Animal-powered transport
Animal-powered transport is a way of passenger and cargo traffic that doesn't need rails. It is a transport where the animals are used to make the means of transport move. Such animals as horse, ox, buffalo, donkey, dogs and deer were used as hauling apparatus.
When the cargo was put directly on the animal and no means of transport was used, this way of transporting was called pack animal transport.
Animal-powered transport appeared practically just with the invention of the wheel. Before the railway developed in the middle of 19th century, animal-powered transport was the main kind of overland transport.
This kind of transport was very important kind of transport till the World War 2, after which it was substituted by more modern motor kinds of transport. In the beginning of the 21st century animal-powered transport is used only in rural areas for transporting goods at short distances. It is also used to make tours used for riding tourists.
The most used animal for animal-powered transport was a horse and riding a horse is still popular nowadays.
Animals were used to travel by air, land and water. Pigeons were used for air transporting. But they were used only to deliver letters and messages to each other.
According to mythology people used dolphins to travel by water. There are cases when dolphins saved people, but people didn't use them for travelling as they are independent animals. Besides, dolphins are used for giving shows in swimming-pools and giving a ride to people and children.
Today people use this kind of transport partially. People feel sorry for some animals. That is why considered it to be inhumane to ride animals.
It is necessary to mention that animal-powered transport is very important in places where the use of motor transport is limited. For example, dog teams were used to carry the medicine to the place of destination in snowy locals. There are even monuments to some dogs that saved people.
Maybe this kind of transport is not so popular, but still it is very interesting to have a ride feeling the body of the animal.