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Ride 'em Zebra?

Change Stripes

Ever wondered why people ride horses but not zebras? Though they look it, zebras aren't just horses with stripes.

Trying to train and ride a zebra is pretty dangerous. Compared to horses, zebras are pretty unpredictable. They can be very aggressive and even vicious as they get older. Plus, their body shape doesn't take a saddle very well.

People have been trying to domesticate zebras for about a hundred years, but to no avail.

Can't Be Tamed

Over the years some zebras have been successfully trained, but as a group they just don't lend themselves to domestication. Some animal trainers and breeders have created zebra hybrids, such as the zorse, a cross between a zebra and a horse, and the zonkey, which is what you get when you cross a zebra and a donkey.

So far there's no specific purpose to creating zebra hybrids; they're not stronger or more useful than regular horses and donkeys.

So maybe we should just leave the zebras alone. They're doing just fine on their own.

Read More:

"Can Zebras Be Domesticated?" ( Everyday Mysteries)

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