2
$\begingroup$

Let's say dragons exist and are strong enough to carry a person on their back, where would we saddle them? Because I think riding a dragon could be a bit hard for the take-off, and a bit dangerous during the flight since a mistake and you're free-falling.

Let's assume dragons would be like that because I think the amount of membrane is more realistic:

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
3
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ All examples except for the last one are technically wyverns, not dragons - they'll probably take off and land in different ways, which may impact saddle design. Are you looking for a saddle that works for both or different saddles for each type? $\endgroup$
    – Juliana Karasawa Souza
    Sep 24, 2021 at 7:23
  • $\begingroup$ Whatever it takes to get a good flight and ride. If they must be the same, then they must be the same, if they must be different, then they must be different. $\endgroup$
    – Wizard King
    Sep 24, 2021 at 16:34
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ The answer is as "as close to the back of the head as possible". Not because of things like controlling the head or convenience, but because you don't want to be anywhere where it can easily turn its long neck around and gobble you up in one bite. $\endgroup$
    – ProjectApex
    Sep 24, 2021 at 19:00

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
4
$\begingroup$

Safest seat on an airplane

Some people say that the safest place to sit in an airplane is on the seats along with its wings.

So If I want a safer flight on these beautiful but deadly dragons I would prefer myself to be in a prone position on their backs at the spot where their wings connect to their body.

In that position,

  • Dragon and I will face the least air resistance,
  • the dragon will remain stable as its neck and tail will be free to move,
  • the control apparatus will be easy as I can have direct control over wings and a leash to the mouth,
  • I can carry luggage too, multiple riders (up to 3) can be prone adjacent to each other,
  • on long distances, I can sleep,
Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
$\begingroup$

You probably need to ride just behind the head, the point of riding a dragon, instead of just being carried, is to have control. Control means reins, or some other form of commands, whatever you use you need to be near enough to the head to make communicating your wishes to your dragon practical and timely which probably means a saddle forward of the wing joints and shoulders anchored to the neck.

Having said that I do need to mount a basic frame challenge to the idea of riding something carnivorous that is big enough to eat you (which it must be in order to carry you), because it is big enough to eat you and you are made of meat. There is a distinct reason that tigers are notorious for eating their handlers/owners, they're big enough to eat the human and the human is made of meat. I make an exception for dragons because they're usually smart enough to bargain with, in which case the saddle goes where the dragon says it goes because even if you do have a deal at seventh and last you are made of meat and if the dragon can carry you it is big enough to eat you.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
7
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Ahh, the classic carnivore's dilemma. "If you weren't supposed to bite the had that feeds you, why is the hand made of food?" $\endgroup$
    – Starfish Prime
    Sep 24, 2021 at 12:27
  • $\begingroup$ @Starfish Prime: OTOH, all my dogs have been big enough to eat me - though I might have made several meals. None of them have. $\endgroup$
    – jamesqf
    Sep 24, 2021 at 18:31
  • $\begingroup$ @jamesqf tomorrow is a brand new day! anything is possible. $\endgroup$
    – Starfish Prime
    Sep 24, 2021 at 18:45
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I mean, even if the dragon had the intelligence and behavior of a slightly smarter version of an orca (you can somewhat train it, it's carnivorous but it normally would see you more as a toy to fling around than as something worth eating), things like reins are out of the question and some other kind of command form is needed. Because let's be realistic in this dragon riding question: do you really think a human would have anything close to the strength necessary to pull the head of a huge predatorial flying monster in order to achieve anything more meaningful than being annoying? $\endgroup$
    – ProjectApex
    Sep 24, 2021 at 18:56
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @ProjectApex No you're not going to force a dragon to turn, you can use reins to tell it which way you want it to go though. $\endgroup$
    – Ash
    Sep 25, 2021 at 7:37
4
$\begingroup$

Consider aerodynamics, and weight & balance. You DON'T want a saddle that has you sitting upright, like a horse saddle. You want to be prone to reduce wind resistance as much as possible. Look at how hang glider pilots are positioned.

Likewise, you want your weight to be centered between the wings, otherwise the dragon will be unstable and crash. Happens with airplanes on occasion - search for "weight & balance crashes" if interested.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ A glider plane pilot will be horizontal with his legs and feet stretched forward. A delta wing analogy involves hanging under the dragon ? $\endgroup$
    – Goodies
    Sep 24, 2021 at 20:29
  • $\begingroup$ @Goodies: The glider pilot can be seated (note the semi-reclining posture, to reduce the cross-section) because s/he is enclosed in an aerodynamic shell. Riding a dragon would be more like riding a road bike down a hill. WRT hang gliders (not all hang gliders are delta wings), the wing is very much lighter than the pilot, so the pilot beneath the wing is much more stable. Also the pilot needs to use legs for takeoff & landing. A dragon is probably much heavier than its rider, and uses its own legs. $\endgroup$
    – jamesqf
    Sep 25, 2021 at 4:35
3
$\begingroup$

Depends on the size of the dragon

If their heads are bigger than a person I wouldn't put it past people to simply ride on the necks just behind the heads as some sort of 'ride by the horns' method.

If not then maybe somewhere just forward of the shoulders as a sort of horizontal piggybacking method with reigns like how you'd control a horse.

Either way a lot of dragon riding as depicted to be on the back would actually very greatly mess with the back muscles controlling the wings and then you have to file down dorsal spines or inhibit vertical fins and various other protrusions typical of draconic creatures that usually aid in the control of their flight through the air. Really, on the back just isn't that great.

Could also simply be in a basket carried by the dragon by their talons, 'riding' them in a similar manner as you would use a hot air balloon, but that's so far away from the 'back riding' direction that you want to go to be on the ridiculous side.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Furthermore, riding directly behind the head should be by far more comfortable, since most flying creatures keep their head steady in flight. $\endgroup$
    – DarthDonut
    Sep 24, 2021 at 10:07

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .