Pack horse gear

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I’ve got a couple of ranch horses I’m wanting to take hunting this fall. I assume the one that I ride while hunting, I can just use my saddle, with saddle bags and a rifle scabbard. But I need to buy a pack saddle and all the gear to start training one to be a pack horse this summer. Can y’all help me figure out what all gear I’ll need to accomplish this? Do y’all like the decker or sawbuck saddle and why? What type of panniers do you recommend? How do you attach everything to the saddle? I’m sorry if these questions seem elementary but I’ve never been around pack animals and need some schooling in this department.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Royaltine Outfitters has a great you tube channel with lots of packing and backcountry horse stuff.

Custom Pack Rigging offers awesome pack saddles.

Mountain Ridge Gear has a really nice looking set of panniers.

I like deckers. Can be used with panniers or manty tarps. Manty tarps and ropes afford a lot of flexibility and are ‘inexpensive’ relative to the top of the line soft panniers.

 

[Read1t48]

I would recommend Raw Hide Gear LLC out of Oregon for your riding horse. For your pack horse, you should consider the Form Fitter pack saddle. Very good saddle.

 

[wysongdog]

Most important piece of packing equipment I own is my portable scale. Both sides need to be within a pound of each other. It pretty humbling thinking you have both sides weighing the same and then to hang them on the scale. Arizona hitch is a great hitch for tying by yourself. I've figured out how to tie a double diamond by myself since it seems like I'm always by myself but need to learn the Arizona hitch.

 

[goodgrouper]

get Smoke Elsers book Packing in on mules and horses. It's full of detailed instructions on gear as well as learning how to work with your animals. look up your local chapter of Backcountry horseman, they usually put on clinics. I allways preferred deckers, but one isn't better than the other, just preference. I allways wanted to try that Philips formfitter that read1t48 mentioned but never got the chance. For a beginner panniers are pretty easy to work with, especially if your solo. packing with manty tarps is an art form that I never learned.

Packin' in on Mules and Horses: Elser, Smoke, Brown, Bill: 9780878421275: Amazon.com: Gateway

Packin' in on Mules and Horses [Elser, Smoke, Brown, Bill] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Packin' in on Mules and Horses

www.amazon.com

 

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

Thanks for the help, guys. I watched all the videos from royal tine already. I’m definitely going to check out that book. I’m getting more excited by the day to do this.

 

[rayporter]

I have 2 of the adjustable pack saddles and 2 sawbucks. if you can swing it the adjustable will stop sore backs -especially if you have different built animals.

http://www.custompackrigging.com/assets/images/Products/FullSize/item10.jpg

 

[wymtnpounder]

I use sawbucks and if I only had one set of panniers I'd go with Iron Cloth bags. Iron cloth is nice for packing meat and makes clean up easy, it's also tougher than canvas. You can pack about everything with a sierra box hitch. Lots of different ways to skin a cat. Just my 2 cents

 

[MTElk1987]

I prefer deckers but that is only because I have no experience with anything else. I like to go to auctions and look for old pack saddles and then rebuild them myself if needed. For bags I use the Montana Canvas Pack Panniers. They are a vinyl material so blood and dirt can be hosed out quickly. Been using them for about 10 years now and they have held up very well. If I cant fit it in the bags I just manty it and basket hitch the load. Smoke Elser's book is great. The Packers Field Manual by Bob Hoverson is also full of information.

My experience has always been if they'll ride, they'll pack. I start new animals out in my round pen with loads of bulky items like sleeping bags. I just take the lead off them and let them wander around in there for awhile; it lets them get used to banging into stuff.

 

[blackdawg]

I have 2 of the adjustable pack saddles and 2 sawbucks. if you can swing it the adjustable will stop sore backs -especially if you have different built animals.

http://www.custompackrigging.com/assets/images/Products/FullSize/item10.jpg

I followed Rays recommendation for the adjustable pack saddle. It is a top notch piece of equipment that should last forever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EastMont]

buy nice, not twice. Pack stuff holds its value pretty well. I would second the mountain ridge gear panniers. Don't buy a economy sawbuck. Go for at least midgrade decker/sawbuck

 

[blacktail sniper]

Curious who makes those panniers? I have limited experince packing in. Have been on a couple trips with good friends who are horse whispers i swear amazing what they do. I am looking to take it up myself but nervous I would say I know enough to get in trouble. With my buddies now taking care of their kids which is awesome I have had to go back to backpack solo or with my wife. Retiring in a year and will finally move to MT or WY and will be getting horses. Reason I ask on the make of the panniers I have only seen my buddies use the more open style tops and they cover with a tarp and use a double diamond not for the life of me cant fig out i get more confused each time i see it. My other thought is jsut get two horses and saddle panniers and lead them in and still stay light. Not sure if thats a good idea cause while i am 50 now at some point be nice to ride two for my wife and I or son and lead one in.

 

[rayporter]

do what ever you have to do to learn a couple of hitches. even though some of the bags and panniers are designed as so you supposedly dont need a hitch on them the time will come when it is necessary.

have someone teach you how to put the saddles on and adjust them. some things that a horseman does automatically need explained because attention to detail is so important with packing.

 

[blacktail sniper]

Good advice!!

 

[Fronttrack]

Deckers are more versatile and stronger. You can use them with mantie s boxes, panniers or just tie the quarters on. Hey 33 feet of a poly blend rope, 5/8 inch for sling ropes.

 

[blacktail sniper]

Thanks for the help, guys. I watched all the videos from royal tine already. I’m definitely going to check out that book. I’m getting more excited by the day to do this.

found the book on ebay and amazon used for 6-10 bucks. I have only packed in with a buddy a few times and definitly have a ton to learn as well.