Minecraft's "Horse Update" pre-release rides in, official launch set for next week

Mojang have launched a pre-release version of Minecraft 1.6 - referred to as "The Horse Update" - ahead of next week's official release. Given the name, you can probably guess what it adds. Carpets, for one. Also donkeys, name tags, blocks of coal. And, yes, it introduces horses, based on the popular Mo' Creatures mod, along with horse armour, which may or may not be based on the less popular Bethesda DLC. Either way, it's free this time.

Because of changes and upgrades to Minecraft's underlying architecture, the update requires a new launcher - available from here .

The official launch is due next Monday, July 1st. Here's the changelist:

• Added Horses

• Added Donkeys, Mules

• Added Horse Armor

• Added Leads

• Added Carpets

• Added Hardened Clay, Stained Clay

• Added Block of Coal

• Added Name Tags (item)

• Added Hay Bales

• Texture packs are now “resource packs” that also can hold sound etc

• Food meter is now drained when healed by full food meter

• Removed Herobrine