THE TARN-KEEPERS MANUAL - Compiled by Tycho of Ar

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

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       "                 Compiled by Tycho Celestalis                   "

                                        of Port Haifa

                                        

                                        

                                        

"My first impression was that of a rush of wind and a great snapping sound, as if a giant might be snapping an enormous towel or scarf; then I was cowering, awe-stricken, in a great winged shadow, and an immense tarn, his talons extended like gigantic steel hooks, his wings sputtering fiercely in the air, hung above me, motionless except for the beating of his wings."

~Tarnsman of Gor~

In the above passage we join Tarl Cabot in his first encounter with a tarn, those mighty and intimidating saddle-birds of Gor.

These ferocious winged creatures are likely the most recent, and the most difficult, of animals to ever be tamed by Man. They are bred, now, for their aesthetic colours as well as for their more vital physical and psychological attributes. And despite their usefulness in the many purposes they serve - as war mounts, draft animals, swift racers and scouts - in a sense they are no less dangerous than when they existed purely in the wild.

This is likely why the mighty birds themselves, and those who ride them, are so revered on Gor. They are the highest of mounts both literally and figuratively, and to master a kaiila or tharlarion means very little to he who has successfully mastered a tarn. 

The tarnsman calls his mount a Brother of the Wind. Though it has been known many times for a tarn to turn on its own rider, it is also said that there is a special connection, a kindred bond which exists between the tarnsman and his tarn, which perhaps can never be broken. Many a tarnsman will also argue that these birds are often vastly under-estimated in their intelligence and understanding of man, and perhaps there is some validity to these claims.

Women do not master tarns. In fact, most are particularly fearful of the massive birds. A slave girl might, often by force, find herself flung across the back of one, or a Free Women may reluctantly ride in a tarn basket out of necessity. But generally speaking, females and tarns do not mix.

And so with these things in mind, we will begin our look at the fiercest of beasts to ever be mastered by man ... although we must ask ourselves along the way, can a tarn ever truly be mastered?

CHAPTER 2: TARNS IN THE WILD

To begin with, we must remember that tarns have been wild creatures a lot longer than they have been mounts. To forget this fact, is to place yourself in the worst kind of mortal peril.

The tarn, generally speaking, is a large, crested bird. Cabot states that it is most similar in appearance to the hawk of Earth, except that it has a crest somewhat like a jays. It is of course much more massive than either of these birds, with the larger tarn having a wingspan of about fifty feet.

They are, however, surprisingly light for their size - this having a lot to do with the hollowness of their bones. All the same they are extremely powerful birds, with very impressive strength and stamina. Thus tarns do not require a running start to take flight, like most large birds would, but rather they can simply lift themselves into the air with a spring of their step and a sudden flurry of wings.

In the wild, tarns are very dangerous and savage creatures as you can imagine. They have not been trained to respond to the commands of man, nor have they ever felt the sting of the tarn goad. Most commonly, they are found in the mountains of Gor.

The nest of the wild mountain tarn is known as an aerie - and it is commonly strategically located away from predators and inaccessible except by flight. The tarn will usually snatch its prey, perhaps a wild verr or a praire tabuk, and return to this nest.

It is in these nests where tarn keep their young - called tarnlings. The mother tarn is very protective of her young, and will keep them well fed by bringing her own 'leftovers' back to the nest for them to feed on. As a general rule, though, tarns do not like to share their kills. To approach a tarn which is feeding is, quite frankly, suicide.

Tarns are born white. Though their feathers most often come to develop into a greenish-brown, mountain tarns come in various colours, including the common black, white, and even multi-colored varieties.

Tarns are also found in the the tropical regions around Ushindi, though they are much more rare than the common mountain tarn. The jungle tarn is known for its exquisitely beautiful plumage, and to own a domesticated jungle tarn is a real pride and treasure.

But then, to own any tarn should be a pride and a treasure, for to take ownership of such a savage beast is not a responsibility to be taken lightly. What manner of man would take it upon himself to tame such a creature? Let us find out ...

I: THE KEEPING OF TARNS

CHAPTER 3: THE CASTE OF TARN-KEEPERS

"Even men of a caste as low as that of the Tarn-Keepers were intolerably proud of their calling, for who else could raise and train those monstrous birds of prey?" 

- Outlaw of Gor

The breeding and training of tarns is a meticulous process, with detailed records kept of bloodlines determining the value of the creatures.

And to study to be a Tarn-Keeper is no light matter ... unlike some low castes, Tarn-Keepers must be literate and able to study the many books and documents which have been written on the breeding and care of tarns. The theory must be well understood before put into practise, otherwise one would be risking his life by entering this field of work.

The training of a Tarn-Keeper also involves mastering the art of knife-throwing. It is said that all Tarn-Keepers carry a knife, and along with the tarn goad this is an effective method of protection against an aggresive tarn ... though, of course, it should only be used as a last resort. In the chronicles, Mip the Tarn-Keeper brags that he can hit the eye of a tarn at thirty paces.

Even young tarns can be exceedingly dangerous, and attacks are usually fatal. This is why an understanding of these beasts, and careful training based around the physical discipline of the tarn goad and the training wires, is vital to success.

The caste colours of the Tarn-Keeper are green and gray. It is a sub-caste of the Animal Handlers, though they would likely resent being placed in the same category as the Goat Herder or the Sleen Breeder. Since they raise and train the mightiest of all creatures on Gor, and since they are well-educated enough to be literate, they would not consider themselves your average low caste.

Most Tarn-Keepers crop their hair short, since work in the tarn cots is physically-demanding and sweaty work. Not all Tarn-Keepers work in the cots, as some are needed to oversee training and keep the bloodlines recorded ... but those that do are usually very physically fit. The Tarn-Keeper in charge of any cot is known as the Senior Tarn-Keeper.

Tarns, as stated, can vary in their value depending on their training and their bloodline. It is worth noting though, as a reference, that Cabot sold a tarn in Kasra for four golden tarn disks. When a tarn is sold, it is always accompanied by its own unique tarn whistle, to which it will have been trained to respond.

CHAPTER 4: TARNCOTS AND PERCHES

A tarn cot is the proper name for any sort of tarn pen.

These come in many shapes and sizes, from a temporary wire cage outside an encampment to a magnificently-made structure capable of housing many tarns and their trainers, complete with great gates through which the tarns may land and take flight. Within a tarncot, especially where tarns are being trained, the great birds are usually fastened by the ankles to their perch with a chain or a training wire, the other end of which is attached to a bolted hobble.

They can be constructed on a lower level or even underground, in which case they would be lit by energy bulbs. Natural sunlight and fresh air is of course the best thing for a tarn, of course, and most tarn cots are constructed very high up, perhaps in order to resemble the aerie of a wild tarn. Sometimes they are simply built on the roof level of a high cylinder. 

A TARN-KEEPERS COT

A larger, professional tarn cot might be constructed inside such a cylinder, taking up what would normally be several floors. One of these cots might house hundreds of the birds, with perches made of curved tem-wood or thick steel following the circular wall of the cylinder. Next to each perch would be found vertical beams, from which the tarn saddle, straps and other equipment may be hung.

There would be several vast portals opening to the sky which would be locked most of the time, and if men were not wandering freely in the cot some of the birds may be permitted to move freely, without being fastened to their perches. They would never be permitted such freedom at feeding time, however, given how jealous tarns are of their food. Tarn perches might also extend outward from the portals, giving the opportunity for birds to recieve fresh air while still being fastened and under control.

Birds inside a tarn cot must be exercised at least once every two days. Water is fed to them from tubes into canisters which are mounted on triangular platforms near their perches, as well as into a cistern at the centre of the cot. Their meat is thrust onto hooks which are hauled by chain and windlass to the various perches.

No man would enter such a cot without a tarn goad in his hand, and these would be kept on hooks at the entrance to the place. A tarn-keeper's duty would be to check on all the birds regularly, and he would do this by clambering about in the cot on the great wooden beams. It's not a job for anyone who has an issue with heights, of course ...

MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL TARN COTS

An average tarn cot is generally a large barn-like structure with a vast tarn gate. The interior would be much like the professional tarn cot, though perhaps smaller depending on the number of tarns which need to be housed within.

The construction of the gate is very important, dependent also upon the nature of the cot. In a military tarn cot, the two leaves of the gate within their support framework would open inward, swinging back across a landing platform a foot or two above the level of the height of the palisade. An extension of this platform, retractable when the gate was closed and braced with hinged, diagonal drop supports, would extend beyond the palisade. 

The gates might be as much as thirty feet in heigh and twenty-five feet in width, though they would be comparitively light since they consist mostly of frames supporting wire. These would permit the entry of saddle tarns and war tarns, while draft tarns would need to make a hovering landing onto the landing platform, gently hovering down until it feels the baskets touch the floor, and then the bird itself would settle to one side so that the baskets could be unloaded or taken on their leather runners down the sloping ramp into to the yard.

Such a construction as this is commonly used in a military installation since it allows the rapid flight of tarns in and out of the vast tarn gate, which can be opened and closed in a matter of ihn. 

In a commercial tarn cot, the gates might lean back at an angle of twenty degrees and slid back in a frame on rollers on each side, allowing entry direct to the sky. A sturdy structure supporting the gate is constructed of beams, platforms, catwalks and mastlike timbers, complete with narrow ladders allowing for easy access to its catwalks and playforms.

This construction means that all birds, not only the draft tarns, must make a hovering landing. This is more time-consuming, but does remove the need for the landing platform which is a necessity in the military designed tarn cot.

TEMPORARY TARN COTS

Of course, you may not always be able to find a luxurious tarn cot in which to house your bird. A temporary tarn cot can be anything from a basic wire cage to a modified large wagon. Or it may simply be an open-air perch to which the tarn is fastened.

As long as the tarn is well-fed, well-watered and with shelter where needed ... it will call more or less any place home.

CHAPTER 5: THE BREEDING AND TRAINING OF TARNS

BREEDING

The breeding of tarns is handled by the Caste of Tarn-Keepers. It is a meticulous process, with tarns paired together based on their physical and psychological attributes in order to obtain the most desirable of tarns for each particular purpose. Books with detailed illustrations have been written by Tarn-Keepers on the intricacies of tarn breeding.

For instance, war tarns are bred for strength and speed, but also for their swiftness of reflex and combative instincts. This requires some aggressiveness on their part, and the war tarn is often even less tame than the other varieties. The racing tarn would be bred for its swiftness of take-off and speed over short distances, as well as for its aesthetic qualities. Draft tarns tend to be more tame, comparitively, since they can be used to transport civilians. They are bred primarily for their strength and stamina.

In some cases there is crossbreeding between the different varieties and breeds of tarn. It is a long and experimental process, and the costs can be great if a mistake is made. But ultimately, it is extremely rewarding if it means producing a tarn of superior quality.

TRAINING

The training of tarns is one in which must be perfect, with special care directed toward the war tarn. It must remain with its spirit in tact, yet still be able to be controlled by the tarnsman and allow them to be as one together in the sky, especially in battle. 

Primarily, the young tarn must be trained to respond to the tarn-goad. It is said that this is the only thing which a tarn fears. Tarnlings are fastened to training perches in special tarn cots using rings around their legs, and when they are disobedient in some fashion, they are dragged back to the perch and struck with the goad.

Adult tarns often wear these rings around their legs, to reinforce the memory of the hobbling wire and its association to the tarn-goad. The conditioning is usually very effective, although there are of course instances when the tarn reverts to its savage nature, often as a result of abnormal stress or hunger.

Tarns are also trained to respond to the tarn whistle. Each whistle has its own unique sound, to which only that one tarn will respond. When a tarn is sold, that special whistle is included in the purchase.

The most important recent innovation in the training of tarns is in relation to their diet.

Training also involves teaching the tarn to accept prepared or preserved meat rather than making its own kill. This is fairly recent innovation, as before then even domestic tarns would instinctively wish to make their own kills. 

The birds are usually taught to accept such meat from the time of hatchlings, it being thrust into their mouths with tongs, as though they were being fed by the mother tarn. Older birds might be trained by tying pieces of fresh meat to live animals, until they are used to consuming both, and then effecting the transition to the prepared meat.

This is done for several reasons ... partly because fresh game might not always be available, or it might not be convenient for the tarn to hunt, and also because a hunting tarn is dangerous and may just as easily select a human snack as a tabuk. It also has practical military applications, as it makes it logistically possible to maintain large tarn calvaries, numbering in the hundreds of men.

CHAPTER 6: THR FEEDING AND CARE OF TARNS

The most important recent innovation in the training of tarns is in relation to their diet, and specifically in teaching them to accept prepared and preserved meat rather than hunting their own food, which is instinctive to the creatures.

The birds are usually taught to accept such meat from the time of hatchlings, it being thrust into their mouths with tongs, as though they were being fed by the mother tarn. Older birds might be trained by tying pieces of fresh meat to live animals, until they are used to consuming both, and then effecting the transition to the prepared meat. This is a lot safer, since the larger and older bird would just as easily consume the man on the end of the tongs!

This is done for several reasons ... partly because fresh game might not always be available, or it might not be convenient for the tarn to hunt, and also because a hunting tarn is dangerous and may just as easily select a human snack as a tabuk. It also has practical military applications, as it makes it logistically possible to maintain large tarn calvaries, numbering in the hundreds of men.

It is still useful, of course, for a tarnsman to simply be able to release his tarn and allow it to hunt its own food. So it can be done either way, depending on the situation and whether the rider is willing to risk his tarn capturing a piece of human quarry.

When a bird is fed prepared meat, this must be done carefully. Tarsk meat, for instance, must have the bones removed from it as it splinters easily. This does not apply to many other kinds of meat, such as bosk meat, where this is no risk of damaging the bird.

In tarn cots it is quite rare to allow tarns to feed when they are not chained, as they have a tendency to become aggressive and fight over the food. This is especially true in expensive types of birds, such as racing tarns, as the keepers would not wish to see them damaged in this manner. Often the meat is thrust on hucks and hauled by chain and windlass to the various perches where the birds are fastened.

Water isn't such a problem ... the birds may be fed with watering cansisters close to their perches, which are filled through a series of tubes, or simply drink from a cistern when they have the freedom of the tarn cot. The mighty birds are not possessive over their water, at least.

It's said that tarns are also especially dangerous immediately after they have tasted fresh blood, and a tarnsman or tarn-keeper may wish to give the bird a little extra space after feeding time. 

There is one exception to this rule ...

" "The tarn has tasted blood," said the leader. "It has killed. It feeds. Do not approach the tarn now or it will mean your death." … I stepped toward the great black tarn. It was at the foot of its perch. It was chained by one foot. The run of the chain was perhaps twenty-five feet. I approached slowly, holding my hands open, saying nothing. It eyed me … 

... I stepped forward, until I stood within the ambit of the tarn's chain. I spoke softly. "My Ubar of the Skies," I said, "you know me." I approached more closely, holding my hands open, not hurrying. The bird regarded me. In its beak there hung the body of a Yellow. … "We must ride, Ubar of the Skies," said I, approaching the bird. I took the body of the man from its beak and laid it to one side. The bird did not attempt to strike me. I heard the men behind me gasp with wonder. "You fought well," said I to the bird. I caressed its bloodied, scimitarlike beak. "And I am pleased to see you live." The bird gently touched me with its beak."

~Assassin of Gor~

In terms of the general care of tarns, despite their savage nature they are not adverse to a bit of preening, and in fact they are quite fond of it. This is especially useful to Tarn-Keepers, part of whose job it is to search for parasites such as tarn lice.

Tarn lice are small, marble-sized parasites which tend to infest wild tarns. The birds are quite fond of feeding on these insects, when they are drawn from the areas of the feathers which they cannot preen themselves, and slapped onto their tongue. Simple acts such as this can be very useful in strengthening the bond between a man and his tarn.

Aside from the preening and cleaning, the birds must also have good exercise! In a professional tarn-cot, the birds are taken out to be exercised at least once in every two days, in addition to the time they spend with the freedom of the cot when they are not fastened to their perches.

A lot of attention is paid to the proper care of domesticated tarns, since they are extremely valuable creatures. To lose a tarn through negligence is a terrible thing indeed.

II: VARIETIES OF DOMESTICATED TARNS

CHAPTER 7: WAR TARNS

 

 

 

 "I blew a note on the whistle, and it was shrill and different, of a new pitch from that of the Older Tarl. Almost immediately from somewhere, perhaps from a ledge out of sight, rose a fantastic object, another giant tarn, even larger than the first, a glossy sable tarn which circled the cylinder once and then wheeled towards me, landing a few feet away, his talons striking on the roof with a sound like hurled gauntlets. His talons were shod with steel — a war tarn. He raised his curved beak to the sky and screamed, lifting and shaking his wings. His enormous head turned towards me, and his round, wicked eyes blazed in my direction."

~Tarnsman of Gor~

 

The WAR TARN is the most common type of tarn seen on Gor. It is also the largest breed of tarn. Commonly they are a greenish brown, but they can come in many different colours ... black, white and multi-coloured are all mentioned in the chronicles. The colours can serve a purely aesthetic purpose, or a practical one ... for instance, a black tarn would be very useful in night raids and a white tarn in winter campaigns.

War tarns are bred for physical characteristics such as strength, speed and agility, but also for their psychological traits such as intelligence and aggression, among other things. They also have impressive stamina, able to maintain flight for long periods. Though a racing tarn would outpace them over short distances, over longer ones a war tarn would always outlast its rival. Further, in combat a war tarn would easily tear a racing tarn to shreds in moments.

 

You can identify a war tarn easily, as their talons are often shod with steel, both as a means to protect the talons and also as a show of pride and dressage. They are also more aggressive and dangerous. Tarnsmen say that it is important the tarn does not see its rider as being weak, or the rider will be devoured.

These tarns are also recognisable by their challenge scream; which is a cry of one tarn to another. It is a fierce and chilling sound - shrill, wild, defiant and piercing. A noise which is considered both beautiful and terrifying.

Tarnsmen themselves are well-trained and respected warriors. There are many weapons they carry into battle on tarnback, from the simple sword and shield, to spears, longbows and crossbows. The 'tarn lance' is used amongst the Red Savages. Many such weapons will be strung to their saddle pack, along with rations, a compass, maps, binding fiber, and extra bowstrings.

War tarns don't usually carry baskets, but rather long lengths of knotted rope which enable them to carry seven to ten men beneath them in a military siege. Some cities use a special form of defence against war tarns known as tarn wire. These are nettings of hundreds of thousands of dangerous wires, which prevent the tarns from landing anywhere.

 

These birds are also employed in capital punishment. The 'tarn death' is a gruesome punishment, which involves the sentenced man being literally torn apart by war tarns. It is said that no man can escape the tarn death.

The most famous war tarn in the chronicles is, of course, Ubar of the Skies - Tarl Cabot's tarn. He was a sable colored tarn, who demonstrated extraordinary intelligent and loyalty to its Master, beyond what is expected of most tarns.

CHAPTER 8: RACING TARNS

"The tarns were, of course, racing tams, a bird in many ways quite different from the common tarns of Gor, or the war tams. The differences among these tarns are not simply in the training, which does differ, but in the size, strength, build and tendencies of the bird."

~Assassin of Gor~

Racing tarns are those bred and trained for racing competitions in the city cultures of Gor. These are extremely light birds, which can easily be lifted by two men, and even their beaks are narrower and lighter than that of a common tarn.

Its wings are broader and shorter than that of a war tarn, enabling a switer take-off and more manouverability in the air. Though they are swift in short breaks, these birds do also lack the stamina of a war tarn, and would easily be outpaced by one over longer distances. They are commonly ridden in races by small, low-caste men, and the skill of the rider is just as influential as that of the bird in the outcome of a race.

Riding a racing tarn is very different from riding a war tarn. The harness itself is different in its tautness, and the saddle is only a 'slip of leather' compared to the common saddle. It also has two thin safety straps rather than one thick strap. It takes a while even for an experienced rider to get used to the more subtle handling of a racing tarn.

In the Stadium of Tarns in Ar, different factions race each other for winnings and the affections of the crowd.  The stadium is a magnificent structure, which is designed with long, curving terraces of tiers and designated areas for high caste and low caste. There are also areas reserved for the Administrator, the High Initiate, and members of the High Council, who themselves often favour particular factions.

Tarns must race through a series of rings, over a giant net into which tarns often tumble and become entangled. If a ring is missed by a tarn, the judge will sound a clang on a large metal bar and the bird must go back and repeat that ring. This bar is also used to signal when the next race is about to start. Laps of the race are marked with painted wooden tarn heads on poles. If a tarn is significantly injured during a race, its throat is often cut on the spot by the 'netman', whose job it is to subdue and disentangle the birds from the net, carting them away in large wheeled frames.

The tarns are brought forth hooded into the arena, on wheeled platforms drawn by horned tharlarion, the rider on the cart beside him dressed up in his faction colours. Thusly, the birds are brought to their designated numbered perch, which are randomly assigned. The inside perch is the best, as it gives the rider an advantage. The same perches are used at the start and end of the race, and the winning perch is the one closest to the stand (farthest from the inside perch).

Not every rider is a member of a faction; some race simply with their own private birds, for their own coin. Almost everyone in the crowd, from the high caste to the slave, will dress up in the colours of the faction they support, either very ornate or with a simple scrap of cloth or ribbon known as a 'faction patch'. Each faction is backed by benefactors, who pay for the costs of upkeep and entering the races, and each tend to own their own tarn cot, riders and resources. 

It can be difficult for a new faction to establish itself, with the power of the older factions. Most new factions tend to fail ... it is not cheap to buy or rent tarn cots, acquire racing tarns, riders and tarn keepers, and there are also substantial track fees for newer factions. Older factions also purposefully will often try and cause new factions to fail, targeting their riders or refusing to hire riders who have ridden for a new faction.

As well as being sufficiently sponsored, tarns and riders must prove their ability by winning a substantial portion of their races within the first two tarn-racing seasons, or the Stadium of Tarns will cease to recognise them as a viable faction. The same is true for established factions, if they have a number of poor seasons. They may lose their rights on the track either permenantly or for a ten-year period.

The most famous tarn among the peoples of Ar was a legendary bird known as the Green Ubar, which was said to have won over a thousand races with its rider, Melipolus of Cos. Melipolus was said to have retired, but in the book "Assassin of Gor", it is revealed that he had taken on the persona of a simple Tarn-Keeper named Mip, who is a character in this story. Sadly, coming out of retirement to win a critical race, the Green Ubar does not survive.

CHAPTER 9: DRAFT TARNS

"Some tarns are bred primarily for strength and are used in transporting wares by carrying basket. Usually these birds fly more slowly and are less vicious than the war tarns or racing tams."

~Assassin of Gor~

Draft tarns are those bred for their strength and for their manageable disposition. They are less savage than a war tarn or even a racing tarn.  Tarn caravans use these large, strong tarns, to carry many baskets between cities. Sometimes these can number up to a hundred birds, with escort, flying at once.

The basket harness is used with these large draft tarns, it being secured around the body and head of the tarn for the attachment of large tarn baskets. It may also entail guidance attachments, which enable the tarn to be controled from the basket itself, in which case the bird is usually not saddled at all.

The baskets come in various shapes and sizes, depending on their intended purposes and the type of merchandise they will be carrying. Some are little more than flat cradles for carrying planking and such, while others are long and cylindrical, lined with verrskin, for transporting beverages. The common tarn basket, though, is large enough to carry up to half a dozen people.

III: OWNING A TARN

CHAPTER 10: EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES

"He tossed me a small object which nearly fell from my fumbling hands. it was a tarn whistle, with its own note, which would summon one tarn, and one tarn only, the mount which was intended for me."

~Tarnsman of Gor~

Of course, if you're going to own a tarn you must also ensure you have the proper equipment!

A TARN WHISTLE, or tarn call, is one item that will invariably be included in the purchase of a tarn. This whistles emits its own note, which would summon only that particular tarn. The bird will have been specially trained by the Tarn-Keepers to respond to that whistle.

Another important device in the control of the tarn, to which the bird will have been trained to respond, is the TARN GOAD. This is an electrical device designed in a join venture between the Caste of Physicians and the Caste of Builders, which emits a powerful charge to shock the mighty bird by means of an "on-off" switch. It is described as a metal rod, about two feet long, with a strap attached to be fastened around the wrist.

Unlike the slave goad, the tarn goad has only one intensity setting. The goad is never to be used as a weapon, simply as a means of controlling the tarn.

You may also wish to invest in a MOUNTING LADDER for your tarn. Commonly made of leather, this ladder can be folded and hooked onto the side of your saddle, and is used simply for mounting the great bird and taking your place in said saddle.

The TARN HARNESS is made of leather and secured about the tarn's head with two rings - the throat ring and the main saddle ring, through which six leather reins are attached. Draft tarns instead commonly wear the basket harness, which is also secured about its body. There are variations on the tarn harness in different cultures. For instance, the Kinyanpi tride of the Red Savages utilise guide ropes, similar to the jaw ropes used to control kaiila.

The common TARN SADDLE is a heavy leather saddle complete with straps, saddle-packs, weapon sheaths and slave rings, all of which serve an important purpose. The saddle-packs can be filled with useful implements such as binder fiber, rations or a compass. There are different varieties of saddle, with the racing saddle inparticular between different in that it is much simpler and lighter, without any saddle-packs attached to it.

The SAFETY STRAP is an important part of the saddle, a broad strap usually purple in colour. It is used to secure the rider in place, ensuring that he does not fall from the bird. On a racing tarn, two such straps are used for extra safety.

CHAPTER 11: THE RIDING OF TARNS

"Mip and I sat on tarnback on the lofty perch outside the tarncot. I was excited, as I always was, on tarnback. Mip too seemed charged and alive. We looked about, at the cylinders and lights and bridges. It was a fresh, cool summer evening. The stars over the city were clear and bright, the coursing moons white with splendor against the black space of the Gorean night. Mip took his tarn streaking among the cylinders and I, on my tarn, followed him."

~Assassin of Gor~

As a tarnsman, if you've managed to clamber up the mounting ladder and get yourself on the back of a tarn saddle and strapped into place without being cast off or devoured, you are already half way there. 

The tarn is now controlled by means of a throat strap, to which are attached six colour-coded streamers, or reins, fixed in a metal ring on the forward portion of the saddle. These reins attach to evenly-spaced rings on the throat strap. 

Thus you simply draw on whichever rein attached to the ring which approximates the direction you wish to turn. For example, to lose altitude you draw on the four-strap which passes through the four-ring, located beneath the throat of the tarn. To rise, pull on the one-strap, which attached to the back of the tarns neck. The two-strap and three-strap attached to the upper and lower right side of the tarns neck, and are used to sweep to the high or low right hand side. Similarly, the five-strap and six-straps attached to the lower and upper left-hand side.

If you find yourself in a position without any straps, you can use the tarn goad to control the beast, simply by striking it in the direction you wish to go in. However, this is both an inaccurate method of guiding and dangerous, since the tarn may lose its fear of the goad.

The warrior Tarl Cabot in the chronicles makes what could be considered several important advances in the training of tarns. For instance, he trains his Ubar of the Skies to respond to the sound of his voice, which meant he did not need to use the reins.

It was also thought for a long time that it was impossible to train tarns to fly over the sea. They are land fowl, orginating from the mountains, and seem to have an innate fear of sea travel, it being said that not even the tarn goad could draw them away from the sight of land.

However, in "Raiders of Gor", Tarl successfully overcomes this problem to some extent. He does so by bringing the birds out to sea, hooded in the holds of great round ships. Once they are out of sight of land, he takes the birds up on deck. He finds then, that it is simply the departure from land that is counter-instinctual to the birds, and not sea flight itself.