How do I move horses without golden apples or carrots?

So, I have a nice world, I have a diamond sword, and a full set of iron armour. I'm level 32, and I have an abundance of crops. But there is one thing I cannot figure out: What is the damn way to get animals? I know I can lead them into a pen with their favorite food, but I live in a PLains biome, and I know horses eat golden carrots and apples, but I don't have any gold and my mine does not show any sign of getting me any. How do I get a horse into a pen without its favorite food?

Horses can be bred with golden apples, and healed with golden carrots, normal carrots, wheat, and haybales, but they don't follow the player holding these anyway.

Instead,

Option 1: Obtain or craft a lead. Kill a wandering trader or just block his llamas so they can't follow him so the leads are broken and drop as items, or craft a lead using string and slimeball.

Option 2: Obtain a saddle - find it in a treasure chest or fish it out (requires fishing in "open water",) or if you dare, trigger an illager raid and kill a Ravager, then tame the horse, equip it with the saddle and ride it wherever you desire.