Horse packing tips include colic safety, loading pack animals, horse packing. You normally fit a sawbuck or a decker to the backs of the animal you want to fit by taking off the high spots on the underside of the bars. Written by the recognized top expert in the country on packing on mules or horses with a decker pack saddle, this book is intended to provide state of the art. The saddle can be rigged with a single or double cinch. Higher top packs increases the likelihood the pack saddle will rock and slip to one side possibly causing a wreck. One historical exception was a pack saddle used in feudal japan by nonsamurai class. The army style of pack saddle has two large metal hooks each side for hanging pack bags or crates. The modern pack saddle is usually not intended to support a human rider. Shop for high quality horse pack saddles including formfitter, sawbuck, decker and more. A crossbuck saddles rigging has few adjustments, outside of the tightening of the double cinches. The trailmax pack a saddle is a more versatile version and a more complete system for packing your riding saddle. Outfitters pack station decker pack saddle youtube.
A crossbuck saddle s rigging has few adjustments, outside of the tightening of the double cinches. Somomuledonkey saddledonkey pack saddledonkey pannier. We put 2 x 12 layers of felt padding in the center. Our pack saddle trees are handmade for horses, mules, donkeys and hinneys. I have been using this equipment for quite a while now, and in the last four years have had fewer problems with my string of packhorses than i ever did while using the traditional sawbuck. Unlike grizzlies and goats, the meat of an elk is always saved.
Repairs and complete rigging of crossbuck and decker pack saddles. Located in beautiful western montana, near the picturesque city of missoula, weve been handcrafting leather goods since 2006. We offer panniers and pack horse saddles in several styles and a variety of materials. Hand constructed in our montana shop for well over 26 years, our attention to details is unsurpassed. Feel free to call if you have any questions on decker pack saddles. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. This saddle is typically in stock and can ship within 1 2 business days. The bottom of the bars are shaped to fit horses the same as our riding saddle trees. Another advantage of the decker pack saddle is rigging position. Some differences between a sawbuck and decker pack saddle are obvious. I have found that the adjustable pack saddles made by custom pack rigging are the best for most horses. The pack saddle and the fundamentals of packing on animals. Packing continued this way until the 1920s, when the mules started to replace the horses and the decker packsaddles replaced the sawbucks for general use.
Mar 21, 2012 there are many types of pack saddles including the wooden sawbuck, the decker pack saddle, and modern, molded plastic pack saddles. Somomule sells the very best decker pack saddles and sawbuck pack saddles available. One of these decker pack saddles will meet your packing requirements whether you are a professional outfitter or an occasional packer. The crossbucks of a sawbuck, being made of wood, are more likely to break if a mule falls or rolls on them. Equine now s tack and supply store has pack saddle pads and horse products as well as other riding apparel for you and your horse. Spurs mohair blend cincha mohair cincha mohairs cinchas moral no swivel nylon hobbles pack accessories pack cinch pack cincha pack cinches pack equipment pack horse saddle pack saddle. Our pack saddles include decker pack saddles, sawbuck pack saddles, leather rigged pack. Check your pack and cinch more often when using a top pack. Historically speaking the difference between panniers and saddle panniers is. Leather pack saddles,cordura pack saddes,and webbing pack saddles.
It was advertised and sold as the decker pack saddle. There are pack saddles to suit a variety of pack animals, from narrowbacked mules to wide. Heres a little bit of what bob hoverson in his book, the packers field manual, has to. Over the years, a special kind of pack saddle and cover have been developed for the purpose. Packing the meat of a large animal without ruining it or the pack animal is an art. Durable and highly water resistant the top pack features an extra nylon lining on the top, inside, that provides an additional barrier between the elements and your duffel load. Pack saddlespack gearsawbuck pack saddledecker pack.
Coincidentally, 1976 also marks the 100th anniversary of the concept of forestry as is now practiced in the united states. Most decker pack saddles i have come across have buckle adjustment available for every strap on it. Where the idea for the decker pack saddle originated has been debated for. Somomule offer the finest in pack saddles, packsaddles.
We are repeatedly asked what is the benefit of the decker pack saddle over a. The cross buck style has crossed wooden bars to attach sling ropes. Sep 05, 2010 outfitters pack station decker pack saddle. We sell the bestfittingand well made llama halters, llama pack saddles, trail gear, llama packing, pack llamas for sale, classic llamas, jakoti shears, llama training supplies, and everything you need for your llama. Use a lash cinch if necessary to keep a top pack secure so it will not shift. The tree bases are 23 inches long and made out of a unique polyurethane blend. It has the traditional look many prefer and is still popular with outfitters, weekend trail riders and serious. No sales tax, except residents of idaho pay a 6% sales tax. This is the decker saddle, used in conjunction with two heavycanvas mantas and a pair of lashropes. Click saddle breeching if want to look at the saddle breeching and breast collar i have for sale.
Familiar only with sawbucks, panniers, and top packs, he watched a new ranger descend a mountain trail with a string of mules packed. History of packing in the selway country usda forest service. The sawbuck pack saddle has packed just about everything a horse could carry. The best pack saddle design for carrying a top pack. For use with a decker pack saddle this top pack is deigned to be used with decker pack saddle set up and is ideal for horse and mule packing. Trailmax top pack for sawbuck or decker pack saddle, horse and mule packing hstyle, high volume pack bag featuring pvc coated poly shell for resistance from the elements, in brown green and orange 4. It was the pack saddle of the early explorer, fur trapper, and the prospector. All of our pack saddles feature hermann oak harness leather tanned with waxes and oils to resist sweat and moisture. Our decker pack saddle and sawbuck pack saddle pack gear and pack equipment pages offer saddle breechings also know as saddle britchens and brithchings. The decker was invented in 1903 to haul rails into the silver mines of northern idaho.
Mar 26, 2010 i bought a book on the subject from high country horse, llc. An all in one horse event management platform capable of handling competitions of any type or scale with state of the art cloud based technology. Hunting our biggest game is also available to purchase in print. In the years following the lewis and clark expedition, sawbuck pack saddles packed just about everything a horse could carry. Compare all of the horse and mule pack saddles available at outfitters supply. The pack saddle the next stage in the game of horse packing is finding and fitting the pack saddle. The rigging of a decker pack saddle is more adjustable than that of a crossbuck saddle. High country supply has put together a list of resources to help you be safe and enjoy the outdoors with your pack animals. Packers scale, manties, top pack covers, canvas pack covers, sling ropes, manty ropes, lash ropes, lash cinch, decker. With a sawbuck pack saddle, four decker pack saddles and two adjustable tree pack saddles for sale, youre sure to find what you need to fit your pack horse or mule. Our bars are made of yellow poplar laminated with pine or aspen where needed for thickness. Preparing for a solo horseriding journey what to take and how to tie it on duration.
Decker pack saddle for sale outfitters pack station. History of the sawbuck and decker pack saddles outfitters supply. Checklist for backcountry horse and mule packing, camping. The sawbuck pack saddle is most like the one the indians devised. The history of the sawbuck and decker pack saddles provides information on their use. Llama halters, llama pack saddles and trail gear rocky. Make sure you have everything you need and can carry it all on those longer rides with our great selection of pack equipment in the denver, colorado area. A pack saddle is any device designed to be secured on the back of a horse, mule, or other. Decker includes tree, breast collar with straps, half breed, breeching, hip pad with spider straps, quarter straps and latigo. We sell the phillips formfitter tree separately as well. The book includes information on the history of packing, selection and care of the.
Written by the recognized top expert in the country on packing on mules or horses with a decker pack saddle, this book is intended to provide state of the art basic instruction on the subject. Hoverson is a confirmed decker style packer, and the book is specifically geared toward decker style pack saddles and all things related thereto. Early days in the forest service forest history society. Decker versus saw buck pack saddles i prefer deckers as they have half. We use roller buckles instead of the traditional conway buckle so adjustments are easy. We build both sawbuck and decker pack trees, and this page shows some pictures of ones we have built. Sun river decker pack saddles quality is in the details beginning with top grade 1012oz harness leather, all straps and components that will construct our saddles are drawn out by hand. Our pack saddles include decker pack saddles, sawbuck pack saddles,adjustable pack saddles, donket pack saddles and much more. We believe all of our pack gear benefits from this field testing, and these panniers are no exception. Ive been busy remodeling the master bathroom in my house these past couple of weeks. The following information on the pack saddle and packing comes from chapter 10 of hunting our biggest game by clyde ormond. Sometime around the turn of the 20th century, a newstyle of pack saddle was invented, which is now commonly called the deckerstyle pack. The decker pack saddle chris tornow custom saddles.
More information on decker pack saddles, the history of sawbuck and. The decker pack saddle will often better survive a wreck. Decker pack saddle no horse packing or mule packing equipment list is complete without a well made pair of panniers. Robinett with inventing what became known as the decker pack saddle. Since we also pack, throughout the years we have improve our pack saddles to make them the most userfriendly and durable they can possibly be without ever sacrificing quality. Our vinyl lined canvas oversized horse panniers are great for bulky items, duffel loads or a cooler. High country supply is a leading supplier for outfitters and hunters. If you already own a sawbuck or decker pack saddle, it will make it easy to switch over the tree only. Somomule offer the finest in pack panniers, we have pack panniers for donkeys. I made a short video about my experience with both during a 28day, 355mile horse pack trip in southeastern arizona. We combine quality materials and craftsmanship to produce a pack saddle that will be durable, easy to use, and look good at the same time. Our pack saddles include decker pack saddles, sawbuck pack saddles, leather rigged pack saddles,webbing rigged pack saddles, and much more.
Somomulepack saddlepack saddlespack saddle horsespack. The decker pack saddle is stronger than the sawbuck, mostly because of the metal hoops. That is the history of the decker in one sentence bottom line you can pack anything on a decker with a little know how, there are limitations to what you can pack on a sawbuck. With the adjustable decker itll move in and out to fit the rib cage of the horse or mule. Straps 910 oz 18 thick x 1 wide everywhere else 12 oz 316 thick roller buckles for adjustment.
I prefer the decker because of the added protection the half breed provides the pack animal with its 1 felt and wood side boards. Our goal from the beginning has always been to provide the highest quality custombuilt decker pack saddles and leather equipment available. The decker pack saddle comes complete with the half breed and a cinch please specify size when you order at no extra cost. In the west, the pack saddle of choice is the decker. It is used a lot with the decker pack saddle and the basket hitch. Packing a basket hitch on a pack saddle royal tine guide school. Outfitters supply solid brass decker alforjas hooks for pack saddle, set of four hooks, makes hanging panniers from your decker pack saddle bars easier, rustfree and will last for years. Ray holes, grangeville, idaho saddlemaker also ran an outfitting business. The decker style has two rings for tying sling ropes. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Roller buckles are attached to the center of the tree to attach the rigging easily. There is an old horse packing saying, if you need to use a top pack, you also need another.
If you have animals that donit fit the traditional decker bar, or need to use one pack saddle on a variety of different conformations the adjustable tree was developed to fill this need. More information on decker pack saddles, the history of sawbuck and decker pack saddles and the differences between the sawbuck and decker pack saddles can be found in the information center on our website or we can recommend several books on packing with the decker pack saddle or packing in general. Andy from trailhead supply explains which way a decker hook is supposed to lay on a decker pack saddle. A sawbuck style pack saddle, traditionally used in the western united states. Half breed high quality half breed made in our own shop. The versatility of the decker pack saddle outfitters supply. Robinette built many trees for the forest service the opr style decker pack saddle tree until his.
Making a homemade donkey straddle for the wicker pannier baskets duration. The sawbuck pack saddle played a large role in opening the american west. Unfollow decker pack saddle to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Our donkey pack saddles include decker pack saddles. Somomule offer the finest in pack saddles, packsaddles we have pack saddles for horses and pack saddles for mules. The decker brothers could foresee a rapid increase in the use of this unique and clearly superior pack saddle and they made a deal with robinette to market the saddle. Featuring the decker pack saddle by robert hoverson 2005, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. I bought a book on the subject from high country horse, llc.
Mar 18, 2017 making a homemade donkey straddle for the wicker pannier baskets duration. And if youre in montana, idaho, wyoming, or anywhere in the us, well be happy to send you your own decker pack saddles so you can get out there and have an adventure or getaway in your neck of the woods. She made scrapbooks for all of them for their histories, she said. Our decker pack saddle is a decker tree with improvements to the saddle in order to keep the pannier straps on without the need of decker hooks. The packers field manual is a big 192page book in 6x9inch format for ease in taking it into the field.
And lastly, most sawbucks are double rigged, using either a sawbuck double pack cinch or two. It is with pleasure that we present to you this volume 4 of early days in the forest service to coincide with our nations bicentennial observance during 19751976. Video show how to pack a load or a bale of hay on a mule with a basket hitch on your pack saddle. Joe back, in his book horses, hitches and rocky trails had this to say about the sawbuck pack sadddle. The upper side of the pack saddle resembles a rack. Instead the left and right side of the pack saddle move independently with the movement of the animal at all times. There also is an adjustable bar decker, this allows the bars to adjust to the animals back. We have cruppers, fiskars saw, pack saddle pads and a variety of panniers. Our pack panniers include cordura pack panniers, canvas pack panniers,sawbuck panniers, decker panniers, pack saddle panniers, donkey pack saddle panniers and much more. The formfitter is unquestionably a phenomenal pack saddle. Check list for horse packing equipment for horse camping, trail riding and elk hunting. He and his clients rode ray holes saddles and decker pack saddles made in his saddle shop. There is nothing wrong with a sawbuck been around forever and ever.