2006-10-30 05:15:53 · 5 answers · asked by Aineen 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Attempts have been made to train zebras for both riding and draft use, both for novelty value and due to their better resistance than horses to diseases in Africa. Although easily broken for both uses, they are highly strung and zebra-mules or zebroids (crosses between any species of zebra and a horse, pony, donkey or ***) are preferred over pure-bred zebras.
In England, Lord Rothschild frequently used zebras for drawing carriages. In 1907, Rosendo Ribeiro, the first doctor in Nairobi, Kenya, used a riding zebra for doing house-calls. Captain Horace Hayes, in "Points of the Horse" (circa 1899) compared the use of different zebra species.
Hayes saddled and bridled a Mountain Zebra in less than one hour, but was unable to give it a "mouth" during the two days it was in his possession. He noted that the zebra's neck was so stiff and strong that he was unable to bend it in any direction. Although he taught it to do what he wanted in a circus ring, when he took it outdoors he was unable to control it. He found the Burchell's Zebra easy to break in and considered it ideal for domestication as it was also immune to the tsetse fly bite. He considered the quagga well-suited to domestication due to being stronger, more docile and more horse-like than other zebras.
2006-10-30 05:49:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My understanding from years back is that Zebra are almost impossible to train. I have seen some ridden by theatrical people in film but never in real life. My guess would be that training takes such expertese and talent there are not enough out there to train large numbers of the animals for useful purposes. Sort of like lion taming, it can be done but never turn your back on the lion. Zebra are just too wild.
2006-10-30 05:23:59 · answer #2 · answered by Robert P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ancestor of modern horses, donkeys and mules came from an ecosystem (the "Fertile Crescent ine Middle East) that lacked large predators, and thus were much more docile by nature than their African kin. Humans were able to tame and domesticate them.
Zebras, evolving among lions, crocodylians etc, have become nervous and flighty - as well as a viscousness that no one has been able to tame. This as well as other questions of domesticable/tame animals is greatly layed out in both the DVD and book of "Guns, Germs and Steel".
2006-11-03 02:12:37 · answer #3 · answered by jedisaurus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
zebras are too wild and stubborn to train
2006-10-30 09:27:11 · answer #4 · answered by equestrian423 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
zebras can not be tamed.
2006-10-30 05:24:13 · answer #5 · answered by papeche 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋