Updated at: 31-08-2022 - By: Jane Brody

Some ostrich farms allow restricted, but safe, ostrich riding, even though it is illegal to ride ostriches on the open road.

This means that ostrich riding is possible in certain locations.

However, the question of whether or not it is ethical to ride an ostrich is a contentious one.

Before we get into the specifics, let’s take a moment to consider how someone might possibly ride an ostrich.

You probably think it’s like riding a camel or a horse.

Then why don’t you find out for yourself?

How Big Can You Be To Ride an Ostrich?

Can You Ride An Ostrich

Weighing less than or equal to about 75 kg.

Ostriches, in contrast to raptors, face little danger from climate change.

Agriculturally, they’ve been around for generations now. So far, there are no international regulations governing the handling of ostriches.

As a result, the exact rules for treating an ostrich vary from farm to farm and country to country.

As a result, some ostrich farms allow humans to ride, while others forbid them from coming close to the birds in any way at all.

There are exceptions to this rule, but most ostrich farms prohibit people weighing more than 60 kilograms from riding on an ostrich.

In addition, riders under the age of 18 are not permitted.

So, you need to be both mature and not too young at the same time.

This is precisely why ostrich rides are typically only enjoyed by women and young girls in their late teens.

I don’t think it’s a good idea for children to ride such an erratic animal.

Now you’re wondering: What’s going on?

How Is An Ostrich Ride In a Farm Safe For Anyone?

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Ostriches that are raised in captivity rarely harm humans.

Even if they don’t, farm workers keep a tight eye on what’s going on.

When ostriches are laying their eggs, they are not allowed to be transported on horseback.

Let’s just say that letting your 9-year-old ride an ostrich is not a good parenting decision at all.

In the event of an ostrich attack, an adult person is significantly more likely to survive than a juvenile.

To give you a better understanding of what it’s like to ride an ostrich, I’ll draw a picture of you doing so.

Here’s what we can expect:

  1. They’ll take you to an ostrich stand and get you up close and personal with an ostrich there.
  2. In the future, if they see fit, you may be able to feed the ostrich a pellet.
  3. Alternatively, they’ll cover the ostrich’s face with a towel and hold it up for you to ride on. The covering temporarily deceives the ostrich, causing it to succumb peacefully.
  4. Wing pits will be instructed to be held firmly, but not squeezed excessively. After that, they’ll tell you to put your legs above the ostrich’s knees and lean backward..

As soon as you get to this stage, your body’s instincts will tell you to lean in.

But you’ll have to bear it all alone.

Remember, though, that the ostrich’s back isn’t going to be the most soothing of all places.

While its feathers may be delicate, you’ll likely feel its bones as well.

Holding a chick gives you the same sensations.

  1. They will now remove the ostrich’s face mask and let it to run free. Two men, on either side of them, will be holding ostriches back as they follow.
  2. After about ten seconds of jolting, you will begin to scream as the ostrich sprints away. Because you’re sliding backwards, not because of the ride.
  3. Grab the ostrich’s neck and try to squeeze it, but you’ll just end up hurting yourself in the process. You can’t rely on a horse’s mane for support. Scream a little louder.
  4. There will be no reaction from the ostrich farm staff because this is a normal occurrence for them. If you don’t make a sound, they might be taken aback.
  5. One of the men will catch you and the other will make sure the ostrich doesn’t kick you as you fall backwards.

You’ll have your own thoughts and sentiments when you go back, but I’ll leave that up to you.

It varies from person to person.

It’s not like anyone has ever described an ostrich ride as “graceful.”

If it’s awkward, it’ll probably be over in 2 minutes at the latest.

Attempts to hang on are now likely in your mind.

So, you may be wondering:

Can You Saddle An Ostrich?

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Ostriches and ostrich-hunters alike may find it difficult to coexist.

Until recently, saddles were attached to a horse’s back.

Bridles, on the other hand, provide their riders with a secure and comfortable seating position.

Ostriches, on the other hand, have only two legs, making it more difficult for them to do so.

Because of this, it is difficult to attach a saddle to an ostrich.

There is no way to tie an ostrich saddle to it, so it’s only used as a seat. A rider’s saddle is held in place by an ostrich protector.

Steel or leather are the most common materials for the seat.

But the ostrich’s back is held in place by the seat.

There is no easy way to get off the ostrich’s back.

If you’re on that ride and the ostrich doesn’t stop, you might scream because you’re ready for it to be over.

Nonetheless, some ostrich farms host ostrich races on a regular basis.

Ostrich riders who are particularly skilled can even mount their ostriches with reins, although saddles are not recommended.

Ostrich rides may be what you’re looking for.

So,

Where Can I Ride An Ostrich?

Aside from South Africa, you may have the option of getting on the back of ostriches at your own local ostrich farm.

The following states have the most common ostrich-riding farms:

  1. Vietnam
  2. State Texas in the United States; England’s Canterbury; South Africa’s Cape Town; and Oudtshoorn, in the latter country.
  3. Australia
  4. Curacao
  5. Kenya
  6. DR Congo is a country in Africa.

However, the practice of ostrich riding is becoming more and more rare and even outlawed in some countries.

It is a supplementary entertainment sector that provides ostrich rides.

In other words, these ostrich farms were originally set up solely for the purpose of harvesting the birds’ feathers for fashion and home decor.

Hats and animal bands needed these as decorative accents.

Until recently, ostrich feathers were only worn by a select group of fashionistas or by carnival performers.

Despite this, many people consider ostrich meat to be a delicacy.

As an aside, the flavor is more beefy than chicken.)

Ostrich eggs, on the other hand, are much sought after than ostrich meat.

There are around 22 ordinary chicken eggs in an ostrich egg’s weight.

In addition, one egg can feed up to 20 people.

However, it has a salty taste to it, and I’m not sure if it was my chef who added the salt.

In any case, you can go to an ostrich-serving establishment in your neighborhood or to a restaurant linked with an ostrich farm.

Breakfast and lunch are made using ostrich meat.

All things considered, ostrich leather may be the only reason these farms are still in business.

How so?

Even though ostrich skin is a rare and exotic material, it is the finest leather available to date.

It can be tanned in a wide range of hues and shades.

You can make anything out of this material because of its thinness.

Each ostrich has its own own skin texture, like a fingerprint.

As a result, every piece of leather art manufactured by this company is one of a kind.

Additionally, the skin on the legs has been sculpted to resemble feathers on a lizard.

About 70 percent of all leather originates from a South African business called Klein Karoo. The blue ostrich is the company’s trademark.

While slaughterhouses and leather tanning companies may raise ethical concerns about riding an ostrich, they are not the source of those problems.

It stems from the following question:

Does Riding An Ostrich Hurt Them?

Yes, that’s most likely the case.

Ostrich riding endurance studies are lacking at this time.

So, let’s apply the horse-back weight limit to ostriches, too. ‘

According to research, a horse is capable of picking up up to 20% of its own weight.

As much as 10% of its body weight can cause discomfort.

As a general rule, a horse weighing 400 kilograms can carry roughly 80 kilograms of weight comfortably, but a load of 40 kilograms may cause it discomfort.

For an average-sized ostrich, the same formula yields the following results:

If an ostrich with a 150-kilogram weight capacity is able to hold 30 kilograms of weight, it may feel weary even if that weight is just 15 kilograms.

But although an ostrich may get away with it for a few seconds, a horse has to bear its weight for far longer.

For a few seconds, humans can handle an infant half their size.

As a result, it’s possible that ostrich riding isn’t harmful or dangerous to the bird.

However, unlike horses, ostrich thigh muscles are not as powerful.

Leg bones of ostriches are hollow, unlike those of humans.

In reality, birds’ skeletons are well-known for their flimsiness and susceptibility to breakage.

And hence, it is safe to assume that: \sOstriches are not built for long-term human riding.

Again, ostriches are reared to be butchered on these farms.

Furthermore, ostrich numbers aren’t in grave danger; they’re actually the least endangered of all the animal species.

Furthermore, no ostrich has been harmed by years of ostrich rides.

One school of thinking believes that ostrich riding is completely unethical.

However, there is no evidence that ostrich riding does not harm them.

Ostriches appear to be either fatigued, perplexed, or stressed in nearly all recorded ostrich rides.

The ostrich, according to the second school of thought, has no control in who rides it.

After being thrown to the ground, the victim only flees in desperation.

Another reason why ABTA forbids its customers from participating in ostrich tourism — or even just witnessing it — is because of this.

You can still ride an ostrich if you’d rather.

Here’s an idea if you’re still concerned about the ethical implications:

Your life and experiences will not be diminished if you do not ride an ostrich.

Any pain an ostrich feels makes the experience pointless. However.

To enjoy beauty, you don’t need to own it all the time, but you do need to be able to admire it silently.

Take a picture of yourself with an ostrich and publish it on Facebook as your profile picture.

Wrapping Up 

If you want to ride an ostrich, you can certainly do so.

While riding an ostrich may sound thrilling and amusing, I strongly advise against it.

As a matter of fact, it’s probably unethical and has yet to be proven conclusively to be the case.

However, if you insist on riding an ostrich, you must do it only on officially recognized ostrich farms.

I’m confident that this has answered all of your questions.

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