We ride ponies, horses, mules, burro's and almost everything else. Why have we never domesticated and ridden the zebra? Are they whimps in the animal kingdom? Are they not able to handle a rider? I know it sounds like a weird question, but I am serious!
"If equines were house pets, the horse would be the dog and the zebra would be the cat. Zebras are highly intelligent and independent. They are also prey animals and instinctively flee at the hint of any predator, including humans. Some zebras (usually in circuses or other shows) have been saddle-trained, but these animals have been bottle-fed and raised by humans from birth. Even then, handlers admit that zebras can be stubborn, and are also hard to fit with a saddle, since they lack the wither (bony area between the shoulder blades) that horses have. Besides, ride-friendly creatures like horses, oxen and camels have been domesticated centuries; why not use the proven animal rather than waste time attempting to tame an unpredictable element? Actually, zebra hybrids are becoming more common. Zedonks and zorses, properly bred, have the temperament of donkeys and horses, but have the benefit of being naturally immune (like the zebra) to the diseases spread by the tsetse fly." http://www.mentalfloss.com/archives/archive2004-01-10.htm Generally, zebras are too cantankerous to ride. They are vicious and unpredictable and it takes a lot of effort to train them to a stage where you can saddle or harness them. That is why they have never been domesticated. Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, however, managed to harness a team of four zebras to pull his carriage, which he rode from his zoological museum in Tring, in the English county of Hertfordshire, to Buckingham Palace. Georgina Hickey, Nature Australia magazine, Canberra Zebras are insane. They are very violent towards humans. If you tried to ride one, it would kill you. Just because they look like horses, doesn't mean they have to act like one. David Mahoney, Blacktown The zebra has a very weak vertebral column that can't support weight of any kind. This is why it has never been used as a beast of burden or a carrier of even smaller Africans. Caroline Carey, Toowoomba http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/07/1083881480654.html?from=storyrhs
Thank you Aura for the answer Mario, no I was not drinking! I was thinking that back in the cowboy days, we already had trade routes to the far east and could have gotten Zebras. I imagine a cowboy would seriously stand out on a zebra instead of a horse. And if nothing else, I would expect the gentry to be parading around on their designer Zebras instead of the standard old pony.
On a side note, it says zebras are violent to humans... I am pretty sure I could win a fight with a zebra though. I would never want to get in a boxing ring with another person because I'd never want to lose, but I would have no problem fighting a zebra, or a monkey (just not those huge ones), or a kangaroo, or an ostrich or a pig or tapir or something. It would just be hard to hit them unless they started the fight.
Dude, small monkeys are pretty freakin' strong. Did you ever hear about that guy who was attacked? His fingers were ripped off, so was his nose, one of his feet, his eye was pulled out of his socket, and his genitals were torn off. They're very strong for their size. A kangaroo would kick the living **** out of you and an ostrich would use its claws to rip your chest open as it kicks you. I rather get in a fight with a person than any of those animals (assuming they've been pissed off to ANY extent).
Maybe its just me, but I wouldnt have a problem fighting them. A small monkey, I think I could take. I always hear Kangaroos are strong but I think I could take one, especially if I could get him on the ground. And ostriches, I saw that show Dirty Jobs and they are a piece of cake to take down, just get him by the neck and he's done. Something bigger no way, but those animals I would have no problem fighting
I don't know about a Kangaroo. I've heard that they can break bones with their kick. you better stay away, just in case. If a Kangaroo comes and kicks your azz, don't say I didn't warn you.
If I recall correctly, Kangaroos have very strong hind legs and weak front legs. When they kick with their rear legs, they support themselves with their tail, lean back and kick with their hind legs. So if I was fighting a kangaroo, I would just try to circle around and get to his side, then tackle him to the ground and keep him on his back - go for the neck and knock him out. If there were a particularly ill-tempered Kangaroo out there, I would be willing to take him on. The trick is to get him down and take him out quick. I would also fight a deer on Pay Per View... do you think it would be a way to raise money? I would not fight a elephant, bear, tiger, lion, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, leopard, hippo, etc. That would just be stupid. But some lesser animals would be OK - I'd add a wolf, dolphin (in shallow water), any dog, etc to the "would fight" list.
well, maybe if you and the Roo both went out for drinks and got the kangaroo drunk, you might catch him (or her) off guard when it's not looking and knock his azz out. otherwise he'd probably give you an azz beating like you have never been given (probably). in any event, please post pics.
Do you think a kangaroo can turn quickly? I dont know... maybe he can. I guess if it was a wooded area it would be easier to catch him from the side but that may be giving an artificial advantage to the human.
I've ridden an ostrach befor at the bronx zoo. It was a while ago, btu I thnk you could ride zebras there too. I heard they are very mean too(well, I guess all undomesticated animals are). Actually one time my sister wnet to Africa and ordered Zebra for lunch!!
Turn quickly? I don't know. you'll have to tap him on the shoulder (and duck quickly) to see how fast that some bicth can turn. by the way, I think you can take a Giraffe out fairly quickly. just take a whack at a knee with a sledge hammer and that big fuuuker will fall faster than and christmas tree at a wall-mart super center.
Yeah there are lots of details that would need worked out - like is the surprise attack allowed? If so, lots of animals would be easy targets. I would say that no weapons would be allowed. With weapons you could take almost anything, but the problem with a giraffe is that its hard to get to his head. And if you cant clock him in the face it would be hard to take him down. I am not sure if a kick to the knee would drop him for a knockout punch to the face, and I would expect his genitals are too high to kick him there. Would be a tough animal to fight for sure!
your right, stick to the Kangaroo. your odds are much better that you'll live when it's all over. albeit with a busted spleen, a bleeding liver and some compound fractures.
See you're proving to me there is a betting possibility here! I am sure I'd win, you are sure I'd lose. One disgruntled Kangaroo and we have a wager LOL
I'll gamble. but all isn't lost. After your near fatal azz whopping, I'll throw your limp busted azz onto the bed of your 4X4 truck and drive you to the nearest hospital. on the way there I'll run over that kangaroo SOB, tie him to the hood of your truck. and while they are stitching and splinting your broke azz, I'll be making BBq Kangaroo burgers and chilling a couple of cases of coors light in anticipation of your release from the hospital. by the way, a nearly frozen unopened coors bottle is great for that black eye.
Let me guess, you were watching the movie "Stripes"? P.S. We went from riding zebras to whether Mike can mug a Kangaroo from behind - another typical Fchat thread sidetrack
LOL!!!!!! Actually I have the flu, so I have been sleeping almost all day. I had a dream about riding zebras, and I woke up and there was a girl riding one on TV. I have no idea what it was, and I changed the channel... then a few hours later I was thinking about it and I posted it on here! Nothing gets by you
Sadly I can see this being something I would see on pay per view or Fox. Even worse I can actually see myself watching this.
Contrary to some opinion I don't actually spend all my time on Fchat, I read books too... I highly suggest Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond, in it is an interesting bit about riding Zebras, it's on page 172 if you have the book handy.... Apparently Zebras have a nasty habit of biting and not letting go, they injure more American zookeepers each year than Tigers. They are also practically impossible to lasso and get saddled.... there is a good bit more about the behavior of large mammalian species but I'm too lazy to sum it up right now
