"The Horsepower Revolution - Draft Animal Domestication of the Middle Human Era",

"The Horsepower Revolution - Draft Animal Domestication of the Middle Human Era",

Anton Kovacs, University Press, Cambridge, 2002

Shaghui were the first domesticate draft animal. The Shaghui is a form of ground sloth, related to extinct forms in South America, approximately 300 to 500 pounds. A leaf eater in summer, in winter it survives by using its huge claws to dig up roots through frozen soil. They tolerate almost any environment except swamps and water.

Shaghui are flexibly social, existing as solitary individuals, pair bonds, mixed herds, and bull or cow harems. A key part of their social interaction is shoving matches to establish dominance. A Shaghui shoving contest can last for days. The Shaghui are powerful enough to shove over small trees. Faced with real predators, however, the Shaghui rear up and slash with their massive digging claws.

The Shaghui were initially domesticated as root diggers, and meat animals, approximately 14,000 years ago. With the development of plows (approximately 12,000 years ago) they came into common use and were redeployed as draft animals, pulling plows, and in short order sledges and wheeled carts.

Roughly 7,000 years ago the Ptahr nomads pioneered the use of Shaghui as military cavalry and succeeded in establishing an empire over a large part of the eastern continent. Shaghui had apparently been in use as a riding animal for a long period of time before that. However, as a mount, the Shaghui was not particularly speedy, its top rate being slower than a sprinting man. As a war mount, however, the Shaghui were utterly devastating.

Domesticated Shaghui have diversified into a number of specialized breeds and remain in common use throughout Tsalal lands.