If you had your heart set on riding one of the many beasts in the world of Minecraft, you’re going to need a saddle. And if you’ve scoured the internet looking for a crafting recipe to make a saddle, you may be in for a very rude awakening.
The truth is… you can’t craft a saddle in Minecraft anymore. Veteran players may find this a surprise but the folks at Mojang decided to remove this feature.
However, you can find saddles in various locations around the Minecraft world. Keep reading to find out more about how to find a saddle and the best locations to try.
How to Make a Saddle in Minecraft
As mentioned before, you can’t craft a saddle in Minecraft.
It’s not an issue of having the right resources or equipment. Minecraft does not allow players to craft one and there is no recipe in the game to even attempt it. However, all is not lost. There are numerous ways a player can obtain a saddle while exploring the endless world.
Generated Saddle Locations
One of the simplest ways to find a saddle in Minecraft is via world exploration. They’re generated in chests in a variety of locations. You just need to be patient enough to find one.
According to the Minecraft saddle entry in Gamepedia, these are the chances of finding saddles at different locations:
Java Edition
- Village – Tanner’s chest (17.3%), Weaponsmith’s chest (16.2%), Chest in Savanna house (11.3%)
- Desert Temple – chest (23.5%)
- Nether Fortress – chest (35.3%)
- Dungeon – chest (28.3)
- Stronghold – Alter chest (2.5%)
Bedrock Edition
- Village – Tanner’s chest (17.3), Weaponsmith’s chest (16.2%), Chest in Savannah house (11.3)
- Nether Fortress – chest (35.3%)
- End City – chest (13.3%)
- Dungeon – chest (28.3%)
- Jungle Temple – chest (12.8%)
The percentages just illustrate the likelihood of finding a saddle at specific locations, but these locations are not the only places to find saddles. That’s why you need to make sure that you clear each new area and open all the chests before moving on if you’re in the market for a saddle. You never know when one will spawn.
Fishing
You can also obtain a saddle through fishing in the game. The chances are relatively low at only 0.8% but you can increase your odds of finding this “treasure” by using fishing rod enchantments.
Trading With Villagers
Trading with villagers may also be an option if you’re looking for a saddle. If you’re on the Bedrock Edition, you have a 50% chance of obtaining a saddle for six emeralds from master-level leatherworkers. However, if you’re on Java Edition, you don’t have these restrictions as this trade is always available.
Known Saddle Drops
Saddle drops are rare in Minecraft but it does happen when certain conditions are met. Take a look at some known saddle drop scenarios:
- If a zombified piglin spawns riding a strider, there is an 8.5% chance that the saddle may drop. That chance is increased depending on your Looting level. Each level of Looting corresponds to an extra 1% increase in your chances of looting a saddle.
- Anything you equip with a saddle drops the saddle when they die so you don’t lose your inventory.
- Spawned ravagers with an equipped saddle also drop the saddle when they die. The looting level doesn’t affect drop rates in this case.
- If you equip a pig with a saddle to ride it, you can only get the saddle to drop by killing it. It doesn’t automatically return to your inventory when you’re no longer riding the pig.
How to Make a Saddle in Minecraft Survival
Of all the ways to obtain a saddle mentioned above, three of those options are available to players in survival mode. That includes:
- Catching a treasure/saddle while fishing.
- Finding a chest in a dungeon.
- Finding a chest in a Nether fortress.
As in other versions of Minecraft, finding a saddle at these locations is just a matter of luck. They may not always generate the first time around so you may have to go back multiple times until you get a saddle.
How to Make a Saddle in Minecraft 1.16/1.16.4
Although you can’t actually craft a saddle in Minecraft versions 1.16/1.16.4, you can find them in the world. Your chances of finding a generated saddle chest depending on where you are on the map.
For example, Nether fortresses have the highest drop rate at 35.3% for Bedrock Edition games while Stronghold altar chests only have a 2.4% chance of dropping a saddle.
You may also find saddles as “treasures” while fishing in the game. But the drop chance is low at only 0.8% without rod enchantments.
Additional FAQs
Where Do You Get Saddles in Minecraft?
The only way to get a saddle in Minecraft is to find one in a chest, trade for one, fish, or obtain it in a drop.
As you explore the world, you’ll come across a variety of chests with different loot. Some of those chests may contain saddles and some chest locations are more likely to generate saddles than others. If you want to go to a location with the highest possible chance of saddle spawning, you need to head to the Nether.
Find a Nether fortress, as the chest inside has a 35.3% chance of containing a saddle. It may not seem like much, but the location has one of the highest chances of finding a generated saddle.
Another option is to go fishing.
Obtaining a saddle shouldn’t be the only reason you fish in the game as the chances of finding one is less than 1%, but if you tend to fish as a regular activity, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
You can also try trading with a master-level leatherworker in the village. They’ll trade six emeralds for a saddle unless you’re on the PE version of the game. Since you can’t trade in Pocked Edition, you won’t be able to obtain a saddle this way.
How Do You Spawn a Saddle in Minecraft?
Players don’t have control over when a saddle spawns naturally in Minecraft. However, if you’re not above cheating, you can spawn a saddle using a simple command.
First, you need to open a chat window:
• Console – right directional button on D-Pad
• Java/ Windows – the T key
• Nintendo Switch – right arrow button
• Pocket Edition (PE) – tap the chat bubble icon
Next, enter the command for a saddle:
/give saddle [unit amount]
Keep in mind that you do have to enable cheats in your Minecraft world for these commands to work. When you enter the command correctly, the saddle(s) spawn directly into your inventory. You can generate as many saddles as you want this way.
You may also find certain add-ons and mods that enable saddle generation for Minecraft. This may or may not cost you something from your real-world pocket, though. It depends on which edition of Minecraft you’re using.
Java edition Minecraft players can usually find mods on the internet for free. Bedrock edition players will have to content themselves with using add-ons for the game. Add-ons may come with a real-world price tag, too. It all depends on where you find the add-ons.
What Is the Best Way to Get a Saddle in Minecraft?
If you don’t want to cheat, one of the best ways to get a saddle is to go to the Nether and find a fortress. They have one of the best natural generators for spawning saddles in chests.
Fishing is another way to go to get one of these “treasures,” but the chances are less than 1% of getting a saddle.
For the more adventurous, you can also find a ravager with a saddle. When they die, you can loot their saddles.
Alternatively, you can also enable cheats and spawn one in your inventory or trade with a master-level leatherworker in the village.
How Do You Make a Horse Saddle in Minecraft?
No matter how many resources or equipment you own in Minecraft, you won’t be able to craft a horse saddle in the game. It is not a feature of Minecraft at this time and no recipe correlates to crafting one.
You can find them in the world in a variety of chest locations, fishing, and even trading with specific villagers. You may even find ravagers or zombified piglins riding striders. They both drop saddles when they die.
Do Villagers in Minecraft Have Saddles?
Not all villagers in Minecraft have saddles to trade. If you want to go this route to obtain a saddle, you need to find a master-level leatherworker to trade with and have six emeralds handy. If you’re on Minecraft Bedrock Edition, there’s a 50% chance you’ll get this trade, but Java version users always have this option available.
Get Ready to Ride in Style
Equine mob riding is a popular, and sometimes a silly way to get around the Minecraft world. Unfortunately, the developers have disabled a way to craft saddles on your own. Instead, you need to rely on Lady Luck as you explore your map.
The folks at Mojang Studios are always changing the odds of saddle spawns, though. So, check the latest update changes before investing time exploring for a saddle. And when in doubt, look for a ravager. Saddled riders always drop their saddle upon death.
What’s your preferred method of obtaining a saddle in your Minecraft world? Tell us about it in the comments section below.