Basic Gear for Horse Packing

If you are new to horse packing, here are the basic things you’ll need to get started.

The Romance Makers by Charles Russell.

I really like this picture by the artist Charles M. Russell. It captures the romance of the West, in particular the horsemen roaming wildlands followed by a pack string. There really are few images more idyllic that than. If you’ve ever been to on these trips, you’ll know that Russell captures the sense of freedom you can feel when everything goes right.

As unspoiled as horse packing is, it is a bit of a dying art. The truth is, it’s a lot of work. Now, most people don’t see it like this. Backpackers see the packer riding down the trail, not walking of course, and with their pack animal carrying all of their camping gear. As they trudge along, they may wonder how nice it would be to have the luxury of an animal carrying everything and saving them so much work. However, seeing the packer on the trail is only half the story.

What people don’t see is the work that is invested at many other points. When the backpacker tosses his bag down at camp, in 15 minutes has camp set up. The horse packer has an hour or more of work to take care of his animals and camp. Also, prior to the trip, the backpacker loads his pack in an hour or so, while it will take the horse packer that long just to shoe an animal or two. Horse packing is a lot of work, but it isn’t all bad. It’s just one reason why it may not be as popular as it once was.

Another drawback to packing with horses (or mules) is the extra gear you have to buy. Obviously, this comes after the animals have been purchased, fed, and cared for. Although there is some extra gear, it is really not a terrible amount. Of course, that depends on how many animals you want to pack. For two people, typically, two ride horses and a pack horse are adequate for a few days out. If you want to go on longer trips or add more people, then you’ll need more gear.

That being said, gathering gear is a bit of a journey, and you never start at the end. If you are just getting started, here is some basic gear for horse packing you’ll want to purchase.

Saddle

As you might expect, one item you’ll want to buy is a pack saddle. If you read our article on types of pack saddles, you’ll know they are broken into two main categories; sawbucks and Deckers. You’ll also know that they do make packs that hang on western riding saddles. Although these do an ok job, they aren’t as effective as the saddles specifically made for packing. When choosing a packsaddle, you really can’t go wrong with either a sawbuck or Decker. A hybrid Decker is a good choice, as it can have panniers hung off the bows but still fits a horse as well as Deckers do.

When it comes to necessary tack on the saddle, a good pack saddle will have a few extra items. These items can either be made of leather or made of nylon with sheep’s wool lining. Although nylon is popular because it is light and will not rot, we’ve always used leather for its durability.

Part of this basic gear is a breast collar. This is especially important if you are going to be going up steep hills. In addition to a breast collar, you will want to set the saddle up to have a britchen as well. Britchens help hold the saddle from sliding forward when the animal is coming down a steep hill.

Saddles should also have two cinches. These can either be cinches that are woven together, or two that are held together by a hobble strap. They can be made of many different materials, but you can’t go wrong with natural fibers. When it comes to natural fibers, cotton cinches are more affordable, but mohair cinches are the best quality.

Saddle Pads

Another component of a basic outfit for horse packing is having adequate blanketing. Blanketing a pack horse is similar to blanketing a riding animal. However, it is very important to remember that the packhorse needs adequate padding and that the pad should also protect the horse from the pannier IF the pannier will sore the horse. For any type of saddle pad, a good wool blanket is hard to beat.

Panniers

At this point, you have the gear to saddle your horse. From here, the type of gear you’ll buy depends on the style of packing you do. Some people pack in what are called mantys. When mantying, you essentially wrap all of your items in canvas and then tie that canvas manty on the packsaddle. While this is a good and effective method for packing, we use panniers on our horse-packing trips so most of our recommendations are made in regard to that style.

Panniers are the bag or boxes that hang from the side of the saddle and hold your items. They are generally made of canvas, wood, or hard plastic. They also have a sturdy strap of some kind extending from the body of the pannier that can loop over the saddle. If you only want to buy one set of panniers, you are probably best off going with a good set of bear-proof panniers. These are high quality and will help you meet regulations if you decide to camp in bear country. They aren’t as versatile as canvas panniers, but may be the best place to start.

Pack Cover

When packing, you’ll also want to have a pack cover. This cover goes over the load your packhorse is carrying, and it will protect the load from sticks, rain, and other elements. When it comes to selecting a pack cover, you can’t go wrong with good heavy canvas that has been waterproofed. In terms of size, something approximately 8’x8’ should do the job.

Lash Rope

The last piece of the necessary gear for your pack horse is a lash rope. The lash rope is what you use to tie the entire pack to the pack animal. They usually come in 50’ lengths and a variety of materials. While many different materials work, since we double our lash ropes as picket lines, we use soft cotton. This is important so the picket line doesn’t easily burn the horse.

The lash rope also will have a pack cinch attached to one end. This pack cinch is different from a regular riding cinch. It is normally made of canvas and has a hook at one end.

Halter/Lead Rope

At this point, you’ve got the basic gear for horse packing that you need. However, a good halter and lead rope combination make things a little easier.

We like to use a good rope halter. We prefer rope to leather since it can easily be cut if necessary. The lead rope should be made of soft material, with a good snap, and at least 10’ in length. If you go too short, you will constantly have to be reaching back to give your packhorse more lead.

As you can see, the basic gear for horse packing isn’t necessarily a lot. However, it can be a little expensive. To cope with this, everyone has their own way of making decisions. You can either try and buy second-hand or used items, and then improve as time and budget allow. Or, you can buy new and invest in quality gear that will last a lifetime. That’s a decision everyone will have to make for themselves. If you do decide to make the investment, you’ll have the gear to experience that magical feeling that few people will ever know.