Have You Ever Ridden An Elephant?
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
February 8, 2016 3:40pm CST
Many years ago when I was on holiday in Thailand, riding on an elephant was the 'must-do' thing for every tourist.
There were several elephants and they each took two people, as well as the mahout (handler). He sat just behind the elephant's ears, and we sat on a big chair thing right on top of his back.
The main sensation was the swaying from side to side as we made our way on the trail through the jungle. We stopped in a pool where the elephants drank and splashed around a bit, and we laughed as we got wet. All part of the fun.
However, afterwards I couldn't help but think that it couldn't have been much fun for the elephants. They are essentially wild animals, and being forced into being the playthings of tourists, making the same trek day after day can't be a very pleasant life.
What made me think about this was the news last week that a British tourist was trampled and gored to death in the very same place that we had our ride.
Apparently the mahout had got down to take photos of the man and his daughter, and the elephant hit him with his trunk and stabbed him with his tusks. The mahout wasn't seriously hurt, but the elephant then rampaged and dislodged the riders and trampled the man, fatally goring him in the chest. The daughter only had minor injuries.
There is speculation that the mahout had been cruel, and he is being accused of negligence.
It just made me think that this sort of accident could have happened to us, and I think that a lot of tourists will be wary of riding the elephants from now on.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
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62 people like this
64 responses
!@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
8 Feb 16
@jaboUK I don't like sitting in these metal basket seats. My favourite way is to sit astride the elephant. What I particularly like is that when the elephant farts (and they do that a lot) you feel the whole body vibrate through your legs.
3 people like this
@GreatMartin (23672)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
9 Feb 16
My friend Maria in Australia would bust a gut if she read this---she is 100% against elephants being used for entertainment--she volunteers 3-4 times a year in an elephant sanctuary --she doesn't stop crying from the moment sh gets there until she leaves seeing what humans have done to this creatures.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@GreatMartin They have elephant sanctuaries in Australia?
If I'd thought about it at the time, I wouldn't have ridden it, but hindsight is a great thing, isn't it?
2 people like this
@allknowing (136369)
• India
8 Feb 16
Animals are being misused ruthlessly. Just because they cannot talk they are meted out with cruelty, All this should be banned, including the circus.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@allknowing I think a lot of circuses in this country don't use animals any more, and I agree that's a good thing. It was sad to see lions etc jumping through hoops.
A lot of circuses are doing more of the 'Cirque du Soleil' thing where the concentration is on human performers.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (136369)
• India
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK I am happy to hear that. Humans can entertain with their gimmicks (lol)
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Feb 16
Can't say that I ever have been on an elephant. Only been on a horse once. Your piece is well written.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 16
@JohnRoberts Thanks. I used to make my living from riding horses, but that's very different from being perched up on an elephant's back.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
8 Feb 16
@jaboUK And I have never ridden a camel either!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 16
@JohnRoberts Ha - I can trump you there too! I've been on one of those in Tunisia and Lanzarote.
1 person likes this
@danny1971 (1747)
• Church Hill, Tennessee
9 Feb 16
I've been to Thailand before, but, we never rode one. I think that would be nice to ride, if on the right elephant. Meaning, the fact that the trainer abused the elephant. My mother is from Thailand, and she used to tell me about these tales of riding the elephant. I thought that it was neat, and would like to ride one. But, we just never got around to do it.
1 person likes this
@danny1971 (1747)
• Church Hill, Tennessee
10 Feb 16
@jaboUK My mother has a Thai map. and I think I have seen it on there. but, never have been there before. We only went to Phuket, Sakoon Nakon, Uthai Thanee, Bangkok(of course), and Nong Kai. Those are where my family live.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@danny1971 My son is married to a Thai girl, but she never rode on an elephant.
This incident happened on Koh Samui - do you know it?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 16
@danny1971 I haven't been to any of those places except Bankok.
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13454)
• United States
9 Feb 16
At a big circus, they brought out this huge elephant, let you take a ride on it if you liked, I did get on had a short ride, not sure I really enjoyed it.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@CookieMonster46 I would have been thrilled to do that when I was a child.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 16
@CookieMonster46 It is a long way down!
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13454)
• United States
10 Feb 16
@jaboUK I was an adult when I rode it, made me nervous, like I was going to fall off.
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
9 Feb 16
I've ridden 3 at different circuses and the like. Not for long, but it was still fun. No big chairs, just straddling the animal as best as possible and holding on. I grew up riding horses, so I was used to swaying animals.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@OneOfMany I would have preferred to be actually riding directly on the elephant's back, instead of being in the chair thing. It's a bit different to riding horses though, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK Yes, it's very difficult to ride an elephant that way. Unlike using your legs to grip a horse's sides, you barely do anything but try to balance on an elephant, because they are so wide.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@WorDazza Surely you don't put horse racing in the same bracket as performing elephants? Racehorses get first class treatment, the best food and bedding in exchange for racing once every few weeks. They have a great life (for a horse).
They are bred especially for the job.
That's not the same as taking a wild animal and making it do things for our entertainment.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK I'm more concerned about what happens to them when their racing career is over. Sure, some of the top performers are put out to stud and seem to have a comfortable life but what happens to the also rans? This is particularly true of greyhounds who are often neglected once they are no longer useful.
2 people like this
@sgbrown (1638)
• United States
9 Feb 16
I rode a camel one time and wasn't too crazy about that! Riding an elephant would really scare me, I think. I'm with you, it doesn't sound like it is much fun for the elephants. I would be just as happy to see them, take some pictures and maybe feed them, if that were allowed. 
2 people like this
@nottoooldtowrite (2715)
• Philippines
9 Feb 16
I have not tried it. People should be more cautious now. What should have been a fun memory turned out to be disastrous.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@nottoooldtowrite I've just looked it up and it says the elephant was shot with a tranquilising dart, but not killed. He will be given a two week break, then moved to another resort to carry on giving rides. That seems very dangerous to me. The mahout is suspended and is being sued for negligence.
1 person likes this
@nottoooldtowrite (2715)
• Philippines
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK yes, it seems dangerous as the elephant might at some point attack again.
1 person likes this
@nottoooldtowrite (2715)
• Philippines
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK so what dod they do to the elephant and to the mahout?
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
8 Feb 16
Wow, that sounds very dangerous. I have never ridden on an elephant, but since we aren't allowed here ~ when we go to tourist spots, it's like a must have thing to do.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
8 Feb 16
@jaboUK Yeah ~ I will think twice. I doubt they will offer any guarantees of safety as they have no control over such a large animal like an elephant.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 16
@infatuatedbby You definitely don't get any guarantees when dealing with any sort of animal - they can be unpredictable.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Feb 16
@infatuatedbby That's the thing - when you go to places that offer this sort of thing, most people will have a try at it. I'd never thought of it as dangerous until this incident last week.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
10 Feb 16
As I started reading this I thought that it sounded dangerous and I guess I was right. How would anyone know if the handler was cruel and the animal just waiting for a chance to get revenge? So sad for the animals and the tourists.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
11 Feb 16
@jaboUK No I suspect when I was younger I would not have either, these days I am always thinking of broken bones lol
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
11 Feb 16
@BelleStarr One of the joys of getting old!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
9 Feb 16
It must have been interesting but we don't have many elephant rides around here!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
9 Feb 16
@jaboUK I have so many one liners I could say right now but they would all be off -color.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Feb 16
did at a zoo once, but only one rider, and you sat on a cloth, I remember the elephant seemed to be having fun, and didnt have to do too many rides
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt The one I rode did seem to have fun when it was splashing in the water too.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt You are right - a kind owner would make a big difference.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
10 Feb 16
@jaboUK guess it depends on their owner person
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
7 Mar 16
I was actually thinking about the elephants as I was reading this and was going to hold back from what I thought because I didn't want you to think I was trying to turn your awesome experience into something negative. I mean, yeah I'm sure it would have been fun but since you already said it yourself, I still feel bad that they have to go through that.
I'm sure they would rather just do whatever they do when people aren't forcing them to entertain people. I'm sure we wouldn't like it if people just randomly jumped on our backs and forced us to carry them on a certain path.
I mean if the elephants aren't being harmed then that is great! But sometimes it does bug me when they are used for work instead of letting them be.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Mar 16
@VivaLaDani13 No I wasn't nervous or scared. There's a high platform the height of the elephant, so you just climb up the steps then step across onto the elephant.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
7 Mar 16
@jaboUK Were you scared / nervous being up high on the elephant? How exactly do you get up on them anyway?
1 person likes this
