To craft Netherite horse armor in Minecraft, you need a smithing table, one Netherite Upgrade smithing template, one diamond horse armor, and one Netherite ingot. This creates the strongest horse armor in the game, providing 19 armor points plus knockback resistance.
Netherite horse armor was added in the Mounts of Mayhem update (Java Edition 1.21.11 and Bedrock Edition 1.21.130), giving players the ability to protect their horses with the same top-tier material used for player gear.
Netherite Horse Armor Crafting Recipe
Unlike craftable leather horse armor, Netherite horse armor uses the smithing table upgrade system, just like Netherite tools and armor.
What You Need:
- 1 Smithing Table
- 1 Netherite Upgrade (smithing template)
- 1 Diamond Horse Armor
- 1 Netherite Ingot
Crafting Steps:
- Place the smithing table and open it
- Put the Netherite Upgrade template in the leftmost slot
- Place diamond horse armor in the middle slot
- Add one Netherite ingot in the rightmost slot
- Take your Netherite horse armor from the output slot
This is the same smithing process used to upgrade diamond tools and armor to Netherite.
How to Get Diamond Horse Armor
Since you need diamond horse armor as a base, here's where to find it:
Loot Locations:
- Nether Fortress chests (11.8% chance)
- End City chests (2.5% chance)
- Village weaponsmith chests (5.7% chance)
- Jungle Temple chests (4.5% chance)
- Stronghold altar chests (2.5% chance)
- Ancient City chests (16.1% chance - best odds)
Diamond horse armor cannot be crafted, so you have to find it in these generated structures.
How to Get Netherite Upgrade Templates
Netherite Upgrade smithing templates are found in:
Primary Source:
- Bastion Remnant chests (10% in generic chests, 25% in treasure chests)
Duplication Recipe:
Once you have one template, you can duplicate it:
- 7 Diamonds
- 1 Netherite Upgrade template
- 1 Netherrack
Place these in a crafting table to create 2 Netherite Upgrade templates, effectively copying your template.
Netherite Horse Armor Stats
Netherite horse armor provides the best protection for your horse in the game.
Armor Points: 19
This is equivalent to 9.5 armor icons and provides significant damage reduction.
Armor Toughness: 3
Toughness reduces damage from high-damage attacks more effectively than regular armor points.
Knockback Resistance: 1 (10%)
Your horse has a 10% chance to resist knockback when hit, similar to wearing Netherite player armor.
No Durability Loss
Horse armor doesn't have durability, so your Netherite horse armor lasts forever unless destroyed by lava, fire, or the void.
Armor Comparison: All Horse Armor Types
| Armor Type | Armor Points | Armor Toughness | Knockback Resistance | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather | 3 | 0 | 0 | Craftable (7 leather) |
| Iron | 5 | 0 | 0 | Found in chests |
| Gold | 7 | 0 | 0 | Found in chests |
| Diamond | 11 | 0 | 0 | Found in chests |
| Netherite | 19 | 3 | 1 | Smithing table upgrade |
Netherite horse armor is dramatically better than even diamond, nearly doubling the armor points.
Which Mobs Can Wear Netherite Horse Armor?
Only specific horse-type mobs can equip Netherite horse armor:
Can Wear:
- Adult horses
- Zombie horses
Cannot Wear:
- Baby horses (must grow up first)
- Donkeys
- Mules
- Skeleton horses
This is different from other horse armor types, where skeleton horses could previously be armored in some versions.
Special Features of Netherite Horse Armor
Protects Zombie Horses from Sunlight
When a zombie horse wears any horse armor (including Netherite), it won't burn in daylight. This makes armored zombie horses usable during the day.
Infinite Durability
Unlike player armor, horse armor never breaks from damage. Your Netherite horse armor will last forever in normal gameplay.
Knockback Resistance
The 10% knockback resistance helps keep your horse stable during combat, preventing it from being knocked around by attacks.
Is Netherite Horse Armor Worth It?
Yes, if you:
- Have a valuable horse with great stats
- Frequently ride into dangerous areas
- Want maximum protection for your mount
- Already have full Netherite gear and excess materials
Maybe not if you:
- Rarely use horses for transportation
- Don't have diamond horse armor yet
- Need Netherite for tools and player armor first
- Play in peaceful mode or safe areas
The resource investment is significant, but for players who rely on horses, the protection is worth it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you craft Netherite horse armor in Minecraft?
Use a smithing table to combine a Netherite Upgrade template, diamond horse armor, and one Netherite ingot. This upgrades the diamond horse armor to Netherite.
Can you craft diamond horse armor?
No, diamond horse armor cannot be crafted. You must find it in chests within structures like Nether Fortresses, Ancient Cities, End Cities, and village weaponsmith buildings.
What version added Netherite horse armor?
Netherite horse armor was added in the Mounts of Mayhem update: Java Edition 1.21.11 (snapshot 25w45a) and Bedrock Edition 1.21.130.
Can donkeys wear Netherite horse armor?
No, only adult horses and zombie horses can wear Netherite horse armor. Donkeys, mules, and skeleton horses cannot equip it.
Does Netherite horse armor have durability?
No, horse armor has no durability and never breaks from damage. Your Netherite horse armor will last indefinitely unless destroyed by lava, fire, or falling into the void.
What are the stats of Netherite horse armor?
Netherite horse armor provides 19 armor points, 3 armor toughness, and 1 knockback resistance (10% reduction), making it the strongest horse armor in Minecraft.
Can you dye Netherite horse armor?
No, Netherite horse armor cannot be dyed. Only leather horse armor can be customized with colors using dyes.
How much Netherite do you need for horse armor?
You need one Netherite ingot to upgrade diamond horse armor to Netherite. One Netherite ingot requires 4 Ancient Debris (smelted into Netherite scraps) plus 4 gold ingots.
