beast of burden

Shopping for groceries, Astipalea, Greece, 2005

Non-human animal-powered transport is a broad category of the human use of non-human working animals (also known as "beasts of burden") for the movement of people and goods.

Humans may ride some of the larger of these animals directly, use them as pack animals for carrying goods, or harness them, singly or in teams, to pull (or haul) sleds or wheeled vehicles.

Animals domesticated for transport

In the air

• pigeon

On land

• buffalo (as distinct from bison)
• camel
• dog
  • sled dog
  • Dogcart (dog-drawn)
• donkey
• elephant
• equine
  • pack horse
  • draught horse
  • riding horse
  • driving horse
  • mule
• llama
• ox
  • bullock
• reindeer
• water buffalo
• yak

On water

• Not common outside mythology, but note the use of dolphins to carry markers to attach to detected mines.

Animal powered vehicles

• barge
• brancard
• carriage
• cart
• charabanc
• chariot (often used in combat)
• coach
• dogcart
• dray
• gig
• horse-drawn boat
• horsecar
• litter (vehicle) (often carried by humans)
• pantechnicon van
• sled
• stagecoach
• sulky
• tangah
• travois
• wagon
• wain

See also

• harness
• howdah
• Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
• human-powered transport
• Zero-emissions vehicle
• saddle
• yoke

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Animal-powered transport

• REX EXPRESS e. V. (Live animal transportation, pet relocation, horse transport)
• [1] Animal Traction Development
• [2] Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa