The Zombie Horse Cape, also known by many players as the spear cape, is one of the most talked-about cosmetic rewards introduced during Minecraft’s Mounts of Mayhem update. Released as part of a limited-time event, this cape quickly became highly sought after due to its rarity and its connection to a unique combat challenge.

In this guide, we explain what the Zombie Horse Cape is, how it was unlocked through the Spear Mayhem challenge, whether it is still obtainable, and how zombie horses were added to Survival gameplay during the update.

What is the Zombie Horse Cape (spear cape) in Minecraft?

The Zombie Horse Cape is a cosmetic cape awarded during a special Minecraft event. Some players refer to the Zombie Horse Cape as the “spear cape” because it is unlocked using spear kills. 

Capes appear on your character’s back and are visible to other players in multiplayer worlds and servers that support capes.

Important things to know:

• The Zombie Horse Cape is free
• It was event-limited, the Spear Mayhem challenge
• It is tied to your Minecraft account, not a single world
• You must complete a specific challenge to unlock it

Spear Mayhem challenge date

The Spear Mayhem challenge, which rewarded the Zombie Horse Cape, ran as a limited-time event during the Mounts of Mayhem update. The challenge was available from Friday, December 12, 2025 at 8:00 AM PT until Monday, December 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM PT. During this period, players had to complete the challenge in order to unlock rewards such as the Zombie Horse Cape.

How to get the Minecraft Zombie Horse Cape: Can you still get it?

The Zombie Horse Cape was earned by completing the Spear Mayhem challenge, a limited-time event during the Mounts of Mayhem update.

To unlock it, players had to:

• Update Minecraft to the latest version.
• Play in Survival mode, as Creative did not count.
• Get a spear, a new event weapon. You can find spears through new loot sources or craft them.
  • Place 1 stick in the bottom-left slot
  • Place 1 stick in the center slot
  • Place the material in the top-right slot

• Defeat five mobs using the spear (any mob type counted).

• Wait for the cape to be added to their account, which could take several days (until January 14, 2026).

The challenge had to be completed before the event deadline. Since the Spear Mayhem challenge has ended, the Zombie Horse Cape is no longer obtainable unless the event returns.

How to get a Zombie Horse in Minecraft

Many players also ask how to get a zombie horse while completing the cape challenge. With the event update, Natural Zombie Horse Spawns are:

• Zombie horses can spawn naturally
• They appear mainly in plains and savannah biomes
• They often spawn with zombie riders holding spears

To get one:

• Defeat the zombie rider
• Secure the zombie horse
• Use a saddle if required

Zombie horses are faster than normal horses and immune to drowning.

What's new in the Mounts of Mayhem update in Minecraft