In what might be one of the most anticipated features in Spring to Life update added improved textures, but this new test may be more exciting for fans.

According to the official Minecraft website, players will be able to craft saddle mounts for their trusty steeds, pigs, and other mounts, available to test today in Java snapshot and Bedrock beta/preview (via Eurogamer). The material cost to create saddle mounts will be three leather and one iron ingot, making them relatively inexpensive. The saddles can also be removed at any time and put on a different mount, or just stored until they are needed again.

Saddles Were A Rarity In Minecraft

They Were A Pain

Obtaining a saddle has always been more difficult than it probably should've been, and it's taken 15 years to get craftable saddles. Originally, players had to dig to find chests and get lucky to procure a saddle. They could also be found in dungeons and could be bought from leatherworkers. Some players were resorting to Minecraft's fishing rod enchantments to increase the chance of fishing up more valuable items, like saddles.

A saddle is required to just ride pigs and striders, and is also required to control camels, donkeys, and other mounts. After taming, the saddle can be put in the creature's inventory, allowing the mount to be mounted or controlled. Before this update, players could not remove the saddles from pigs and striders without killing them, because those creatures did not have an inventory. Now, players can shear their pig and retrieve the saddle without killing the pig.

Minecraft Is Still Receiving Exciting Updates

Even Over A Decade Later

Minecraft was released in 2011 and is the best-selling video game of all time. Naturally, the game is still receiving updates, even 15 years later. The game's recent major content update added new maps, which have long been requested by fans. The game has also seen a recent surge in player count with the release of A Minecraft Movie, starring Jack Black.

Even though it has taken 15 years to make saddles craftable instead of relying on luck, fishing rod enchantments, or expensive trading, this new Minecraft update is sure to excite fans. The feature is still in testing phases, but that still means it's closer to full release than it was just yesterday. Hopefully, the test goes smoothly and the craftable saddles will be added permanently to Minecraft sometime soon.

Source: Minecraft, Eurogamer