Riding a camel

PastMidnight · Nov 16, 2007

What is it like to ride a camel? My character would be familiar with horses, but would have never ridden a camel. How might the ride be different? Is it any more or less bumpy?

He's taking a guided camel ride around a fairground, so doesn't have to ride for any long distances. He'll be inside of a litter on the camel's back.

Thank you!

KTC · Nov 16, 2007

It's a bit more bumpy...their gait is more UP and DOWN than a horse's. More bounce. A good rider can get a pretty smooth ride on a horse, but even leaning into the gate of a camel is bumpy.

scarletpeaches · Nov 16, 2007

I think you mean gait.

JoNightshade · Nov 16, 2007

KTC said:
It's a bit more bumpy...their gate is more UP and DOWN than a horse's. More bounce. A good rider can get a pretty smooth ride on a horse, but even leaning into the gate of a camel is bumpy.

I would describe it more as "rolling." I rode a camel with a regular saddle, but it was on sand, which is what I imagine they are more suited to. I didn't find it jarring at all. But I think if you were in a litter like you're describing, you would feel like you were swaying back and forth.

WendyNYC · Nov 16, 2007

I've ridden a camel on the beach in Morocco. It feels very different from a horse. For one, you are much higher and you sit up closer to the neck (on a dromendary--one hump, instead of a camel--two humps). If you are sitting in the front, you feel pitched forward like you are going to fall straight down. Myabe it depends on the saddle (if that's what they call it--I don't speak Arabic and had to gesticulate to communicate with the owner.) It's not bumpy, really, but there is more of an up and down movement. Way up and then way down, but smooth. They lumber along. I think they are more steady when they run. My camel was sweet, but very very smelly. Other camels were a little fiesty.

WendyNYC · Nov 16, 2007

Litter, that's it-- duh, I can't read apparently. Either my litter was loose, or they all feel a little less sturdy than a saddle.

Meerkat · Nov 16, 2007

Rode one once... A grumpy beast, as was my ride. He kept trying to reach up with his back leg and kick me. They sneeze, and sloppily. It takes a bit to get used to the bizarre rocking motion, and you have the sense that you are not making any progress.

scarletpeaches · Nov 16, 2007

If only we had a smexytime camel o' lurve to answer this question...

Sassee · Nov 16, 2007

In my limited experience with camel and horse rides, I can definitely confirm it seems like you are swaying or rocking more on a camel. Horses jar more when they walk, you can feel their hooves hit the ground, but camels just kind of lumber along (I'm referring to walking speed since I have not been at a trot or gallop with either animal). Since their feet are more padded it's a different experience. And you are obviously much higher up on your average camel than your average horse.

Limited observations from someone who has only ridden a camel for maybe 10 minutes and my longest horse ride was like 2 hours.

PastMidnight · Nov 16, 2007

Wow! Posted an hour ago and already eight responses! That's why I love this place! Thanks for the input everyone. Swaying and rocking up and down. That would have been my guess just watching the way that camels walk, but had no experience.

KTC · Nov 16, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
I think you mean gait.

lol. Of course I mean gait. I'm Super Spaz!

smallthunder · Nov 16, 2007

More than you probably want/need to know?

Lots of differences between riding a camel and riding a horse -- startng from the mount. The camel, of course, has to kneel down for you to get on -- and then it rises, back legs (and butt) first, which can throw you forward (and maybe off) if you're not expecting it.

Riding a walking camel is surprisingly comfortable. They sway from side to side. This is because a walking camel lifts both feet on the same side when moving forward. A horse's gait is different. A horse lifts a front leg on one side and a rear leg on the opposite side when walking (except for Icelandic horses, and ... what is it? Tennessee Walking horses?). While walking is comfortable, trotting on a camel is a different story. It's like riding a jack-hammer.

Another difference -- horses, as far as I know, aren't inclined to spit at you. Some camels seem to enjoy targeting would-be riders, and are accurate from some distance ...

Are we having fun yet?

[some of this info just came from the 'net, some from personal knowledge]

PastMidnight · Nov 17, 2007

Thanks for the additional info, smallthunder! I would imagine that riding in a litter would only increase that side-to-side sway.

AggieCowboy · Nov 17, 2007

Egyptian camel ride

smallthunder said:
Lots of differences between riding a camel and riding a horse -- startng from the mount. The camel, of course, has to kneel down for you to get on -- and then it rises, back legs (and butt) first, which can throw you forward (and maybe off) if you're not expecting it.

LOL! Reminded me of the camel my sister and I rode by the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. My sister was in front of me and didn't appreciate (to put it verrrry mildly) being squished between me and the saddle when the camel stood (she was rather...vocal...about it).

The camel kneels down butt first which throws you backwards...I got yelled at again because I grabbed my sister around the waist to keep from tumbling off (she was the only thing I had to hang onto...).

Moral of the story...always ride alone or only with someone you don't mind being VERY close to...My sister and I were your typically teenage siblings (e.g. we couldn't stand each other).

veinglory · Nov 17, 2007

They sway back and forth as well as lurching up and down quite a lot. I actually got motion sick.

KTC · Nov 17, 2007

It's even worse when they run...and they do run.

pdr · Nov 18, 2007

They aint called...

ships of the desert for nothing!

You do actually get sea sick riding them.
Everyone has covered most everything except the snooty way they look at you down their noses and slit their nostrils at you snootily.

And the trot is not only agony, they actually appear to throw their legs from the knee, not the hip, at a trot so it is unbelievably bumpy, jerky and uncomfortable.

I'll second and third the appalling lurch forward as they rise like a cow, back legs first. Then when they sit down to let you dismount there's the terrible slide backwards. This, by the way, is in a litter or those silly little seat things. Riding one bareback is much better as you can grip with your knees and attach your fingers in the thick neck hair and your body (if you're used to riding) can adapt to the gait. Terry Pratchett describes it all beautifully in 'Jingo' and his description of a camel's coat as a coconut coir door mat is exactly right! It's is very harsh to touch. The camels I rode bareback were very nice mannered Oz ones and ran like the wind. That was great. But a litter or those seat things that hang either side are dreadful.

PastMidnight · Nov 18, 2007

Thanks for sharing your camel experiences! Pdr, yes, my character is riding in one of those seats hanging down the side. I thought it looked as though the rider would feel unstable in there and I've tried to express that, especially when the camel kneels to let them off.

I've been able to incorporate a lot of these ideas into my scene, so thank you all for your help!

HeronW · Dec 17, 2007

Camels are called 'ships of the desert' due to their rolling gait. You feel like you're high on the back of a drunk. Camels and cats are the only two animals that move the feet on the same side in locomotion. All others move opposite feet. Fractious camels tend to spit, and like bats that carry rabies but aren't affected, camels can carry syphilus in their saliva. Explain how you got an STD from a camel! Camels also tend to carry tinier passengers like fleas, mites, and ticks.

Riding a camel

PastMidnight

Oponionated

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

scarletpeaches

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

WendyNYC

fiddle-dee-dee

WendyNYC

fiddle-dee-dee

Meerkat

Claims the loan was a gift

scarletpeaches

Sassee

Momma Wolf

PastMidnight

Oponionated

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

smallthunder

Ruled by Dachshunds

PastMidnight

Oponionated

AggieCowboy

veinglory

volitare nequeo

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

pdr

PastMidnight

Oponionated

HeronW

Down Under Fan