I wish they made it even marginally possible to get a job like I’m so fucking sorry I don’t have a rare but also highly demanded skillset, an agreeable disposition, and the ability to survive off of three nickels a week I’m soooo sorry
this is probably my favorite tiktok of all time and I finally got around to showing it to my dad the other day and now he comes home every day and tells me about all the places he saw crumbling concrete and says "guess they didn't add enough chinchilla flakes"
My dad has worked in construction is whole life, primarily with a company that does concrete foundations, and I immediately sent him this back when I first found it on TikTok, and he IMMEDIATELY shared it with everyone he worked with. They apparently still quote it on his job sites to this day.
What would it take for a dragon to be ridable in flight? I gotta figure that if it’s big enough to eat you it’s big enough to carry you because whether your weight is in it’s stomach or on it’s back I don’t think matters much but I’m not sure.
it's a good question! many predatory birds (one of the closest living things we can study to estimate stuff like how much of a dragon's own weight it can carry in flight) are able to lift more than you might expect, though it's very dependent on the species. this article lists several birds and their maximum carrying capacities:
The strongest birds on Earth can lift surprising amounts of weight! Can you guess how much weight these 10 strongest birds can carry?
Now, these are not long-distance carrying capacities, it should be noted. And not necessarily the type of weight they could grab off the ground and then take off with. In general, from various questions and sources, I have found that on average a strong bird can comfortable carry roughly one third of its own body weight.
so if we take that to dragons, it's a good enough rule of thumb. for a dragon to carry a human that weighs about 100 pounds, the dragon should be about 300 pounds minimum. that's less than a horse weighs! and dragons are usually drawn quite a bit larger than horses, though their weight shouldn't be equated to a similarly sized horse due to things like hollow bones and air sacs. a dragon roughly the size of a large workhorse with wings to match should be perfectly rideable for most humans.
but dragons are also commonly depicted with bat-like wings, and we also know that pterosaurs were able to get quite a lot bigger than modern birds and still be able to fly, so perhaps a membranous wing will allow for even greater carrying capacity than bird wings. it's a lot harder to find information on the carrying capacity of a bat, but there are some academic sources on the matter. If I'm reading this right, it's estimated that bats can carry over half their body weight in some circumstances. this wouldn't be something you could expect a dragon to do on a daily basis, perhaps, but it does offer a little more flexibility than the one third body weight capacity.
SUMMARYThe metabolic cost of flight increases with mass, so animals that fly tend to exhibit morphological traits that reduce body weight. H
so that's the size dealt with. but that's not the only consideration for how rideable an animal is! we ride horses and other equines more than any other animal, even other domestic ones, because they're well built for it. the way they run manages to keep their backs relatively level. for dragons, the addition of wings means finding the right spot to sit is going to make this even trickier. you may not be able to sit on a dragon the way you sit on a horse. their back won't be smooth riding, because it will rise and fall in tandem with the wings. but the neck won't be as capable of bearing weight, unless your dragons are so massive that a human on their neck won't be any bother (and personally I do think there's a limit to how big dragons should get, if you intend for them to work with humans in any capacity. there's only so large a predatory animal can be before feeding it becomes impossible, for one thing)
but, you know, we can fudge it a little. I highly recommend making dragon saddles a common part of dragon riding. it baffles me whenever I see dragon rider stories that just. never acknowledge saddles or make it seem unusual or special that one particular person has a saddle while literally no one else does. please don't make bareback dragon riding the common expectation. this is such a bad idea. not only for comfort reasons, but also because there's just no way to stay on a dragon in flight without a saddle, no matter how strong your character is. they need a saddle.
so here's two ideas I have for dragon riding: on top and underneath.
(image description: simple sketches of flying dragons with people riding them, depicting two different forms of saddle and riding styles. the first has the "saddle" as a harness holding someone below the dragon, much like a hang glider. the second has the saddle going over the back, with the person laying on their belly. end description)
now, I have the backside rider laying down like that because of aerodynamics. you're gonna have a harder time sitting fully upright with the wind in your face and making the dragon do barrel rolls or what have you. it's safer to stay low and close to the dragon. there should also be harnesses to ensure the rider stays attached to the saddle and doesn't slip off, of course.
pros and cons!
pros for belly riding:
good view! no need to worry about trying to see past the wings while soaring or anything, you've got a panoramic view of everything in front and below the dragon. it also offers more flexibility for carrying other cargo, like weapons and travel supplies, and if the dragon is intelligent you can let them take the lead while you nap. leaves more room for aerial sniping as well, you'll be able to load up a crossbow or something and take aim with plenty of space.
cons for belly riding:
you're in a lot more danger from attacks and obstacles below the dragon, you can't keep watch above the dragon (where it's most likely to have a blindspot) and landing is trickier. you probably also need more help getting in and out of this contraption of a "saddle" and can't easily bail in an emergency. harder to steer, also, if you can't rely on the dragon to take the lead.
pros for back riding:
it's more similar to horse riding, so it's a bit more intuitive perhaps. easier to steer, and you've got coverage for the dragon's blindspot. easier to get on and off or make an emergency escape if needed. if you can talk to the dragon, this is also a better position for conversation. and in a battle scenario, you can sit up briefly to launch a ranged attack. landing is easier and safer.
cons for back riding:
your view below the dragon is more limited. there's also perhaps less space for saddle bags, at least not ones that are accessible to you at all times. taking aim with a ranged weapon has a more limited window, and works best only for targets in front of you and above you, not so much to the side, behind, or below.
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