Few creatures in Minecraft are as eerie and fascinating as the zombie horse. Though you can’t encounter one naturally, there’s a way to summon, tame, and ride this undead mount-if you know the right steps.
Although the zombie horses may seem intimidating, the night adventures might not seem difficult at all if you learn how to tame them. So, check this guide to know all about how to find, tame, and ride a zombie horse in Minecraft.
How to Find Zombie Horse in Minecraft
Zombie horses cannot normally be found in the wild through standard gameplay. They appear only through game commands or special events. To create one, players must use the /summon command, such as /summon zombie_horse ~ ~ ~, which spawns it at the player’s location. In some rare custom maps or mods, zombie horses may also be included as part of unique challenges or story elements.
Before you tame a zombie horse, you actually have to find one. This is where things get a little bit tricky.
Unlike regular horses that roam around freely in Minecraft biomes of the Overworld, the zombie horses can spawn in the Plains and the Savanna biomes only during the night. Here is the list of biomes where you can find the zombie horses in Minecraft:
- Plains Biomes
- Sunflower Plains
- Snowy Plains
- Savanna Biomes
- Windswept Savanna
- Savanna Plateau
With a spawn rate of 0.96%, spotting a zombie horse around these regions will be like finding a treasure in the dark.
Also Read: How to Get Nautilus Armor in Minecraft
How to Tame a Zombie Horse in Minecraft
Zombie horses can’t be tamed the same way as normal horses in Minecraft. They usually appear only through commands since they don’t spawn naturally in the game. To get one, players can summon a zombie horse using the /summon zombie_horse command, then use /ride or spawn an already tamed version with /summon zombie_horse ~ ~ ~ {Tame:1}. Once summoned as tamed, players can ride it just like any other horse, equipping it with a saddle to control its movement.
Zombie horses won’t attack you, but the Zombie rider that spawns on top of the horse will control the horse and be hostile towards you. At times, these riders can even wield weapons like an iron spear in Minecraft.
So, to tame the zombie horses, you must take down the rider first. Once that is done, you can follow the given steps:
- Approach the zombie horse andfeed the mob its favorite food – red mushrooms – that will heal its health.
- Now, mount the horse by clicking the right mouse button. You’ll notice that the horse will rear and throw you to the ground after a couple of seconds.
- As you mount the horse for the first time, its temper is set to a random number from 0 to 99.
- Every time you mount it, the temper increases by 5. Once its temper exceeds this range, the zombie horse will be tamed, and red hearts appear around it.
- So, it will take several tries to tame the zombie horse unless you get really lucky to get a higher digit.
How to Ride a Zombie Horse in Minecraft
After obtaining a zombie horse through commands or special events, you can ride it just like a regular horse. Equip the horse with a saddle by opening its inventory while mounted, then drag the saddle into the designated slot. Once equipped, you can control its movement with the usual keys, including jumping and sprinting. Zombie horses are immune to drowning, making them practical for traveling across rivers or shallow waters without risking your mount.
When you have tamed the zombie horse, you will be able to mount it for longer durations, but you won’t be able to control its movements.
In order to control the zombie horse, you mustequip the mob with a saddle. Hold a saddle in your hand and click the right mouse button by pointing towards the zombie horse.
Otherwise, you can mount the horse and press the E key to open up the inventory. Here, drag and drop the saddle in the respective slot of the horse. You can also place a horse armor under the saddle slot and make your horse wear armor.
Now, you can freely control the horse’s movements by using the directional keys. Similar to the camel and Nautilus, you can hold and release the spacebar key or the jump button to make the horse dash forward.
Be careful that the zombie horses can burn and take damage when exposed to direct sunlight. That’s why horse armor is important, as it will prevent this from happening. You can ride the zombie horse even during the day if it has armor.
Best weapons to defeat zombie rider quickly
To quickly defeat the zombie rider on a zombie horse in Minecraft, prioritize high-damage weapons with enchantments like Sharpness or Smite, as riders are undead mobs.
Top Weapons
Swords enchanted with Smite (up to level V) deal massive bonus damage to undead, often killing the rider in 1-2 hits, especially with a Strength potion effect. Bows with Power enchantment and Infinity/Power V allow rapid ranged shots from safety, avoiding the horse’s movement. Axes work well for close range but swing slower, so pair with Efficiency for faster attacks.
Quick Tactics
Approach at night when riders spawn, sneak up for a critical hit (jump attack with sword for 1.5x damage), or use a bow from afar to aggro without closing distance. Apply potions of Swiftness to dodge spear throws and Healing (which harms undead) for indirect support. Lure into traps like pitfalls if available in survival.
What are zombie rider weak points and hitboxes
Zombie riders in Minecraft share the standard zombie hitbox, with no unique weak points beyond typical undead vulnerabilities, making headshots or critical hits effective for faster kills.
Hitbox Details
The zombie rider’s hitbox measures 1.95 blocks tall by 0.6 blocks wide, identical to a regular zombie, positioned atop the zombie horse’s 1.6-block height (total ~3.55 blocks). Attacks register on the rider’s upper body or head for optimal damage, but the entire model accepts hits; aim above the horse’s neck to avoid missing due to movement.
Combat Exploits
Critical hits (falling attacks) multiply damage by 1.5x anywhere on the hitbox, while Smite enchantments ignore specific spots since riders are undead zombies. The rider’s spear arm swings create brief exposure on the torso; dodge sideways to target it safely without clipping the horse.
