for protection; leather horse armor is craftable, the rest is loot.
Ride: WASD to move, space to jump. Hold space to charge a higher jump; release at the right moment. Horses vary randomly in speed, jump strength and health, so test a few and keep the best.
Breed for better stats: feed two tamed horses golden apples or golden carrots. Foals average their parents' stats with some randomness, so breeding two good horses beats hunting wild ones.
Cross water carefully: you cannot control a swimming horse. Dismount and lead it with a lead across rivers, or build bridges.

Java vs Bedrock

Taming and riding work the same in Java and Bedrock. Since 1.21.6, saddles are craftable in both editions; leather horse armor is craftable in both too, while iron, gold and diamond horse armor remain loot-only.

Versions: 1.6.1 (horses added)1.21.6 (craftable saddles)

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a saddle to tame a horse?

No. Taming only requires mounting it repeatedly with an empty hand. The saddle is needed afterward to control where it goes.

How do you get a saddle in Minecraft?

Since 1.21.6, craft it: 3 leather across the top and middle sides, 1 iron ingot in the center. Older worlds or extra saddles: chest loot in dungeons, Nether fortresses, bastions and villages, plus fishing treasure.

Why is my horse slow?

Horse stats are random per horse: speed, jump height and health vary a lot. Tame several, test them, and breed the two best for an even better foal.

Can horses carry chests?

Only donkeys and mules can equip chests. Horses and skeleton/zombie horses cannot. Breed a horse with a donkey to get a chest-carrying mule.