Cowboys: Ever rode a Zebra?

[Texas_Cur]

I saw this on the news this morning and had to find the story on the web: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2463739/Dad-of-two-Bill-Turner-rides-to-pub-on-a-zebra.html

You guys look out I may show up in the National Forrest riding a Zebra next year

[Cutter Bay Kennels]

Noah was training a "Zorse" several years ago.  That sucker could jump out of his stall flat-footed.  He was athletic to say the least.  He sounded like a donkey if memory serves me correct.  Noah could elaborate I'm sure.

[lightningh]

I saw a boy "Try" to ride one at the NCCR one year... They were paying $100 to anyone who could ride him.. He threw that boy off in two jumps, and then proceeded to stomp him and reach down and bite a chunk out of his back... He would have prob killed him if we wouldnt have roped it!

[Noah]

Does a Zorse count?   Half quarter horse/ half zebra.... nastiest critter I ever did ride....

Wish I had a picture of that bugger, it was probably 10-12yrs ago(pre-digital-age).  He came as a 2yo, wild as if he was straight off the Serengeti.  Woman that owned him wanted him trained so she could ride him in parades .  I had to keep him in a stall the entire 6mnths it took me to get him trained, he could jump every fence on the property.  First day on the farm he jumped through stall window and I had to rope him to get him caught before he jumped another fence.  Ended up putting hog panel over all the openings in his stall.

Took me a week just to where I could get a saddle on him without him biting/striking/kicking my head off... all 13 hands of him    Tough mouth does not begin to describe how non-bridle-able ol' "Zeb" was.  After another 2 wks of round pen bridle/surcingle work, I finally got the nerve to get on him.  That little sum beach took off at a flat gallop around that round pen, while four-foot crow hopping at the same time..... WITH MY KNEE IN HIS MOUTH!  Thank God he was so athletic he never missed a step, and kept right on bucking another 10 trips around that round pen.  He finally got winded and came to a stop on his own, my KNEE STILL IN HIS MOUTH   Not wanting to get jerked off and stomped to death, I sat there.... motionless... trying not to even breath, so as not to set the little demon off   Finally, he eased his grip and released me... for no other reason than to get a better breath.  He did the same thing, less the knee thing, every day for almost 2wks before he finally gave in.   That first week I passed blood in my urine from the bruising to my kidneys from him bucking so hard(I'm sure you wanted to hear that ).  His buck was like a jack hammer, hardest I ever rode.

Zero natural vertical give forced me to put a pretty high leverage bit on him right away.  I also had to run a mule "tail strap" on him, just so my saddle didn't slide right over his non-existent withers.  When I was on him, I could just about touch my heels together under his belly, and my feet were mere inches off the ground when in motion...

For all the bad things about him, that sucker turned in to a phenomenal equine.  I'd never rode many mules, but what they say about the hybrid is a fact, they are much more athletic than either of the animals they come from.  That little dude could lay out a pair of elevens like it was nothing... without shoes.  He could spin so fast he'd throw you right off if you weren't sitting back.  That woman went on to ride him in many parades, although I never felt he was really ready for it.  Neat animal I hope I never have to start again.

[Circle C]

Noah,

    You just painted a picture about you and Zeb that had me in tears I was laughing so hard!

[Noah]

I figgered you'd appreciate that....probably could feel it in a few places too   Always wished I could have put him in a reining show.  With plates on he'd of been unstoppable.... if the judges could've stopped laughing long enough to mark him

[Texas_Cur]

Noah,

    You just painted a picture about you and Zeb that had me in tears I was laughing so hard!

I have the picture of Noah gettin drug around that pen by his knee, and playing dead.

Noah,  I figured between you and Craig, one of you guys either would have personal experience with a zebra or know of someone who had.  Thats funny stuff, pictures of that would be priceless.

[aladatrot]

I imagine a Zonkey would be a bad one too. It's a lot closer to being a straight up jackass than a mule. I think you'd get the mean of the zebra with the intelligence and stubbornness of the donkey. Noah, could you find one of those to start so we can have another mental picture? You're the greatest!

Cheers
M

[craig]

 noah, thats a cool story...

i have broke alot of mules but i never wanted to mess with one of them zebra crosses.

a freind of mine has a Zebra jack that he breeds some QH mares to , he has a cool team of zebra mules he broke to work,  he said they are alot tuffer to break than a regular mule.

[Noah]

They just showed up at the farm one day with Zeb in the trailer... after seeing him bouncing around the trailer like a deer, I said no way.  The owners eventually offered enough money, (and stroked my ego enough ) to talk me into it... I can promise you though... I will NEVER do it again (sorry aladatrot )

I think they still have him at their farm.... it's on the way to one of my hunting spots, maybe I'll stop and see if I can get a shot of him.  They also had wolf hybrids too... maybe I'll find my next great hog dog at the same time

[Cutter Bay Kennels]

I can vouch for Noah's side of that scenerio.  At the time, when I saw that little ol thing, I kept thinking, "That is what you are referring to as being a handfull and then some".  After seeing him in action, he was all that and more.

[Dexter]

i found a couple of picture of zebra X's

[matt_aggie04]

Man that second one is uglier then sin haha

[lightningh]

Cool pics dexter. That top one looks nice!

[Dexter]

i got it from this site here  i was looking for some cluckers
 here it is anyways and they have a few more and lots more kinda wierd critters

spectrumranch.net

[Noah]

That first shot is a dead ringer for Ol' Zeb,  he was dark bay up top, but the stripes showed from his mid line down.... My body aches just seeing that photo

[Noah]

Finally found a shot of the little "spawn of satan"... AKA  "Zeb".  Ugly little cuss, wasn't he?

[Russ]

You weren't kidding about height and width, it looks like your stirrups are touching!!!

[uglydog]

They are actually welcome to show in the Donkey & Mule classes, and most will have a reigning / or Ranch riding class for saddle donk/mule shows

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

A great cowboy by the name of Tommy Merriman was given a zebra to break,after being bucked off,bitten kicked and stompped repeatedly he phoned a well known animal trainer from hollywood,Apparently this guy worked with a lot of zebras and lions,etc.When Tommy asked the man how he could train this zebra or if anybody ever had the man replied   "Have you ever wondered why there are a million black people in Africa and all of them are walking?" i thought that was classic.