Has anyone in the horse section ever ridden an?

Yes, I have! :D

On holiday in Africa a few years ago. it was TERRIFYING. I was all cocky because I could ride horses, and I thought it would sort of peck around the flooor a bit, and maybe the ostrich handler guy would take me round on a lead rein. It was nothing like that at all!

The ostriches weren't like broke in or anything, the guy just sat me on this thing's back and put a bag over its head so it couldn't turn round and bite me while I was getting on (!) he told me to hold on tight to its wings and I was like yeah yeah whatever. Then he lets this thing loose and it essentially BOLTED to the other end of the pen while I hung off of it! I about had a heart attack! I wonder what the poor ostrich thought of the situation- she clearly had no idea what was on her back!

It was so fun though! I can't believe how fast it went. I'd never do it again- I came off with legs like jelly. I had some rather amusing pictures of the whole ordeal but they were on my old computer so they're gone forever now :(

ADD: Mine didn't have a saddle- - or brakes!!!!!

Heck YES riding one of those would be scary! There's no saddle, since ostriches have such a short, sloping back and too many feathers to secure anything on there. There's also no way you can control the direction of an ostrich! I imagine it's not too nice for the ostrich either, since they're not build to support the weight of grown adults, and when they run they're essentially supporting that weight on one leg at a time.

You can go see boys riding ostriches at the Dixie Stampede, an interactive dinner show where you watch "battles" from the Civil War and participate as part of the North or South while you eat "traditonal" army dinner from the 1880s. Here's a short video: http://www.dixiestampede.com/

Here's the Dixie Stampede website with locations to go see the show: http://www.dixiestampede.com/

In the older movie version of The Swiss Family Robinson, a boy also rides an ostrich.

Oh, and here's a video of what one of the other posters experienced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA7cqnOIxf8

*searches youtube*

I've never ridden an ostrich. Seems scary. Also seems a bit painful for the bird.

add- In one video I saw that he had a blue cloth over his back but I think that's just to keep your butt from messing with the feathers too much.

I would think that they could turn around and peck you... but that's just what I think.

I'm not sure I'd like to jump a course on an ostrich... but that's my opinion.

I never have, but I've always wondered what it would be like and how you would control them. I also wondered if it hurts them?

They don't use saddles, as far as I know, I think people just sit on their backs.

Seriously it is the craziest thing ever. They are not smooth like you would expect and very hard to hold onto. I did it once at a rodeo and will never do it again. Scared the bejeesus out of me.

I don't know, but I would LOVE to try it. I watched some youtube videos as well and it looks like fun. :D

my uncle did! He said they are really fast and hard to control! And they don't use a saddle saddle but it's like chair thing sorta... :)

Fun!