D: [WHISTLING]
Y: You sure sound happy today, Don.
D: That's because I've come up with a scheme that's going to make me filthy rich.
Y: So let's hear it.
D: Zebras!
Y: Zebras?
D: Yes, Zebras! Think about it. There are all these zebras on the African plains, just running around and wasting their time. People like to ride horses, right? So why not Zebras?
Y: You're going to domesticate zebras.
D: You got it. And since we're buddies, I'll even let you in on the deal. For a small investment, of course.
Y: Thanks Don, but no thanks. After all, domesticating zebras is nothing new.
D: It's not?
Y: No. In fact, people have been trying to domesticate zebras for about a hundred years.
D: So the zebra market has already been cornered.
Y: Not exactly. There is no zebra market, because zebras can't be domesticated.
D: Why not? Aren't they pretty much horses with stripes?
Y: No. Compared to horses, zebras are pretty unpredictable. They can be very aggressive and even vicious as they get older. Plus, their body shape doesn't take a saddle very well. Trying to train and ride a zebra is pretty dangerous.
D: So it's impossible?
Y: Not impossible. Over the years some zebras have been successfully trained, but as a group they just don't lend themselves to domestication. Some animal trainers and breeders have created zebra hybrids, such as the "zorse," a cross between a zebra and a horse, and the "zonkey", which is what you get when you cross a zebra and a donkey.
D: That sounds slightly creepy.
Y: Yeah. So far there's no specific purpose to creating zebra hybrids; they're not stronger or more useful than regular horses and donkeys.
D: So maybe we should just leave the zebras alone.
Y: They'd probably appreciate it.