How to Tame a Horse in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Mount the horse with an empty hand over and over until it stops bucking you off and hearts appear. Each mount raises its temper by 5, so a stubborn horse takes several tries - or feed it first to raise its temper.

What you need

Empty hand
Sugar, wheat or apples (optional, speeds up taming)
Saddle (to ride)
Golden apples or carrots (to breed)

Step by step

Find horses in plains and savanna biomes, usually in herds of 2-6.
Empty your hand (or hold something unusable on horses in Bedrock) and press use to mount.
Expect to get bucked off. Mount again immediately - every mount adds 5 temper, and the horse tames when temper beats its random threshold.
Shortcut: feed the horse sugar, wheat or apples between mounts. Feeding raises temper too, so stubborn horses tame faster.
Hearts mean tamed. Now you can equip it: a saddle lets you control it, and horse armor (leather, iron, gold or diamond) protects it.
Breed two tamed horses with golden apples or golden carrots for a foal - feeding the foal speeds up its growth.
Speed and jump height are random per horse, so test a few before settling on your main ride.

Java vs Bedrock

Taming is the same in Java and Bedrock: mount with an empty hand until hearts appear, feed to raise temper, saddle to control, golden apples or carrots to breed. Leather horse armor can be dyed in both editions.

Versions: Horses were added in 1.6.1 (the Horse Update), taking over from the old pig saddle meta. Saddles became craftable in 1.21.6, which made gearing a tamed horse far easier than hunting dungeon chests.

Frequently asked questions

How many times do I have to mount a horse to tame it?

It is random: each horse gets a hidden threshold, and every mount adds 5 temper. Most horses tame within 3-7 mounts, and feeding sugar, wheat or apples first cuts that down.

Can I ride a horse without taming it?

You can mount an untamed horse but it will throw you off, and you cannot control it. Taming first, then a saddle, is the only way to steer.

Are some horses faster than others?

Yes - speed, jump height and health are random per horse. The fastest horses roughly double a player on foot. Breed two good ones and the foal has a chance to beat both parents.