What do horses eat in Minecraft?

You can take care of various animals in Minecraft and have them help you on your travels. Horses are one of the most valuable creatures, capable of traveling long distances with you, making it easy to explore the game. It is important that you take care of these horses, and the best way to do this is by feeding them correctly and making sure they are happy. These creatures eat a handful of food, giving them different bonuses. This is what you need to know about what horses eat and what food to feed them in Minecraft.

What to feed horses in Minecraft

Horses are different from most Minecraft animals due to the amount of food they can eat and its effects. You may want to have several food options available when caring for a horse, so don’t be afraid to dedicate some inventory space to your helpful companion.

Related: How to build a Nether Portal in Minecraft

Here’s a breakdown of all the foods horses eat and what they do.

• Apple – Heals two and a half hearts, increases the growth rate of a young horse by one minute, and increases temperament by three.
• Golden Apple – Heals five hearts, increases the growth rate of a young horse by four minutes, increases temperament by 10, and any tame horse will go into love mode, allowing it to reproduce.
• Golden Carrot – Heals two hearts, increases the growth rate of a young horse by one minute, increases temperament by five, and any tamed horse will go into love mode, allowing it to reproduce.
• Hay Bale: Heals 10 hearts, increases the growth rate of a young horse by three minutes, and does not increase temper. You can’t feed bales of hay to wild horses.
• Sugar: Heals half a heart, increases the growth speed of a young horse by 30 seconds, and increases temperament by three.
• Wheat – Heals one heart, increases the growth rate of a young horse by 20 seconds, and increases temperament by three.

A good majority of the items are simple and a good way to heal your horse. If you’d rather try breeding him with another horse you’ve tamed, you’ll need a Golden Apple or a Golden Carrot. Those are the only two items that trigger the horse’s love mode, which means you’ll need two of them to activate a pair of horses.

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