using oxen for riding and packing

[bivol]

hi everyone!

yes, this should rather be under all other working animals topic, as this way of using cattle is rather unusual in west.
although most people use equids for riding and packing, and consider oxen only for pulling, i was wondering about using oxen as riding and packing animals. it is little known that riding cattle actually has a long but hardly known history.
now i know of riding steers, and i was on the page, and i got an idea of how much an ox can carry. there was a large person, larger than me, riding an ox. weighted i suppose about 250 pounds, and the steer seemed content.

why consider cattle?
horses are much more expensive to buy, keep and take care of. but even more unappealing, horses are much more flighty than cattle, and unpredictable when spooked. you don’t want that when suddenly coming face to face with a bear. cattle are calmer and more hardy.
mules are better, but expensive too, and they are rare in my country, and there’s a chance i’d get an abused animal.
cattle are plentiful can always be bought, are cheaper to keep(only straw and hay when grown), hardier, calmer an a stressful situation, and are likelly to stand their ground when threatend, and i can use him to plow my garden.
i’ve seen videos of riding cattle, and they are almost as fast as a horse, AND have a lovely smooth gait.
cattle are not surefooted, but then again, horses aren’t either, and still people ride them in the Rockies.
in east buffalos are also used as riding animals.

any experience, suggestions are welcome.

question: do they chew cud while ridden ?
can a horse saddle be used on ox?
how long can an ox be used as a riding animal?

[Neil Dimmock]

Ox usual chew cud at rest, horse saddles work but a mule type work better because of the breeching and breast collar set up, they can be ridden until there legs where out , just like horses. Most get to heavy after 10 years, You sure are game on the Ox, to bad your so far way I could help you out a lot.
Neil

[bivol]

i know, but down here people are still ashamed to admit they’re from country. i’m not, though. maybe i can start something here. only ones who have regional interest in oxen are people in histria peninsula. they have a yearly gathering of indigenous breed of cattle, with plowing demo. i was there this year and tapped it. i’ll putt it on youtube as soon as i figure out what’s wrong with my computer.

[dominiquer60]

Bivol,
Did you ever post this gathering? it would be interesting to see what you taped.
erika

[bivol]

yes i have but i’m one lazy man+technology isn’t my strong point. but don’t worry i’ll have it in a month

[Author]

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