camel ride when I weigh 15stone

[KathySeldon]

Husband wats to book a camel ride on holiday next week.
I'm feeling that I am too heavy to go on a camel.
AIBU to think that?

Riding any animal on holiday for entertainment purposes is wrong.

So just don't

They will have a weight limit, you might be within the weight limit but it’s not a nice thing to do and they are more than likely being abused.

So unfair on these poor camels, working all day , allowing randoms to ride on their backs all to make money.

we went to a place that did camel rides last year, we didn’t participate as I found it extremely u fair on the camels.

Please don't go on the camel ride horrible for the animals which are (usually) not treated well at all.
I would never participate in any activity which involved an animal especially abroad.

I went on a three day camel trek in the Indian desert and the 3 guides shared two camels which seemed comfortable enough with the weight of 2 men which would definitely have been over 15 stone. Google says camels can carry up to 900 pounds which is over 60 stone so 15 stone for a short period is unlikely to be an issue. There are different types of camel though, I’m not sure if dromedary and bactrian camels have different weight limits or which you’d be riding.

The camels I rode weren’t chained at all. Riding a camel is no different, ethically, to riding a horse and have been ridden for centuries in dessert countries. Probably best to assess the situation when you arrive and ask the guides advice if you feel, after seeing the camels, it’s something you’d like to participate in.

Please don't. You're too heavy to ride any animal and it's cruel to ride the camels in Egypt anyway.

Regardless of weight, it’s cruel and you are enabling the cruelty by paying the people that treat them so badly. Vile.

Do you feel the same about the horses in riding stables which children in the UK regularly frequent to learn to ride? What about the horses which are used by charities such as RDA for riding for the disabled? Horses are used to have people ride them to make money and I never see anyone moan about that in the UK.

Please don't do this. You can have a lovely holiday without this activity. You are too heavy for these creatures . It's not a requirement for you to get to somewhere so please just choose something else fun to do.

"Riding a camel is no different, ethically, to riding a horse and have been ridden for centuries in dessert countries."

Aah, the old "pudding/arid region" confusion never gets old 🤣

@MolkosTeenageAngst

What is pudding/ arid region confusion? Sorry, I have never heard that expression before!

It is desert, not dessert!

Agree!

Just check if there is a weight limit.

On the other hand, if you don't go, don't pay to ride, camel owner has less money, camel gets less food...

Don't ride. Do donate some camel food/cash to a charity that helps working animals.

yes, these animals lead hard lives, are often abused via neglect and ignorance and the difficulty in finding proper treatment. But on the whole so are the people, its out of necessity, and ignorance, not malicious.

I've never, nor would, l go on a donkey or camel ride (or elephants, in fact) on holiday.
They're not treated well at all, poor things.
Just me, but no, I wouldn't. Regardless of my weight.

Same here. Why would you want to?

I wouldn’t ride a camel regardless of whether I met the weight criteria. I don’t agree with it!

Poor animals.

Regardless of your weight, if you were 6st I'd say please don't. Maybe you could carry the camel around for a bit instead.

On the other hand, if you don't go, don't pay to ride, camel owner has less money, camel gets less food...

. . . or camel owner accept there's no money in this anymore and finds another trade

Agree with PPs, please don't go on camel rides regardless of weight. Just cruel.

Same here. Surely we’re beyond using animals for entertainment?

Exactly. I wouldn't support this cruel trade. Your weight is the least problematic thing about it.

It was really hard watching sad looking camels chained up and lugging tourists around on holiday. You could see where the chains were digging into their ankles (? Not sure they're called ankles on a camel but you know what I mean).
We also saw a man slapping a camel around the face and our guide told us that all the camel owners do that.
For these reasons, I would avoid camel rides anyway. I do think 15 stone would be too heavy for the average sized camel to comfortably carry (even if they were treated well).

You weigh double me and I felt guilty on one! Why do you want to/need to go on one? I think it’s cruel and would never do it again!