This is just as true when you are teaching a horse to pack as it is when you are teaching a horse to ride. I never take a green or unbroke horse and try to get him broke by strapping a pack to his back and heading up the mountain. I like to follow a process to train my pack horses to accept their job calmly and without anxiety or fear.
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The equipment I am going to assume that you have your pack equipment already, and that you know how to put it on and tie and balance a load.
You will need your pack saddle, girth, breast collar, britching, saddle pad, your lash rope, two soft pack bags (I prefer to use bags, rather than hard panniers for this), and your top cover. I normally like to use a rope halter and a twelve-foot lead rope that has no hardware, but for packing, I suggest your horse wear a wide
s with all the lessons we teach, safety for you and your horse is always the most important thing.
web halter with a nine-foot lead rope that has a snap, which makes it easy to disconnect in an emergency.
The horse The first time you do this exercise, choose the calmest, most broke horse in your herd. You want a horse that is least likely to be afraid of anything you are about to do for the first round of training. Packing is not an opportunity to get your unbroke horse broke. Your pack horse should be a dependable way to carry supplies. He is carrying your food, tent, and most of the things you count on having during your time in the mountains. Pick the right horse for the job, and train him in a way that prepares both of you for success.
The training Start in a round pen or small enclosed area about 60 feet in diameter. First, take your lariat and put it around your horse’s neck. Hold the rest of the rope, and gradually let it out as you send your horse out around the pen. When he is moving, flip the rope around so that it falls around his hocks, like the britching on your pack saddle does. Be sure to stay out of kicking range in case he is afraid and tries to get rid of the rope. Move the rope up and down, and loosen and tighten it to let him feel that it is there. Work him around the pen until he is not bothered by the rope. Do this exercise in both directions. Then, ask your horse to back up, with the rope still around him. Again, be sure you stay out of the way if he were to get scared and bolt forward.
Training a Pack Horse By Ken McNabb with Katherine Lindsey Mehan
About the author Ken McNabb is a true American cowboy with a boyish enthusiasm for life and a dedication to strong family values. He has been helping people improve their relationships and skills with horses and teaching them to dream bigger, ride taller, and live happier. Learn more about Ken and his Ken McNabb Horsemanship program at
www.kenmcnabb.com.
Now you are ready to put the pack saddle on your horse. I like to use a large pad that’s 45 to 46 inches, so that it goes down far enough that my horse won’t get rubbed by the dee rings on the cinches. I prefer a cross buck saddle, but whatever you have will work. Put the pack saddle up in the middle of your horse and tighten both cinches, tightening the front cinch first. Be sure the cinches are centered before you tighten them.
Pull down the britching. Then hook up the breast collar and last, adjust the britching. The britching should sit a handswidth below the point of the hip. Make sure it hangs straight and even.
Your horse should stand calmly throughout this process. If he moves off, just work him around the pen for a few minutes, then bring him back to the center and try again.
Once all your straps are fastened and adjusted properly, unsnap the lead rope and send your horse off around the pen. Let him get used to the feel of all the new equipment. Work him until he is relaxed. Then, you are ready to put on the bags and top cover. Sack your horse out with the top cover before you hang the bags on the saddle. Rub him with the canvas and make sure he is comfortable having the cover draped and flapped over him.
I like to put something soft and light in my bags to start with, like a few flakes of hay. Sack him out with the bags by gently swinging them on each side, and when he is comfortable put the bags on, add the top cover, and lash the load down. Again, your horse should stand quietly throughout this process. If he does not, send him off around the pen. I don’t put a top pack on the first time. I like to allow my horse to build his confidence with the side bags and I add the top pack when he has a little more experience. Once your load is tied on firmly, send your horse around the pen to get used to it.
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