In parts of North Africa and the Middle East, the camel is still the main means of transport for long distances. These exceptional animals are strong, intelligent and possess incredible endurance. Some of them can reach speeds of up to 64 km / h. While their speed makes them ideal for running, if the camel gets scared and the camel driver loses control, this can result in harrowing and potentially deadly experiences. So, how to regain control of a frightened camel and return to a safe pace? Read on and you will find out.
Steps
Step 1. Stay calm
Camels are very intuitive creatures and are able to tell if you are feeling nervous or angry. If they feel your anxiety or anger, they will get even more frightened, so it is important to try to manage your emotions as long as you can, even if you are beside yourself with fear. Just take deep breaths and don't be tense; remember that camels are calm by nature, and if you keep your focus, they will eventually regain their self-control and slow down rather quickly.
Step 2. Do not scream or hurt the camel
Yelling at the camel to stop him will scare him even more; rather, try speaking to him in a gentle, reassuring voice while trying to slow him down. Don't even try to nudge him or hurt him, it will only make him more scared and confused. If you want the camel to trust you, it must consider you a friend, not an enemy.
Memorize the correct commands to use while riding a camel. Each camel is trained to respond to different commands. Knowing the appropriate commands before riding him will help you know what to say when you need to calm him down
Step 3. Hold the bridle with a steady hand, but don't pull too hard
Since camels are ruminants, bridles are usually attached to a peg inserted into the nose, rather than a bite fixed in the mouth. This means that, unlike a horse, you cannot try to tame a runaway camel by pulling its bridle hard. A hard tug will break the bridle or, worse yet, tear the peg from the camel's nose, causing him to panic even more.
- While it is not recommended to pull the bridle too hard, you will certainly want to make sure you can hold it so you can control the camel once it slows down.
- Make sure you have sturdy bridles and a halter, especially if you don't have much riding experience. A halter can make it much easier to regain control of the camel, and you won't have to worry about hurting him by snatching the peg from his nose.
Step 4. Try to make the camel move in a circle
If the bridles are attached to a halter, as is often the case with camels used for sightseeing, you can pull them lightly to make the camel circle and eventually slow it down; this will hold back the momentum. Meanwhile, you should try to pull the bridle in the direction the camel wants to go; you should cooperate with it, don't go against its will. Pull the bridle in the direction the camel wants to turn; if he decides, instead, to turn away, allow him and pull them accordingly.
Pull the bridle only lightly when trying to spin the camel. It usually doesn't take long and too vigorous movement can injure your camel if the bridle is hooked to the nose
Step 5. Wait until the camel stops
Your goal is to hold out until it does: cling your body to the camel's rump to lower your center of gravity, hold onto it with your legs and grab the horn of the saddle. If you are not using a saddle, hold on as long as you can and try to lean back slightly, so as to avoid riding near the top of the hump; at high speed, it would be a really turbulent ride.
Step 6. Get off the camel once you have it under control
After the wild ride has come to an end, seat the camel. Disassemble and continue to hold the bridle; if you can disassemble, don't run away. Also, remember not to turn your back on him or he may chase you.
Step 7. Consider the possibility of dismantling quickly, if all attempts prove to be useless
If the camel starts to gain speed and does not respond to your commands, consider slipping off the rear of the camel; this should be your last resort and you should only do it if you have lost the reins or are quickly heading towards a dangerous situation, such as a precipice. To dismount from the camel, free your feet from the stirrups and try to land on the ground by running, bending your knees slightly as you make contact with the ground.
- Once on the ground, try to take back the reins; in all likelihood, the camel will stop once you succeed.
- Most, but not all, camels like to be in close contact with their flock or close to home; therefore, if you dismount and can't get the reins back, the camel will likely come back once it calms down.
