Riding in Heng/Entro

[Djabanete]

Hi folks,
A quick question about riding in Entroband. My level 19 Human Warrior has a Mature Blue Dragon as a pet, and I'm trying to use it as a mount, but I always get the "fail to ride" message when I try to mount it. The question is: is the chance of riding in this scenario zero or nonzero? If it's nonzero, is it worth trying to mount or should I give up? I've gotten the failure message about 50 times in a row so far. The only info I could get was from the help files, which are not very specific about my exact chances, and the online Hengband spoilers, which are also not specific. Note that I do have a free hand; I removed my shield in order to try to mount. So far I'm completely unskilled in riding.

Help files:
--- Riding ---
In Entroband, the player can ride on pet horses or dragons, etc. To
control your mount, you must keep one hand free for holding the
reins. But your pet will attack your target together with you, and
enemy's attack will be dispersed. As a result of these, player's
damage in combat will get reduced in total.

The most important feature of riding is speed. When you are riding on
a pet, your speed doesn't depend on your original speed but depends
only on the speed of your mount and your skill at riding. Quaffing a
potion of speed has no effect on your mount's speed, but throwing it
at a wall will hasten your pet if it is nearby. You can use a wand or
a spell of haste monster too.

Note that your proficiency level for riding is very low at first (see
'e' Miscellaneous Proficiency' using the information command '~'). When
your proficiency level is low, you cannot make good use of riding, and
your speed is also very low. You need to practice riding to gain the full
speed of the creature you ride. Proficiency level will increase a little
when you attack in melee or shoot with missile weapon when riding. Ride
on low level creatures at first, and then switch to higher level mounts
little by little.

Hengband online spoilers:
---Riding---
Riding skill is an integer(from 0 to 8000). If the skill is less than 400, it is called [Unskilled]. If the skill is more than [Unskilled] and less than 2000, it is called [Beginner]. If the skill is more than [Beginner] and less than 5000, it is called [Skilled]. If a skill is more than [Skilled] and less than 8000, it is called [Expert]. If a skill is 8000, it is called [Master].

Riding skill is increased by 1 when you hit a monster whose level is more than (the skill -1000)/200 and you are riding. If (the skill -1000)/200 is less than your vehicle's level, the skill is increased additionally. The skill is also increased by 1 when you shoot and (the skill -1000)/200 is less than your vehicle's level and d2 is 1. The skill is also increased by 1 when you damaged and it is enough damage to cause unseating you.

Riding skill affects possibility of cropper, possibility of riding, possibility of abilities removing stun, confusion, fear of a vehicle, spell fail rate and speed when you are riding. If both Riding skill and level are Max, your speed is equal to your vehicle. If your Riding skill is less than 2000, the items' weight slows you severely. If you are not Beastmaster and not Cavalry and wield unsuitable weapon when riding, to hit is decreased severely.

Does anybody know about this? Thanks for any help!
Edit: I tried mounting another few thousand times (with the help of a macro) without success. Now I'm wondering whether the chance of success is actually zero or just infinitesimally small.

[chem]

I'm guessing your character is way too underpowered right now to ride that pet, but to be honest I never really rode a lot.

Also, riding is a skill, as you noted. Try working it up on something easier first? I forget if that actually affects mount success or only combat odds.

[Atriel]

Actually, a warrior will never be a good rider; his maximum riding skill is 5000.
A very specific build and item setup is needed for a rider to be powerful and ride the best creatures (GWOP, fenghuang, kirin, etc), and only Beastmaster, Cavalry and i think Tourist can do that.