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?

Why anyone would do this to the poor animals I really don't understand it's very cruel no matter what the weight

I've never met a horse that wasn't looked after exceptionally well. If I'd witnessed abused riding school horses then I would completely feel the same way about this as I do about camel rides. Animal abuse is abhorrent no matter the animal.

Is it Lanzarote? Weight wise you’ll be fine. There are lots of amazing ways to experience the volcanoes if it is without going on the camels. We usually just take the kids for a wee look and then do our own thing

OP I forgot to add to my comment, quad bike rides across the desert are really fun, and go much faster than a camel, with none of the animal abuse.

It's like swimming with dolphins just don't do it

We went on a camel last month. Weight 13 stone and DH is about 15. Camel coped fine. We weren’t the largest people there at that time.

I think in the uk we understand that animals shouldn’t be used for entertainment like this. Why does your husband not understand this, nor do you it seems and are only worried about your weight?

I would decide not to do it on animal welfare grounds, nothing to do with your weight though. choose something more ethical generally.

The point of not partaking in camel or any other animal rides is to hopefully make using animals not profitable in the tourist trade so it stops.
It's not just about that one particular animal which needs fed

The UK has pretty high animal welfare standards compared to the rest of the world. The examples you cite are usually extremely well run or they wouldn't be in operation.

I was the only one who refused to go on a camel in Lanzarote and I weighed about 12 stone at the time, I don't think your weight would be an issue I just felt sad for the camels trundling up the hill with loads of entitled people on them

Camels are very strong, a healthy camel can carry a load of 300lbs easily. Having said that it's true they may not be well cared for and could be overworked in tourist areas.

Animals should never be tourist attractions.

If you pay for the same, you are complicit in abuse.

Most men over 5 ten going to be 15 stone

Some do.

The camel gets sold on to someone else, or eaten, or left to forage rubbish dumps for food if its not even got enough meat on it to eat.

I disagree. My DH is 5ft 11, overweight and still weighs less than 15 stone.

I can carry quite a bit. Doesn't mean I want to or should be forced to.

I wouldn't take part in animal cruelty at any weight.

No you can't ride a camel. I would be so embarrassed..

Mm.. and if everyone all at the same time stopped funding it, maybe that would happen (it wouldn't, they'd move to shifting rubbish or other haulage, certainly in Egypt anyway, im not talking about anywhere else) - the reality is when just a few people do this, its not just camels going hungry, its people and their children too.

But hey as long as us tourists feel better!

I don't agree with animals being used like this, no matter one's weight.
It's cruel.

Sorry but you are too heavy, it wouldn’t be fair on the camel. Although that’s not the main reason you shouldn’t do it - these kinds of things are very cruel practices and those who sell these ‘experiences’ are renowned for mistreating animals. I like to go to Lindos in Rhodes where there’s an acropolis ant the top of the town and locals sell donkey rides up to it as it quite hilly. The path to the Acropolis goes through the town and the donkeys pass and I want to push off every lazy prick who passes on those donkeys, they MUST see that these animals are dehydrated, have skin full of weeping sores, eye infections and are mistreated by their owners - but hey as long as they don’t have to walk up a hill ey 🙄

If people stop partaking on these practices then the mistreatment would stop.

I wouldn’t because I don’t agree with it. Not sure where you are going but i would be looking into the treatment and welfare of the animals first

I’m pretty sure like everything it’s a mixed bag. I once went on a camel (dive safari) out in Egypt. I would say the camels seemed really well looked after they belonged to a Bedouin tribe and took us and our kit a couple of hours along the coast where the roads ran out and to our campsite by the beach. It wasn’t uncomfortable to sit on, you have to sit cross legged and not pretend your on a horse.

The camels working at the pyramids and mount Sinai seemed in much worse condition so would suggest staying away from the short (steep) tourist rides and find somewhere who looks after the animals properly.

I don’t think your weight would be a concern for a healthy camel.

I'm sure there's lots of other activities you can do.