Centaur riding -- circumstances and etiquette

[korora]

Centaurs can be ridden at need (The Silver Chair, the Teeth and Hooves webcomic, and The Andalite Chronicles come to my mind). However, they are almost always hnau (like in the above stories), so they cannot be treated as beasts of burden.

I was imagining a few circumstances where riding would be acceptable (if there is a bond of friendship and/or storge, if there is dire need, in a theatrical performace, or in battle), and what some rules of etiquette would apply. C. S. Lewis had a rule of no riding gear on Narnian centaurs. I suppose there would be rules about what sort of footwear (if any) the rider could wear as well. Any other thoughts?

Eudyptula albosignata

[metalikhan]

Some of it might depend on how sympathetic an individual centaur is toward the rider. While tack would not be normally allowed, the centaur might accept a stirrup strap for the riding-challenged human. Barefoot, socks, or moccasins would be the most likely accepted footwear -- definitely no boots or spurs.

The possible exception to any rule on etiquette would be if there are centaurs in the story who have, for whatever reason, been enslaved. That might give you some interesting conflicts in that you have a beast of burden with human thinking abilities and emotions set in an intolerable situation. Most of the mythology about centaurs tell about their intelligence, their pride, and their wild natures. Placing that nature under the yoke of slavery could get pretty intense especially if you have centaur characters who are free, which gives you foils of similar characters. How each kind of centaur interacts with the bipeds could be likewise intense.

Hmm -- just spotted the pun.

[scintor]

I would that two things would be big factors.

first, most large quadrapeds are not built right to carry a rider. That's why zebras and moose were never made beasts of burden.

Second, Think about how often and when you would let an animal friend or alien ride on your shoulders or piggyback.

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[CastleLyons]

I read a book a LOOOONG time ago about a girl from this world who enters a fantasy world along with her horse. She stayed with centaurs who looked down on her and her horse, calling them "the divided kind." Eventually she turned out to be the prophesied one who helped them get through a portal to escape to another world. I think the book was "Alpha Centauri" by Robert Siegel, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I always remembered the idea of the "divided kind" and how those centaurs were rather snooty to her at first. These particular centaurs would not have let a human ride on them, although I think one of them eventually did let her ride.

[fluke]

Might be an obvious one, but watch where you put your hands when riding a female centaur.

[Teskas]

Steady on, Fluke, old chap.

There are many depictions in classical art of centaurs and riders. A popular classical theme was Chiron and Achilles. Chiron was a centaur who taught Achilles the martial arts. Classic painters favored depictions of the Greek ideal of the human form, scarcely if at all dressed, so Achilles is often seen riding undressed or barely so. Also, as he is using a bow, he rode with his knees against the centaur's body, without stirrups.

But also, the Greeks distinguished between monstrous beasts, which were the forebearers in art of the Homeric centaur, and the centaur, which was sentient, and a quasi-divine being.

I suspect this is what led C. S. Lewis, who started out as a classicist, to set as his personal canon for centaurs, namely that one rode centaurs without equipage.

[myrthman]

This is only slightly on topic; forgive me. I was searching for images of a hill giant the other day and the first one that came up had a smaller demihuman (dwarf, maybe?) riding on its shoulders complete with saddle and eyebrow hooks. I thought it rather ironic.

I would think the centaurs in your world could very well be different from those used by other authors or classical mythology. Maybe they willingly carry riders as a sacrificial service? Perhaps the centaurs aren't as intelligent as their human counterparts (they really are beasts)? The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination.

I have the opposite going on in my story. The centaurs in my world are plains and desert dwelling nomads who capture anyone they find and either use them themselves or sell them on a slave market. They happily carry unconscious victims on their broad backs!

[Divides the Waters]

I think a human/centaur love story could be fun....

[torainfor]

Eeeew! Dood! What centaur have you ever seen with human genitalia?

[duchessashley]

In Disney's Hercules, a centaur is going after Meg - against her wishes, of course. (Forgive me - I have two little ones and I used to work for Disney...) So, not quite a love story, but the thought is there.

[JC Lamont]

Feb 19, 2009 11:58:33 GMT -5 torainfor said:

Eeeew! Dood! What centaur have you ever seen with human genitalia?

He said love, not sex. Um, this may come as a shock to some, but there is a difference.

[koolteskip]

Feb 19, 2009 12:08:36 GMT -5 @duchessashley said:

In Disney's Hercules, a centaur is going after Meg - against her wishes, of course. (Forgive me - I have two little ones and I used to work for Disney...) So, not quite a love story, but the thought is there.

Because "'No' means 'yes' and 'get lost' means 'take me I'm yours'."

That's actually very common in classical mythology...centaurs were notorious for abducting women.

[Christian Soldier]

Back up! Sex and love... hold on... There's a difference? Lol. Just because such things aren't shown doesn't mean there couldn't be, I suppose.

...

Alrighty, now that I have unpleasant images in my head, back to the topic at hand. Centaurs are normally known for their pride, but it depends on the environment in which they are raised, the backdrop of the story itself, and what, if any, such things would add to the story.

What I mean is, if your character had to get somewhere fast, and had no horse or some such, then a Centaur would be the way to go. I suppose it would even be somewhat comfortable for the Human as long as the Centaur can stomach such close contact with one of us.

Last, but not least, don't think you're constrained with the classical idea of Centaurs. You can use the name, but the species can have as many, or a little, changes that you want. It is, after all, your world.

[Divides the Waters]

Well, sometimes impossible love stories have the happiest endings. Or are at least the most poignant told.

[knightofhyn]

Umm....if we don't mind going back to the idea of them being of lesser intelligence... ::Neatly sidestepping the landmines that were just placed.::

What if they were like the trolls or giants of some fictions, forgive me, examples are slipping my mind. You have a large, strong creature with limited intelligence who, while not enslaved, really doesn't know what to do without being given an order, beyond the basic needs (foot, water, sleep, etc). Would that be so wrong?

We always see the noble centaur or the villainous centaur. Could we not just see the working centaur?