# Can centaurs swim? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256 "2021-04-18T18:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/1 "2021-04-18T18:16:31Z")
Horses can swim and humans can swim, can centaurs? Presumably their lungs take up about the same percentage of body size as a horse or human, and on top, so the human torso cavity is almost all lungs. They might prefer to read their histories under an oak, in the sunlight winking through its leaves, the beams glittering with pollen, but they are capable of archery while running at sustained high speed, so their lungs must be bigger that humans/horses if anything. That provides a lot of buoyancy where it matters. Even with the heavy human arms and head, I think the mouth and nose rest comfortably above the water without any real effort. The posture would be a little weird though, with the creature kind of on its ass/back. What do you think? Are they natural swimmers or no? ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/2 "2021-04-18T18:21:01Z")
Yes, of course. Seems evident to me. Human lungs and the horse’s lungs (the way they are depicted, there is plenty of space for those) give enough buoyancy and the wings would propel them forward while they are at it. Pity they don’t exist…, blurred to avoid the children’s disappointment 😉 I would have loved to have one for friend as a child ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/3 "2021-04-18T18:27:53Z")
I like the Centaurs in Philip Jose Farmer’s _World of Tiers_ series, which are bio-engineered. As such, they are substantially larger in the human section, and it’s organs are predominantly a bellows to force air from the outsized human mouth to the lungs in the ‘horse’ section. Even in world with higher density atmosphere and oxygen, it was a bit rough to make them. Honestly, I’d suspect that to push enough oxygen through the system, they’d be better off with a partially segregated inhale/exhale system where you’d use the aforementioned bellows for breathing in (and speaking), but when doing high levels of activity all exhalations would be through a blowhole structure on the back or sides. Which is the advantage of a bio-engineered (if still fictional) centaur. For a mythological/fantasy version, meh, it’s magic, up to the writer/storyteller. But yes, presuming a more or less equal ratio of lungs/body mass as a horse, I’d assume they could swim. Better in fact, because since they’re sentient, they could go with additional options. In my mind I’m seeing a float around the equine torso and the humanoid segment using a paddle while the hose legs make swimming motions as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/4 "2021-04-18T18:31:49Z")
I see the wings thing I mentioned came over from the other mythical horse, the Pegasus. Six extremities fine, eight extremities is over the top. Sorry! (Still they can swim, only not so fast) ---
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/5 "2021-04-18T18:32:50Z")
Wings? Centaurs do not have wings. What a childish fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/6 "2021-04-18T18:33:11Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Six extremities fine, eight extremities is over the top. Sorry! Sleipnir begs to differ! > **[Sleipnir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleipnir)** > > In Norse mythology, Sleipnir /ˈsleɪpnɪər/ (Old Norse: "slippy" or "the slipper") is an eight-legged horse ridden by Odin. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Sleipnir is Odin's steed, is the child of Loki and Svaðilfari, is described as the best of all horses, and is sometimes ridden to the location of Hel. The Prose Edda contains extended Sle... ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/7 "2021-04-18T18:35:11Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Sleipnir begs to differ! Thank you, Sleipnir! A thing of beauty! > [@ALOHA\_HATER](#): > > What a childish fantasy. Yes! Puerile even. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/8 "2021-04-18T18:38:47Z")
I don’t know, buoyancy is one thing, but the human torso is going to shift the center of gravity upward and forward. I wonder if the head would be below water in a resting position, requiring a constant struggle to keep it up. But I guess that’s basically the situation with human swimmers anyway. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Thank you, Sleipnir! A thing of beauty! Think so? Take a look at [this](https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1776:_Reindeer). ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/9 "2021-04-18T18:46:39Z")
[Aragog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubeus_Hagrid#Aragog) has found a job at xkcd! Lovely… ---
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/10 "2021-04-18T18:54:23Z")
No. Imagine a semibuoyant L-shaped block. The nose and forehead will always be at the uppermost point while in water. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/11 "2021-04-18T18:55:54Z")
Since centaurs are fictional, let’s move this to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/12 "2021-04-18T19:09:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since centaurs are fictional Do we have to add “(Open spoilers)” to the title now? By the way, centaurs dogpaddle just fine, but they suck at other strokes, especially the backstroke. But if you go swiming with them, do NOT laugh at their attempts; they have no sense of humor about their physiognomy. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/13 "2021-04-18T20:06:48Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Six extremities fine, eight extremities is over the top. Sorry! Odin [would disagree](https://bavipower.com/blogs/bavipower-viking-blog/sleipnir-eight-legged-horse-of-odin-the-allfather). Getting back to the OP, I’m reminded of a cartoon in _Playboy_ long, long ago. A couple centaurs are peeking through some bushes at a maiden bathing and mare drinking from a pond. One centaur is saying to his buddy, “Come _on!_ Make up your mind!” ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/14 "2021-04-18T20:14:59Z")
Ah, the dying art of reading all the posts before answering (not claiming that I am innocent on that count… just sayin’). But if even the mods disregard the spoiler rules, well, what is the world coming to? 🤨 My, oh my… ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/15 "2021-04-18T20:36:42Z")
Apparently, we’re also missing out on the consequences of centaurs in competitive sports, including swimming events! [https://peasantman.com/news\_centaur.html](https://peasantman.com/news_centaur.html) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/16 "2021-04-19T06:04:14Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Pity they don’t exist…, blurred to avoid the children’s disappointment 😉 I would have loved to have one for friend as a child Or a pet. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/17 "2021-04-20T01:15:43Z")
Wagner doesn’t say a gottverdamn thing about “Sleipnir”, but a lot about Wotan. Get out of here! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/18 "2021-04-20T01:17:35Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since centaurs are fictional, let’s move this to IMHO. Well, you ARE the curator of critters, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2021, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/19 "2021-04-20T04:58:17Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since centaurs are fictional How presumptuous of you. If moose can swim, I don’t see why centaurs wouldn’t be able to. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256/20 "2021-04-21T16:24:03Z")
They could but the majority never learn. They and their parents never take the time for them to learn. There are numerous stories about centaur family reunions at lakes, where one centaur will wonder too deep and several other centaurs will attempt to rescue them and the result will be 7-8 centaurs all drowning. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-centaurs-swim/940256.md?page=2)