What do horses eat in Minecraft?

You can take care of multiple animals in Minecraft and have them aid you in your travels. Horses are one of the more valuable creatures, capable of traveling long distances with you, making it easier to explore the game. It’s important you take care of these horses, and the best way to do this is by feeding them correctly and making sure they’re happy. These creatures eat a handful of foods, giving them different bonuses. Here’s 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 because of how many various foods they can eat and their effects. You may want to have several food options available when taking care of a horse, so don’t be afraid to devote some inventory space to your helpful companion.

Related: How to build a Nether Portal in Minecraft

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

• Apple – Heals two and a half hearts, increases growing speed for a young horse by one minute, and increases temper by three
• Golden Apple – Heals five hearts, increases growing speed for a young horse by four minutes, increases temper by 10, and any tamed horse will enter love mode, enabling them to breed
• Golden Carrot – Heals two hearts, increases growing speed for a young horse by one minute, increases temper by five, and any tamed horse will enter love mode, enabling them to breed
• Hay Bale – heals 10 hearts, increases growing speed for a young horse by three minutes, and does not increase temper. You cannot feed hay bales to untamed horses
• Sugar – Heals a half heart, increases growing speed for a young horse by 30 seconds, and increases temper by three
• Wheat – Heals a heart, increases growing speed for a young horse by 20 seconds, and increases temper by three

A good majority of the items are simple and a good way to heal your horse. If you’d prefer to try breeding it with another horse you’ve tamed, you will need a golden apple or a golden carrot. Those are the only two items that activate the horse’s love mode, which means you’ll need two of them to activate a pair of horses.