Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Horse Armor in Minecraft: Every Tier and Where to Find It
Horse armor comes in six tiers: leather, copper, iron, gold, diamond and netherite. Only leather can be crafted and only netherite made, at a smithing table from diamond horse armor; the rest come from chests in structures such as dungeons, temples and fortresses. It reduces damage to your horse or zombie horse, never wears out, and cannot be enchanted in survival.
How do you get each tier?
| Tier | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Leather | Crafted from leather; can be dyed |
| Copper | Structure chests, such as monster rooms (added in The Copper Age) |
| Iron, gold, diamond | Structure chests: monster rooms, temples, Nether fortresses, strongholds and more |
| Netherite | Smithing table: diamond horse armor + netherite upgrade (Mounts of Mayhem) |
Chest loot: structures. Smithing: the smithing table.
How do you put armor on a horse?
Tame and saddle the horse, then open its inventory (ride it and press the inventory key) and place the armor in the armor slot, or use the armor on the horse. It works on horses and zombie horses; donkeys, mules and llamas cannot wear it (llamas wear carpets). See horses.
How much does horse armor protect?
Like player armor it has armor points and toughness, and higher tiers block more, though protection drops off against big hits. Unlike player armor it has no durability, so it never breaks. On Java Creative you can put some enchantments on it with an anvil; in survival it cannot be enchanted. Player armor for comparison: armor and protection.
How do you dye leather horse armor?
On Java, craft it with dyes; on Bedrock, dip it in a cauldron of dyed water (plain water washes the color out). Piglins run to golden horse armor on the ground and take it. See dyes.
Does ArtemisPvP have horses?
Frequently asked questions
Can you craft horse armor?
Only leather. Netherite is upgraded at a smithing table; the others are found in chests.
Does horse armor lose durability?
No, it never wears out.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.