In the past, tigers were hunted on foot, horseback, elephant-back and from machans. Any of these involved considerable danger and the hunting of a tiger has always been considered a manly and courageous feat with game trophies being collected as symbols of valor and prestige.

Horses and camels were used by cavalry officers in 17th century India, which they found to be more reliable and less unpredictable as elephants. After chasing the tigers to exhaustion, the riders would gallop around the tigers in ever decreasing circles and then kill the tiger with a sword.

Hmmmm... courageous?