This is my packstring for this trip. The blue roan is four years old and I only have about 6 rides on him and half a dozen times with the pack saddle. Blue Thunder, he can really get airborn and raise some dust but he is coming along and will be ready. The Fjords are my driving team. They are 9 and 10 years old and have packed several times before.
Behind this string of horses you can see some brown pipe fence panels. That is a 60 ft round pen. If any of you are interested in successfully working with horses you need to have a round pen. Once you learn how to get inside a horses head and work them in a round pen you can really make a lot of quick progress without anyone getting hurt too badly.
Saddled up and ready to go.
This is a detail picture of one of my pack saddles. I buy these adjustable top bars, polymer board pack frames from a guy in British Columbia. I happen to live not too far from a Leather Factory store and have easy access to cowhides and buckles so I dont have any trouble making my own rigging. I pick up the cinches/girths/halters at horse tack auctions in bulk. This saddle is extremely durable, adjustable and will not sore the back of your horse. This is the only pack saddle endorsed by the long riders guild. This horse will carry a couple of Utah bags and coolers on this saddle.
This is one of my Fjords with the same saddle and a set of Utah bags. These bags are made from Kevlar and are indestructable. They have lots of buckles and straps and make loading a packhorse a piece of cake. You don't have to know how to throw a double diamond or a box hitch to be able to pack with horses if you have the right kind of equipment. A 54 quart cooler will fit inside one of these bags and army duffle bags ride on top. This horse is loaded with 2 50 pound bags of alfalfa cubes on each side. The fjords can pack 250 pounds with ease. They are only 14 to 14-2 hands tall which makes them easy to load and they weigh about 1400 pounds, mostly muscle and heavy bone. They are tough durable draft horses. Not too speedy but they can get you and your gear to camp in one trip.
This fjord is sporting a pair of bear resistant pack boxes. These boxes will carry my groceries to camp. Right now they have 90 ponds of sand in each box and a 50 pound bag of cubes on top. We put in 4-5 miles today and they did good with these loads.
All people have certain gifts. Some people are gifted bowyers and knife makers. Some are gifted as mechanics, or artists, some as fine archers. I am blessed with being able to work with these fine animals. I am more of a horseman and llama wrangler than I am a bowhunter. My passion and abilities for working with animals far exceeds my capabilities as a hunter but I don't let that stop me from having a good bowhunt. I hope to be able to bring you a good story or two from my hunts this fall. Good hunting.
Topic: Packing in to elk camp 2007 (Read 496 times)
