How to make and use a carrot on a stick in Minecraft

Well before the age of horses providing transportation in Minecraft, players would saddle up a pig and ride it onto the horizon. However, saddled pigs tend to head in a direction they choose, and players need to create a carrot on a stick to steer the pig instead.

Though pig riding has fallen out of favor as better transportation methods have developed, like horses and Elytra, some players still enjoy saddling up a pig and riding it with a carrot on a stick. It's not difficult to see why; pigs are more miniature, and the notion of a player riding a pig around is undoubtedly quite funny.

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Creating and using Minecraft's Carrot on a Stick

Fishing rods are a necessary crafting component for carrots on a stick in Minecraft (Image via Rajcraft/YouTube)

As of version 1.19, carrots on a stick are not obtainable as they drop loot from mobs in Minecraft. This means they'll need to craft one, requiring a fishing rod and a carrot. Fishing rods are constructed by combining three sticks and two pieces of string, while carrots can be found in various locations but are pretty easy to "borrow" from villages since villagers tend to grow them on farms. Fishing rods don't need to be new, as damaged rods can also be crafted into carrots on a stick.

Crafting a Carrot On a Stick in Minecraft

1. Open your crafting table menu after gathering your fishing rod and carrot.
2. Place the fishing rod in the center of the crafting grid while placing the carrot in the bottom-right of the grid. The carrot should be below the fishing rod and to its right so that it's diagonal from the rod.
3. Remove the carrot on a stick from the output slot in the crafting UI and place it in your inventory.

Using a Carrot On a Stick in Minecraft

1. Before using your carrot on a stick, find a pig nearby and equip it with a saddle. These particular items cannot be crafted and will instead need to be looted from mobs that have them equipped, trading with master leatherworker villagers, fishing, or looting them from certain generated structures.
2. Once the pig has been saddled, mount the pig by right-clicking or pressing the interact button on your console or mobile device. While on top of the big, equip your carrot on a stick. You'll notice that the pig will move in whichever direction you aim instead of wandering about aimlessly.

That's all there is to it. Once Minecraft players have their carrot on a stick, they can steer any saddled pig they need to and ride about the world in style. Pigs may not be as quick as horses, and they can't fly like Elytra, but riding a pig has a nostalgic feeling. Additionally, newer players or those who haven't been able to find alternative modes of transport should still be able to travel via pig. It isn't as fast as sprinting, but it's better than sapping up hunger saturation in some situations.