What distinguishes riding a horse from falling off one? Is it the equestrian skills? The horse’s loyalty? Not at all! The answer to this question lies in this week’s topic— the saddle!
Saddles were introduced in Minecraft during its development phase back in June 2010 with the Infdev update. Interestingly, horses weren’t even present in the game at that time and made their debut three years later. So why was there a need for saddles if there were no horses? The answer is simple— pigs!
Saddles in Minecraft are enigmatic relics from a bygone era. No one knows how to craft them; they don’t even have a crafting recipe. This means that there is a finite number of saddles throughout the entire game world, and eventually, they will run out. You won’t be able to ride through forests and fields on your beloved pigs and horses anymore.
So, how can you actually obtain a saddle? You can discover them in treasure chests located within temples, fortresses, and dungeons. There’s also a chance to catch one while fishing. Additionally, you might consider talking to villagers to purchase a saddle from them. If you’re short on funds, you could attempt to steal a saddle from a chest when the leatherworker has their back turned.
Once you’ve acquired a saddle, you’ll need to equip it onto an animal. To do this, hold the saddle in your hand and right-click on a horse, donkey, mule, or pig. You can easily remove the saddle from the first two animals, but with the pig, that won’t be possible unless some mysterious accident occurs. We all know what I mean, right?
The earliest saddles in the real world date back to around 4000 BC. After people domesticated horses, various types of saddles began to be developed. At that time, there were no sophisticated mechanisms, and saddles consisted mainly of blankets and cushions. They were primarily used by Assyrian cavalry forces about 700 years before our era. Cushions and blankets were secured with straps, making the animal ready for riding.
The pivotal development in the evolution of saddles was the frame. People learned to create a saddle that distributed weight across the horse’s back rather than solely along its spine. This innovation significantly improved the horse’s comfort, enabling it to cover longer distances. Around the same period, an additional feature—stirrups—was introduced. Riders would place their feet in these stirrups, enhancing their stability. Both of these inventions emerged approximately in 200 BC in China.
Today, there is a vast array of different saddles designed for specific purposes. There are saddles for hunting, polo, racing, police horses, jumping, rounding up cattle, transporting heavy loads, and much more!
With such a wide variety available, it’s no wonder that in Minecraft Bedrock, few remember how to craft saddles.
