The high tharlarions, unlike their brethren, the slow moving, four footed,broad tharlarions, were carnivorous. However, their metabolism was slower than that of a tarn, whose mind never seemed far from food and, if it was avaliable, could consume half its weight in a single day.
The tharlarion saddle, unlike the tarn saddle, is constructed to absorb shock
. Primarily, this is done by constructing the tree of the saddle in such a way
that the leather seat is mounted on a hydraulic fitting which actually
floats in a thick lubricant. Not only does this lubricatn absorb much of the
shock involved, but it tends, except under abnormal stress, to keep the seat
of the saddle parallel to the ground. In spite of this invention, the mounted
warriors always wear, as an essential portion of their equipment, a thick
leather belt, tightly buckled about their abdomen. In addition, the mounted warriors inevitably
wear a high, soft pair of boots called tharlarion boots. These protect
their legs from the abrasive hides of their mounts. When a tharlarion
runs, its hide could tear the unprotected flesh from a mans bones.