# Anybody want a zebra? :D



## WoahHorsie

If I had a farm and a lot of money this is what I would buy:

9 month old male zebra for sale - he is so cute and friendly, was used for petting zoo | Buy this Horse at Equine.com :lol:


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## Wheatermay

No, but I want a zorse, lol.... or zonkey....


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## Bellasmom

OMG, that is SUCH a bad idea on so many levels.....zebras do NOT make good pets. They are not just horses with stripes, they are WILD animals. And a stallion as well? I personally think it is downright unethical to advertise this poor animal as just a big cuddly squishy toy.


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## MissColors

Chill out Bella. You can train them to ride. You can geld too. They can make good pets with attention and being handled like any other pet. Its cool to disagree but if that was the case we better give up all of our animals. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bellasmom

Yep, we will have to agree to disagree. IMO, there is a huge difference in keeping a domesticated animal vs a wild animal. A zebra is definitely a wild animal. I have a background in animal control, and also volunteered for years for various rescues. Yes there are the occasional success stories about folks keeping exotic and unconventional animals as pets, but generally it does not work out well for the "pet". Most people do not have the time, knowledge, or commitment needed to successfully keep a zebra. Sure, there have been saddle trained zebras. And you can geld them. But it is not like owning a horse & the ad for this particular zebra "gee, it's sooooo cute and you can bring it in the house!" does not sound like they are exactly committed to finding it a GOOD home. Just my 2 cents.


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## WoahHorsie

But really, I would only buy a zebra if I had too much money, time, and patience.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Reno Bay

I'd love a zebra...but they are wild animals.

On the flip side, we have to remember that ALL of our domesicated animals were once wild and we domesticated them, so why not zebras and the like (as long as people aren't being stupid and trying to have cute little cuddly tigers).


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## cmarie

Mustangs are wild animals too but lots of people have them.


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## JustDressageIt

No thanks. Zebras have not been domesticated as a species and are MUCH different than training a horse. They're more akin to donkeys with a very strong will, and very strong survival instanct. 
It takes a very understanding person to handle/train a zebra (or donk for that matter.)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bellasmom

Cmarie, mustangs are not wild animals, they are feral. In other words, they are descended from domesticated stock.


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## Phly

I know a guy who had a zebra. He says it was a total witch!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Celeste

Reno Bay said:


> I'd love a zebra...but they are wild animals.
> 
> On the flip side, we have to remember that ALL of our domesicated animals were once wild and we domesticated them, so why not zebras and the like (as long as people aren't being stupid and trying to have cute little cuddly tigers).


If we start keeping zebras like our ancestors kept horses, and we severely cull and eat all the mean ones like our ancestors did horses, then we could have them domesticated in a few hundred years. As of now, they are not domesticated. They will likely be ok while young, but very unreliable as adults.

Ok, I just now read the ad. If I could consistently get $7,500 for the colts, I would consider raising zebras, tame or not. Sounds like some big money to me.


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## Shropshirerosie

Well I just read the ad and he is actually a Zorse (says so on the right hand side by breed).

So Wheatermay you'd better go buy him! :lol:


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## SlideStop

I wouldn't mind having a decent one, certainly not going to go hunting for one though. This little guy seems like he's had a decent, yet maybe unconventional, start in life.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BlueSpark

This drives me crazy. Wild animal, known to be unpredictable and hard to train, poor conformation as a saddle horse, lets keep it as a pet!!!!

seriously, not my thing. This is right up there with pet kangaroos, foxes and wolves.


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## Speed Racer

Shropshirerosie said:


> Well I just read the ad and he is actually a Zorse (says so on the right hand side by breed).


The pictures show a zebra, not a zorse. Plus, they've been treating him like a house pet, which means he's probably rude, obnoxious, and getting difficult to handle because he's uncut.

Zebras aren't domesticated, they're wild animals. They're more akin to Przewalkski Horses who are_ true_ wild horses than Mustangs, which are just domestic stock gone feral.


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## Nightside

I've had a fox and I have wolf hybrids. So, I'm fine with exotics and people keeping whateer they are able to properly care for. It'd be neat tohave a zebra but I'd have to spend a fortune upgrading my fence.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WSArabians

Me!
Then I'd breed him to all my mares and advertise them as purebred brindles.


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## WSArabians

Nightside said:


> I've had a fox and I have wolf hybrids. So, I'm fine with exotics and people keeping whateer they are able to properly care for. It'd be neat tohave a zebra but I'd have to spend a fortune upgrading my fence.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I did have a half wolf, half husky. Amazing dog.
Until someone stole him. I hope he bit their head off.


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## BlueSpark

Know a few people with wolf hybrids. they were hard to train, had high prey drives and a tendency to roam. One became obsessed with porcupines, after $3500 worth of vet bills, multiple attempts to keep her locked up and a failed attempt to rehome her she was put down from complications.

One became very territorial and dog aggressive, dispite extensive obedience training,

One was never people friendly,

One became extremely unpredictable with people, and hunted cats.

Two were good dogs. I think wild animals should stay in the wild.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LoveMyTBPacha

Wheatermay said:


> No, but I want a zorse, lol.... or zonkey....


I totally want a zorse!!! I love the Bay zorses, so cool looking! Does anyone know what zorses general temperament is like, or does it depends completely on what kind of horse the zebra was bred to? I've heard they're really smart.


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## Nightside

BlueSpark said:


> Know a few people with wolf hybrids. they were hard to train, had high prey drives and a tendency to roam. One became obsessed with porcupines, after $3500 worth of vet bills, multiple attempts to keep her locked up and a failed attempt to rehome her she was put down from complications.
> 
> One became very territorial and dog aggressive, dispite extensive obedience training,
> 
> One was never people friendly,
> 
> One became extremely unpredictable with people, and hunted cats.
> 
> Two were good dogs. I think wild animals should stay in the wild.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That screams poor breeding stock, a lack of an alpha, and/or a lack of understanding for them. You get what you pay for when you buy a pup.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Wheatermay

LoveMyTBPacha said:


> I totally want a zorse!!! I love the Bay zorses, so cool looking! Does anyone know what zorses general temperament is like, or does it depends completely on what kind of horse the zebra was bred to? I've heard they're really smart.


ME TOO! the bay's look so beautiful!

But anyway, how did this turn into a debate? lol.... I thought it was a fun random thought thread, then it turned all serious....


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## Wheatermay

Shropshirerosie said:


> Well I just read the ad and he is actually a Zorse (says so on the right hand side by breed).
> 
> So Wheatermay you'd better go buy him! :lol:


LOL, I'll get right on that!


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## MsBHavin

Good lord. His legs are horrible. I really wish they'd be more realistic with how he acts. He acts like a 'person' now but in less than a year, unless you've got the skills, he'll turn into a major PITA. Especially staying ungelded.


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## AllieJ333

I don't want one, but there's nothing wrong with someone owning a zebra as long as they are knowledgeable and care for it properly.


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## MissColors

Bellasmom said:


> Yep, we will have to agree to disagree. IMO, there is a huge difference in keeping a domesticated animal vs a wild animal. A zebra is definitely a wild animal. I have a background in animal control, and also volunteered for years for various rescues. Yes there are the occasional success stories about folks keeping exotic and unconventional animals as pets, but generally it does not work out well for the "pet". Most people do not have the time, knowledge, or commitment needed to successfully keep a zebra. Sure, there have been saddle trained zebras. And you can geld them. But it is not like owning a horse & the ad for this particular zebra "gee, it's sooooo cute and you can bring it in the house!" does not sound like they are exactly committed to finding it a GOOD home. Just my 2 cents.


There are actually a handful of people who have zebras here. I can think of at least 3 actual zebras I have seen in person that are healthy living pets. And I have heard of others around.(I dont get out of my own barn much.) I do agree with the time and commitment. But as long as you can reach out for that help thats fine. Hopefully the people do find it a good home. I've also heard of people selling zebra (fawn? foals? kits?) right off the back of their circus trucks. One lady who has one around here is a equine vet and she has worked in Africa to help out some of the reserves. She has the experience. The only thing we can do is be optimisitic about it and hope they do find a good home for it.


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## TheAQHAGirl

I'd love a zebra to be honest. 
But realistically, it wouldn't be a good idea.

Maybe a zorse??

Wonder where they got the zebra though?


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## SlideStop

I've been looking at photos. This whole zebra thing is nothing new. There's a whole bunch of black and white photos of zebras broke to ride and drive. If you have the knowledge, time and patience to"gentle" and brake out a zebra then why not? Especially if they are being bred in captivity by someone intelligent enough to bred easily trained stock.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tasia

There is a large farm in my area, cool to look at but not my cup of tea.


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## Dreamers Mom

Descended from domesticated stock that descended from wild animals. An animal that was born and raised without human contact is wild or feral, it means the same thing.


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## Wheatermay

Awwwww!


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## Dreamers Mom

Wheatermay said:


> Awwwww!



Now that's adorable.


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## HorseOfCourse

I own two zedonks, and oh my goodness are they a handful! Granted that we got them when they were around 5 and basically untouched, they are extremely untrusting when you're in their pen, but if you are standing outside of it one is very friendly and loves to be scratched all over and the other is slowly becoming friendly. 
It's absolutely nothing like owning a horse, though. They are way more unpredictable and hard to train. Their stubbornness is about 50 donkeys put together.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Wheatermay

I love mules too though! I have two arab crosses and mules seem so hard! LOL I've heard they are super super smart and stubborn!


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## Celeste

Dreamers Mom said:


> Descended from domesticated stock that descended from wild animals. An animal that was born and raised without human contact is wild or feral, it means the same thing.


The difference in a wild animal and a feral animal is not that simple. Feral animals come from animals that were once domesticated. Domestication is a process that takes many generations of culling to remove wild traits and instincts. The wild animal may be tame as a juvenile, but he will revert to his wild tendencies as he matures.


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## BlooBabe

All of the pets we have now started out as wild animals. Through selective breeding and human interaction they became domesticated and easily tameable. So it's not terrible or cruel to own a zebra. Give it a few decades and they'll be domesticated too. All it takes is one person to want it and it will happen. So yes they may be wild but so were horses at one point. What would we all be doing now if someone hadn't been all 'hmm I'm going to make that wild horse my pet and have it do tons of work and take me where I want to go'? Zebra's may not be house pets and that one advertized will probably be a little sh*t but that doesn't mean they all will be or that they'll always be wild animals. There are numerous zebra farms all over the place so it's already on it's way to domestication. I'd totally get one if I had the room or time for another equine.


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## Southern Grace

I got my Shire mare from a group of horses set to be imported to Africa (it fell through), there was a Zebra in the mix. Honestly, some guy in Africa, was going to import a Zebra, from America... don't they have those in Africa??? She too is now for sale, she's a total brat, but she made some of the funniest faces!


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## cowgirl928

bahaha import a zebra from America? I agree, that makes little sense. Unless it's very hard to get a zebra in Africa because of restrictions from reserves


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## paintsrule

I think it's funny on the ad how often they said "he smells wonderful". That's great, but is he going to try to kill me when he matures and realizes he's wild and likes the lady zebras as well?


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## FourWhiteSocks

Zack the Zebra Jumping - YouTube

*Check out this video of someone who has a showjumping Zebra. Its pretty cool *


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## AmazinCaucasian

I know a guy that just bought a team of zebras (using the word "team" loosely). He's trying to get em to work as a "team" and plans to use em to pull his wagon in the local parade. Well, there's no law against it, but if anyone had ever tried it there would be. They kinda do work as a team as far as they both have the same instincts to murder anything that moves, shakes, or vibrates close to them. 

Now I'm not saying zebras could never be gentled and make fair to middlin gentle riding or working animals in time, and with the right trainer, but how many good hands out there are jumpin up and down to train a zebra


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## AmazinCaucasian

And if he follows through on the parade idea, it will be a spectacle and I plan to get a perch high above the street and videotape the wreck because when those sirens start howlin and people dressed up and throwing candy and kids screaming and running things are gonna go wrong for every one and every thing in front of that poor wagon cause when their little zebra brains tell em it's time to check out, theyre gonna freight train every person, place, or thing intheir path


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## LoveStory10

Zebras, while very stubborn, are not impossible to train. Once they are trained, if trained correctly, they behave like any trained horse or donkey. If they have been in captivity their entire life, and raised like a "normal" foal, they won't have the extreme instinct to run from moving bushes for fear its a lion or cheetah (not that cheetah hunt zebra, just saying lol), granted they'll still have the "flight or fight" instinct, but every prey animal has it, my instructors 24 year old gelding will still spook and run from things he sees everyday, if they move funny. For example, I think I've told this story before, but hey - my friend who is about 27 owns a zebra. I think he's about 9 now, I don't remember really, I haven't seen him in ages as they live 6 hours away, but he is the coolest creature I've ever met. He's not much of a jumper, he has no idea what to do with his legs, but he's incredible at dressage. For such a stocky little thing like zebras are, you wouldn't expect them to have the movement for dressage, but man can he move. I've ridden him a total of twice (I don't count the time when I was too chicken to take him over a small jump, but if you saw how he jumps, you would be too lol!), taken him for a gallop, done a little dressage test with him, he's awesome.

She has had him since he was about 2 months old, and raised him herself as she would any orphaned equine - she has donkeys, horses, mules, the woman is a softie, but she raised him right. He was treated like an animal, still loved, but any pushy behaviour, kicks or nips were not tolerated. We believe he was abandoned by his herd, as we found him all alone, crying out rather pitifully, with no other zebra in the area. Now as a general rule, you don't interfere with nature, but this little guy just melted our heart. He was so eager for companions that he didn't care we were human, he came right up to us when we got out of her truck, stuck his little face in her shirt, and made the saddest little noise ever, so she bundled him up, made me sit in the back with him - on a dusty, bumpy road??? Lovely lol, took him home, got the rangers from the park we found him in over, they helped her learn what milk etc to give him, she applied to keep him, and by the time he was about 5 months old, he was officially hers. She only started him at about 5, to give him plenty of time to grow, and at first he was very stubborn, but soon learnt beautifully. Now he wasn't always in captivity, but he was taken out of the wild so young that the rangers believe he lost the "wild" in him.

She is actually taking him to a show in a few weeks times, just a little fun show to see how he goes. If he does okay behaviour wise, she will apply with the national equestrian board to compete more with him, as there is the issue of African Horse Sickness which is carried by zebra, and other things, but if she can prove he's not a "killer beast", as some people here think *eye roll*, and shows that he gets his AHS innoculation every year with all the other animals, there shouldn't be a problem.


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## WickedNag

KELOLAND.com | Zebra Performs Various Tricks


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## WSArabians

To everyone who is saying they are untrainable, ya'll ain't never seen Racing Stripes!
And just watch all their horsey movies... Disney don't lie!


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## Shropshirerosie

Wow! To Lovestory10's reply


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## WSArabians

LoveStory10 said:


> She is actually taking him to a show in a few weeks times, just a little fun show to see how he goes. If he does okay behaviour wise, she will apply with the national equestrian board to compete more with him, as there is the issue of African Horse Sickness which is carried by zebra, and other things, but if she can prove he's not a "killer beast", as some people here think *eye roll*, and shows that he gets his AHS innoculation every year with all the other animals, there shouldn't be a problem.


You must update us with pictures! No if's, and's, or but's! :lol:


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## LoveStory10

Oh I'll try my hardest!! But with my lack of a car and her being so far away, I can't promise lol


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## demonwolfmoon

Thanks to this thread, my husband is convinced he should someday ride a Zorse.... Just sayin... xD


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## justridinguk

Thats so funny.. reminds me of that recent movie we bought a zoo, nive family film that.


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