Forums » Smalltalk » Dragon tack ideas?

Got the new character made, now on to the issue I always have: How to show dragons.

More importantly, how do I do their tack?

I am looking stuff up, including the "Inheritance Cycle" and how they did just a saddle. Do you think that dragons would need a bridle?

Looking for ideas as I am conflicted on how to show dragons. The first thing that always comes to mind is intelligent animals, very similar to dolphins. They tend to fully bond with one rider, but often another dragon will follow a female, seeing them as their "queen." They would listen to the rider of the other dragon, but tend to bond with the traveling companion of the rider, if they have one.

However, what tack would that warrant? Dragons do communicate telepathically with the rider and the rider's companion, but no one else, usually. Unless they feel a need to communicate with someone else (say their rider got injured and needed aid.)

ugh... my head is spinning.

Off the top of my head, you might be able to examples from the Dragonriders of Pern books, but I'm afraid it's been way too long for me to remember the details of tack for them. I do remember that dragons in that only bonded with one human, though, and that outside of exceptionally rare cases (I think there was one book about a human who could communicate with all dragons), could only directly communicate with that sole human.

I think they still favored a saddle, but I don't recall anything about its structure or if other items were involved. Heck, since the books take place across thousands of years, it might have even changed over time.

https://imgur.com/vr9zvp9

This is the "type" of dragon I intend to use, at least for the main dragons for my character. (There will be other dragons, but tack will be easier for them.

I want to use this picture, but I worry that I could get in trouble as it is from a game Plus, it needs ears.

anyways...
How would a saddle work for them? I cannot find a decent pic of a dragon like this standing, so I can't see. The saddle will need to allow the rider to sit up, lean forward, or lay down as needed. As well as allow another passenger if needed.

I am leaning towards using bridles.

editing cause I forgot to add something: The saddles need to have a decent way to hold on, but without too many straps. The riders need to be able to take the saddle off quickly in emergencies or if the dragon must fight without their rider.