Pack Animal Management

Where roads don’t exist — and in a post-collapse world, that’s most places — pack animals go where carts cannot. A mule with 70 kg on its back walks mountain trails, crosses streams, picks through rubble, and navigates forest paths that would stop any wheeled vehicle. Pack transport is slower per trip than wagon hauling, but it works everywhere.

Pack Saddle Design

The pack saddle distributes the load’s weight across the animal’s back, keeping it off the spine and away from the withers (the bony ridge between the shoulder blades).

Sawbuck Pack Saddle

The sawbuck is two X-shaped crosses connected by side boards, sitting on padding on the animal’s back.

Construction:

1. Cut four pieces of hardwood, each about 40 cm long, 5 cm wide, 3 cm thick
2. Cross them in pairs to form two X shapes, bolted or pegged at the crossing point
3. Connect the two crosses with two side boards (bards), each about 50 cm long, running along the animal’s sides
4. The X crosses sit at the front and rear of the saddle. Loads hang from the arms of the X.

Key fit points:

• The side boards must follow the curve of the animal’s ribs — not press on the spine
• The front X sits behind the shoulder blade, the rear X ahead of the hip
• A gap of at least 5 cm between the saddle and the spine must be maintained at all times, even under load

Improvised Pack Saddles

If you can’t build a proper sawbuck:

• Two boards and padding: Two flat boards (50 × 15 cm) placed on either side of the spine, connected over the top with straps, with thick padding underneath. Crude but functional for short trips.
• Modified riding saddle: Remove the seat. Use the pommel and cantle as hanging points for panniers.
• Salvaged metal frame: Bed frames, bicycle frames, or racking brackets bent to shape and padded.

Padding & Fitting

The padding between the saddle and the animal’s back is the most important component. No padding, no pack animal — you’ll have a crippled animal with open sores within two days.

• Use a folded wool blanket, minimum 4 layers thick
• The blanket must extend at least 5 cm beyond the saddle edges on all sides
• Smooth all wrinkles before loading — a single fold under load creates a pressure point
• After removing the saddle each evening, check the animal’s back. Any dry spot (where sweat hasn’t reached) indicates a pressure point that needs padding adjustment.

Pannier Design & Construction

Rigid Panniers

Rigid containers hang from the pack saddle arms, one on each side:

• Wooden boxes: Plywood or plank boxes, 40 × 30 × 25 cm, with lids. Best for fragile items.
• Woven baskets: Willow or reed baskets lined with cloth. Light, strong, ventilated — good for produce.
• Plastic containers: Salvaged totes, coolers, or buckets with lids. Waterproof. Attach loops or hooks for hanging.

Dimensions matter: too wide and they catch on trees and rocks. Keep the width under 35 cm per side.

Soft Panniers

Soft containers work for non-fragile loads:

• Heavy canvas bags or grain sacks
• Stuffed duffle bags with reinforced hanging loops
• For irregular shapes, wrap in a tarp and lash to the saddle

Soft panniers are lighter and snag less on trail obstacles, but items can shift and unbalance the load.

Load Balancing & Weight Limits

Weight Distribution Rules

The cardinal rule: equal weight on both sides. An unbalanced load shifts, the saddle rotates, and within minutes you’re repacking on the trail while the animal stands with the entire load hanging under its belly.

• Weigh both panniers before loading. Maximum difference: 2 kg (about 3% of a typical load).
• Heavy items go at the bottom and close to the animal’s sides
• Light, bulky items go on top
• A top pack (tied on top of the saddle between the panniers) should be light — sleeping bags, tents, clothing

Weight Limits by Animal

Animal	Body Weight	Max Pack Load	Comfortable Load
Large mule	450 kg	90 kg	60-70 kg
Horse	500 kg	80 kg	50-60 kg
Donkey	200 kg	50 kg	30-40 kg
Small mule	350 kg	70 kg	45-55 kg
Llama	130 kg	30 kg	20-25 kg

These are for fit, conditioned animals on moderate terrain. Reduce loads 20-30% for steep mountain trails or very hot weather.

Hitches & Lashing

The diamond hitch is the classic pack hitch. One rope secures the entire load — both panniers and the top pack — with a single continuous lash that forms a diamond pattern on top.

Steps (simplified):

1. Throw the lash rope over the load from one side
2. Hook under the off-side pannier bottom, bring rope under the animal’s belly and back up the near side
3. Cross over the top, creating the diamond shape
4. Cinch tight and tie off

Practice this on the ground with a barrel before attempting it on an animal. A loose hitch is worse than useless.

Trail Management

Pack String Organization

A pack string is multiple animals tied together in a line:

• The lead animal is led by a human or ridden pack horse
• Each following animal’s lead rope ties to the tail of the pack saddle ahead of it — not to the tail of the animal, which injures the animal
• Space between animals: 2-3 m of lead rope
• Maximum string length: 5-8 animals for one handler. More than that and problems at the back are invisible to the front.

Order matters:

• Most reliable animal first (behind the lead)
• Green or nervous animals in the middle (calmed by animals ahead and behind)
• Strongest animal last — it sets the pace for climbs and catches delays

Trail Hazards

Water crossings:

• Unstring the pack string at deep crossings. Lead each animal individually.
• Check water depth and footing before crossing with loaded animals
• Current strong enough to push a person will push a loaded animal

Narrow paths:

• Wide panniers catch on rocks and trees. Stop and clear the trail if needed.
• On cliff-edge trails, the animal walks on the cliff side. If a pannier catches, it pushes the animal toward the wall, not off the edge.

Steep grades:

• Reduce load 20% for sustained grades over 15%
• Stop every 10-15 minutes of climbing to let animals blow (catch their breath)
• Going downhill is harder on animals than uphill — it strains the front legs and shoulders

Hoof Care on the Trail

Daily Hoof Inspection

Every evening and every morning, pick up each hoof and check:

• Stones lodged in the sole or frog — pry out with a hoof pick or stick
• Cracks in the wall — minor cracks are cosmetic, cracks that reach the sensitive tissue cause lameness
• Heat in the hoof wall — compare to normal. Heat indicates bruising, abscess, or the start of laminitis
• Shoe condition — if shod, check that shoes are tight and nails haven’t risen

Emergency Hoof Repair

Lost shoe:

• If you have spare shoes and nails, nail on a replacement. Shoes should be pre-fitted before the trip.
• If no spare shoe, apply a hoof boot (salvaged or improvised from leather and lashing) to protect the exposed hoof on rocky ground.
• On soft ground, most horses and mules can travel short distances barefoot.

Stone bruise:

• The animal flinches when the bruised spot is pressed with a hoof pick
• Reduce load and avoid rocky terrain for 2-3 days
• A pad between the shoe and hoof (leather or dense foam) helps

Abscess:

• The hoof is hot and the animal is severely lame — may refuse to bear weight
• An abscess must drain. If you can locate it (often at the sole-wall junction), carefully open it with a clean knife to release the pus.
• Soak the hoof in warm salt water twice daily. Pack the sole with a poultice of wet clay or a clean rag soaked in salt water.
• The animal cannot work until the abscess has drained and begun healing — typically 3-5 days.

Trip Planning Checklist

Before any pack trip:

1. Route: Know every water source, steep grade, narrow passage, and potential camp site along the route. Walk the route first if possible.
2. Load plan: Weigh all cargo. Assign items to specific panniers for equal balance. Write it down.
3. Spares: Carry a spare saddle pad, extra lashing rope (20 m minimum), a hoof pick, a farrier’s rasp, and basic first-aid supplies for both human and animal injuries.
4. Feed and water: Calculate total animal feed needed for the trip plus one extra day’s reserve. Identify water sources. Carry emergency water (20 liters per animal minimum).
5. Weather: Check conditions. Hot weather means reduced loads and more rest stops. Rain means waterproofing all cargo and watching for slippery trails.
6. Emergency plan: What happens if an animal goes lame mid-trip? If a pannier tears? If a trail is blocked? Have a plan for the most likely failures.