Not everyone appreciates llamas. But I've admired llamas ever since I was a little girl and first saw the Push-Me-Pull-Me llamas on Dr. Doolittle. Of course I dreamed of having my own horse, too, and spent many hours drawing horses and reading horse books.
But I just knew one day I'd have my own llama. I wanted to take my llama, all dressed up in a colorful Peruvian blanket and red tassles, to parades. I would take my llama for hikes carrying a pack on it's back. And I'd use my llama's wool to make beautiful soft clothing.
So imagine my excitement when our llamas arrived, via transport from Indiana, almost 2 years ago! I felt such wonder and excitement as each llama jumped gingerly off the back of the transport trailer. It was dark outside which made them look even more mysterious and so exotic. I understood what it must have been like for the Kings who brought wild animals back from their foreign journeys in far-away lands.
After the llamas arrived I enjoyed just gazing at them as they walked elegantly among the trees or danced with all 4 legs off the ground, across the fields, as if they were flying. I bought them packs, and blankets and, of course, fancy red tassles, and I took them for walks around our mountain trails. I was happy that they carried my water, snacks and other things in their packs, without complaint.
I was also happy after our goats and sheep arrived, to see that llamas really do make wonderful guard animals. It's instinctual how they protect their herd, especially against canines, such as coyotes. Llamas have very sharp claws, instead of hooves, which can be used lethally against a coyote.
Towards humans, though, most llamas are gentle, curious, and even affectionate. Yes, they can and do spit. But for well-trained llamas, it takes a lot to upset a llama enough that they'll spit on a human. If you think llama spit smells awful (it does because it's basically cud that gets puked back up from one of their 3 stomachs!)
just imagine how much they dislike having that taste in their mouth. After a llama spits, you'll find him with his lower lip hanging low and trying to gulp water to get rid of the bad taste. I've only been spat on once by my female llama, and that was only because I annoyed her with too much brushing. (It was nasty!)
So, I also made sure to buy a spit mask, for when we have to work on our llamas...just in case.
Well after a while of owning our llamas I discovered that they have even more versatility. They can be driven, just like donkeys and horses.
In the ice and snow they just use their claws for grip..
Because they don't tend to be spooky, they are excellent for even children to drive.
And they can be ridden. Some folks use small horse or pony saddles, but the llama catalogs sell perfectly fitted llama saddles, as well as driving gear, too.
Children enjoy riding llamas.
And a child is easier for a llama to carry.
But small adults can ride large adult llamas with ease.
Llamas are strong and can easily pack between 75-150 lbs.
Heck! Llamas are so intelligent and are usually so well-behaved that some people play polo on them.
People in South America treasure their llamas for their sure-footedness on rocky, steep mountains.
Last summer I decided that it would be a good idea to train our llamas to accept a rider so that if we were ever out hiking and one of the kids got tired or hurt, a llama could carry them back to the trailhead.
So I did quite a bit of reading and research afterwards and Jax begged me to let him help train our llamas to ride. We were excited about getting started and discussed safety first, of course. A helmet was important, as well as a halter and lead rope/reins.
But all of that flew out the window one day recently when I was up at the barn and Jax arrived and said, let's do it now! Against my better judgement, he mounted Cataleya in the paddock (notice the lack of helmet, and proper footwear..or any footwear for that matter. gah!)
He was up and happy!
Cataleya...not so much.
(Llamas don't have any top teeth, so their bites are harmless) It was time for a llama rodeo!
(No humans or animals were injured)Yeeeehaw!! Jax loved this!
Next time we use a helmet and halter/reins, but the first ride went really well and Jax can't wait to get back up on his llama again. What a cowboy! lol!
From the Tower of,
