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Saturday, November 2, 2013
What I would do if I could.
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No lion. If I had it to me, had a means and the availability, I would go horseback riding. I am sure there are places you can rent a horse. Trail horses are notoriously lame rides. And, well, my size... I don't want to kill a poor animal. It's been a while, but riding, as I remember it, is like nothing else. Enough of it and you will get strength back. Some people suppose that riding a horse is like riding in a car. Not so. You use muscles you didn't know to stay in the saddle, control the horse especially when you teach the horse knee commands, and perhaps get to even lean commands and other little tricks. Yes, I rode often enough that I even learned how to teach roughly broken horses to listen for, then obey, non-typical commands. I made myself useful, and loved it.
A mule, a horse, either one, if they have been trained at least a bit, would make for an excellent bit of exercises, assuming the animal is large enough for me. But more, once I get familiar with such an animal, the controls are somewhat automatic, so simply enjoying the air rush by when galloping, or the odd perspective only being on a horse can give while walking, and the collusion of animal and man in getting from point a to point b is simply a joy. Some men like "bikes", others fast cars and I have enjoyed the latter. But nothing beats being in the saddle, to me. The scents, the feel, the exercise, the mastery. Uhrm, assuming the animal learns to see you as the boss. Best get that sorted out immediately. Then you can become pals, perhaps. I remember, as the picture shows, of what happens if the order is off. The worst was a mule who walked back like that for 15 feet or more. Scared me to the bone, so I rode it some more! It all worked out. Not so much that I'm not a quitter, just not always all that bright!
Not sure I remember how it all goes though? Oh, I'm sure I could figure it all out again. I do know, if it became a regular event, I would buy into a pair of cowboy boots again. While they have no other proper use on a man's foot, in the saddle they are priceless. Never wore spurs, didn't own chaps, though I did have a cowboy hat and boots. Might not have looked like some picture perfect rodeo rider or cowpoke, I certainly played the role. Hee-Yaah!
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It's an odd thing for a Texas boy to admit, but I can count on the fingers of one hand all the times I've been on a horse, and I can't remember the last time. Thanks to Renaissance Festivals I've ridden on elephants and camels more than I have on a horse (experiences, by the way, not to be passed up if opportunities arise).
ReplyDeleteI have only ridden on the back of an elephant once or twice maybe, as a child, and never on a camel, alas. Oh, most definitely, if the opportunity presents I shall see myself pachyderm, or bactrian (preferably, if in ignorance) or dromedary bound if that is what is available. Two humps just seem more stable, like having a chip on each shoulder allows for balance.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with these animals is that they aren't something I could reasonable stable. Further, at my age, I could probably never master them as I suspect still remains in my veins from my youth and rough riding horses and mules to smoothness. A horse type, I have heard, eats it's weight in hay, plus whatever in added grains and such, on top of typical and other vet bills. Even these humble creatures are out of my price range, even should I come up with the initial outlay. I can only imagine what a camel would need, and specialty vet costs. An elephant? Oh my... With the elephant, if you weren't picky, you might be able to use the dung to heat... your whole village?
(Honestly though? I have considered a camel for out here. I never got to looking at costs, feed prices, or vet, but... just daydreaming stuff, and wondering if they could/would do well here... Yeah, I know, they used to roam free out here after having been brought and released by the Army, I think. But they were all eventually captured, and probably killed? (out West and/or South West, somewhere around these parts.) So I suppose they can make it, but best to be specific. At 4,500 feet, they might not take that aspect... didn't finish checking, mind you.
ReplyDeleteRules on owning exotic animals vary from state to state, so you might want to check. I've heard of a few people in this country who raise and breed camels, so it's not entirely unknown.
ReplyDeleteA camel ride can be interesting. The ones I've ridden have traveled slow enough to where the rocking motion was negligible. There's also something of a mild rocking motion involved in riding elephants (and the view from an elephant is fantastic).
Oh, no worries. I can't even afford a horse/mule. Farrier to feed, up front cost to vet, hell a horse buggy (which would be required), used in decent usable condition, starts at $6k! But to find one that would definitely fit an animal big enough to haul me comfortably would be a trick on top of that, driving even that cost up. I'm looking, at a minimum, of a 1,200 pound animal. With bedding and feed, that is, what, about a ton of hay a month. Have you seen hay prices?
ReplyDeleteExotic? I don't think so. And, by the way, horses are exotic too. They have merely been grandfathered in. They are not native to this continent, they are (or were) simply more common transplants. Just being technical. No reason to get all huffy. :p
The concern over finding a beast of burden qualified to carry a specific weight is a worthwhile one (if only for the fact that it demonstrates kindness towards the animal in question). Speaking for myself I would applaud the return of the chariot.
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