A pack saddle distributes the load’s weight across the animal’s back and keeps it off the spine and the withers, the bony ridge between the shoulder blades, with a gap of at least 5 cm between saddle and spine maintained at all times, even under load. Build a sawbuck from crossed hardwood sticks, or improvise a saddle from boards, a modified riding saddle or a padded metal frame.
Part of Pack Animal Management
Pack saddles for mules, horses and donkeys: the job they do, the two designs this wiki describes, and the fit rule they all share.
The Saddle’s Job Is To Keep Weight Off The Spine
A load tied straight to an animal’s back puts weight on the spine and withers, where there is little muscle to carry it. The saddle spreads the weight over the muscles on either side and gives the load somewhere to hang. Whatever the design, the fit rule is the same: a gap of at least 5 cm between the saddle and the spine, under load, at all times.
| Design | What it is | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Sawbuck | Two X-shaped crosses joined by side boards | Sawbuck Pack Saddle |
| Improvised | Boards, a modified riding saddle or a metal frame | Improvised Pack Saddles |
| Padding under either | Blankets and felt | Padding & Fitting |
The decker saddle, the other traditional pack design, is named in this wiki’s outline but not described in the source article, so it is not built here.
What You Need
- Hardwood — for a sawbuck.
- Boards, straps or a salvaged frame — for an improvised saddle.
- Padding — a folded wool blanket of at least 4 layers.
- The animal, for fitting.
Method: Choose And Fit
Step 1: Choose by what you can build. A sawbuck is simple to build from crossed sticks. An improvised saddle serves for short trips.
Step 2: Build or find the frame. See the articles above for dimensions.
Step 3: Check the gap. With the saddle padded and loaded on the standing animal, you should be able to pass a 5 cm gauge (a stick cut to length) between the saddle and the spine along its whole length.
Step 4: Check the side boards. They must follow the curve of the ribs and not press on the spine.
Step 5: Check the back each evening. See Padding & Fitting.
Worked Example
A mule carries 70 kg, the figure used in the source article. Split between two sides:
- Per side: 70 / 2 = 35 kg.
- With the source’s maximum difference of 2 kg between sides: 34 kg and 36 kg at worst.
- The 2 kg difference is 2 / 70 = 2.9% of the load, the source’s “about 3%“.
The saddle and padding are in addition to the cargo unless the animal’s allowance says otherwise; the source does not say. See Weight Limits by Animal.
Common Mistakes
- No gap at the spine — pressure on the spine causes sores.
- Measuring the gap unloaded — it shrinks under load and as padding compresses.
- Wrinkles in the pad — a fold under load is a pressure point.
- Starting without padding — an animal can be crippled with open sores within two days.
Safety
A shifting load drops onto the animal
A saddle that rotates leaves the load hanging under the belly, and a panicked animal bolts. Check the cinch and balance before every move, and never tie the animal’s lead to a fixed point while it is loaded.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Sawbuck Pack Saddle — the traditional build
- Combine with: Pannier Design & Construction — what hangs from it