Dragons are pretty interesting creatures. But what about being a dragon rider? Want to hear me over think it?
Some dragons are depicted as these odd creatures who are mostly just animals. They tend to be more like wolves, cats or snakes in depiction if they're like this.
Taming or domesticating these types of dragons would probably be a little more risky and dangerous over all. After all, dragons are large usually carnivorous creatures that are depicted as breathing fire. But if someone does manage it, it would work out fantastically as you'd likely be one of the rare humans to do it.
In terms of training, it is probably going to be a bit difficult but not all that impossible. More likely that you'd have to keep an eye out on how your dragon is dealing with situations or what might freak them out and so on.
Dragons that are as intelligent or more intelligent than humans you'd likely have to work more like a partnership with dragons. While that would mean that dragons would be easier to work with in terms of explaining complex ideas, it would also mean you more or less have a team mate with their own personal interests and opinions.
Honestly, thist is not a horrible set-up. As long as you go out of your way to treat your draconic pal as a buddy, you'd be perfectly fine. And I don't doubt that most people could make the most of this.
Well, you'd likely be responsible for your buddy or pet dragons needs. So, figure out how to get a good ammount of meat. Like, bears can eat 13kg to 45kg of food in one sitting. And bears compared to dragons aren't all that big. So, how much could a dragon eat?
Moving on, dragons will need water, space to roam, a safe spot to shed if they have scales, protection from harsher elements, medical care and so on. Realistically this would be a logistical issue. Which would mean that most ficctional armies would try to limit or just not use dragons.
As a result, it makes somewhat more sense, to me at least, that cultures would either be built around dragons or that dragon riders would be closer to old world mercenaries, riding for whoever helps them feed themselves and their dragons.
And if dragons are used in combat roles, anti-air weaponary would be developed much faster to counter combat dragons. Things like balistas or better ways to shield themselves from dragonic attacks, such as better heat and fire proofing.
Medical problems are wild here. Medical problems would easily put a dragon completely out of commission if it hits something valible like a wing. It might be like horses, where certain injuries are just way too bad to let the poor animal have to live with it. So, dragons would likely end up as more glass cannon troops who would be great for scouting or rapid attacks before flying off.
This ones hard to answer as there is plenty of dragon species ideas. Some have four legs and two wings or two legs and two wings and so on. As a result, housing for hourses would likely depend heavily on what type of dragon you have.
The Skyrim sort of dragon would probably work more like a bat. Clinging closer to cliffs or mountians or hanging upside down on overcrops so that they can drop down and fly more easily than try to fly from the ground. So, housing woulf likely mimic large cliffs or cave like environments.
Classic, four legged and two winged, dragons probably would be fine in most sort of housing units. Like, large stables, houses, cave live buildings, basice lean-tos, elevated platforms. Just anything that reduces heat loss and discomfort.
Sea dragons would likely need a body of water to sleep in or nest in. As it's their natural habitat. Or at least somewhere damp if nothing else would surfice.
Drakes, or wingless dragons might like ground-based shelter or might burrow to avoid cold or essesive sun and so on.
So, being a dragon rider likely means altering your own personal housing to work better with a dragon. As well, dragons need a lot of space and a place to rest at the vert least.
Most dragons diets are depicted as heavily focused on meat or at least fish. While I am not certain that dragons are obligate carnivores, meat is likely a good chunk if not all of a dragons diet. As a result, most dragons would need to be fed on a large amount of meat. like, a farms worth of meat for one animal.
In real life, housing large carnivores are already difficult, dragons would be harder than that. As a result, dragon riders might have to be semi-nomadic or very careful as to where they want to stay to help focus on keeping the poor dragons fed. This is also why I think dragon riders might be more likely to be mercenaries.
Dragon rider cultures might prefer to be nomadic to stay closer to large food sources to keep their dragons fully fed. As well, dragons need to eat plenty and humans need to eat as well, so well food would be a consistant and pressiing issue.
Dragons would likely not be seen as friendly by everyone. So some cultural clashing would be pretty noticable when dragon riders and not fond of dragon cultures bump into eachother. Likely with the dragon riders not wanting to put the needs of their dragons aside.
Dragons also would likely be prized for poaching reasons, due to the rarity of how to aquire dragonic parts. As a result, dragon riders might have to spend a considerable amount of energy and time to prevent harm to their dragon and maintain the protection of their dragon when the dragon can't do it themselves for whatever reason. Of course, this extends to nests and hatchlings.