| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| littlecreek |
Posted - Jan 06 2010 : 02:47:30 AM
are there any farmgirl packers out there? I'd love to contact other packers and learn from them.
littlecreek
p.s., I forgot to include goat & dog packing, lol |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| littlecreek |
Posted - Jan 08 2010 : 03:48:13 AM
Sherry, I would love to hear your suggestions for finding an outfitter in Wyoming and planning a backcountry trip. I want to get as deep into the wilderness as possible. Here in the Smokies, even in the deepest backcountry, you are never that far away from the civilization. I want to join a small group of intermediate to experienced riders and I don't want to join one of those walk only groups. Yes, I know that no matter what, you walk your horses most of the time when trail riding or packing. Because of my packing business and my teaching schedule, the only time I have open runs from mid-May to mid-June. I'm already getting calls from folks wanting to schedule May & June trips so I need to get my own trip dates blocked off soon. My partner isn't a strong rider; he's more interested in being able to fish but he is game and, given a quiet willing and smooth horse, he can keep up.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, Lucy
In the world of nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary. Maimonides |
| littlecreek |
Posted - Jan 08 2010 : 03:40:55 AM
Kaycee: Georgia and Alabama have chapters of Backcountry Horsemen. I belong to NC chapter. Here is the link for BCH: http://www.backcountryhorse.com/. It's fairly easy to start a chapter if you can get together a group of 15 like minded people will pay the dues (about $25/yr) and work on trails. If you're working trail preservation, it helps a lot to have a national organization behind you.
Here is the link for the Florida Crack Trail Association: http://www.crackertrail.org/. I've never been on one of their organized rides but I've talked with folks who have. They sound like a terrific group.
Good luck down in Florida with your packing and if you're ever in the Smokies, with or without your horses, I'll be happy to help set up a backcountry trip for you.
Lucy
In the world of nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary. Maimonides |
| traildancer |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 11:33:07 AM
I do a bit of horse-packing in the wildernesses of Oregon. There is nothing like getting out in the great outdoors. My suggestion on hooking up with other packers, no matter what animal they use, is to contact Back Country Horsemen. I don't know if Florida has a chapter but some of the other southern states do. Out here we have a packing skills clinic in Klamath Falls every year. You can find anything and everything that anyone has ever thought about using for packing. There are demos about loading, gear, shoeing, cooking, tying hitches, etc. Some years there have been llamas and/or goats and information on equipment.
Personally, I don't like to hike. That's why I ride. But a couple of years ago during a mother-daughter pack trip around the Three Sisters in Central Oregon we met some llama people on the PCT. There were 4 hikers with packs and two llamas (Pancho and Lefty!!) who were also carrying packs. I had heard about this but never seen it on the trail so we went to visit (without the horses who don't like llamas). The people said that the llamas were carrying about 60 pounds, I think, which isn't much to a horse packer. But that's weight YOU aren't carrying. And if you like to hike, you could be a lot more comfortable and stay longer with the llama or goat carrying some of your gear. And since goats and llamas are browsers, feed availability would not be the issue it can be with horses.
My advice--go for it and don't look back. It's great. You meet like-minded folks, albeit fewer the further in you get; and the scenery and peacefulness is incomparable. |
| littlecreek |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 11:22:12 AM
Hi Sherry,
I really envy your location. I would love to have the Big Horns in my backyard. We are trying to plan a summer packtrip to Wyoming and I'm looking for an outfitter since I don't want to trailer my horses that far.
I also have a small llama packing business (www.hikinginthesmokies.com). We use Mt Sopris pack
In the world of nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary. Maimonides |
| Shery Jespersen |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 06:39:22 AM
My husband and I like to horse-camp in the mountains. The last time we went, the destination was the Bighorn Mtns 3+ hours to the north of where we live (down on the plains in WY). We usually have need of 1 pack-horse. Our friends took 2 pack-horses that they borrowed from other friends - the horses were Fjords. Our pack-horse was one of our saddle-horses. There is an art to effective packing...*balance* being real important. We're planning on another trip this coming summer...and this time we'll go to Jackson Hole where my husband has hunted for elk. Years ago, when I lived in CO and did a lot of back-packing (in my youth), I saw many people using dogs, llamas and goats for packing. It is a GREAT idea and the animals enjoy it. The dogs I can recall seeing were a variety of larger breeds, but there were also smaller dogs that wore packs. The goats carried the same size packs as the larger dogs; the llamas wore larger ones. I bet animal packs are available online *somewhere*. One particular group of people had 5 llamas, all packing the group's needs...tents, sleeping bags, food, clothing etc.
I wrote a little piece in the last MaryJanesFarm magazine (in the Outpost section) about one of our camping excursions. The packing containers you put on horses are called panniards. The packs I've seen on other animals were similar, only much smaller. I would think that a llama could carry much of what two people would need for a weekend. If both people also take a backpack, you'd have all you need...and more. I've seen a lot llamas on ranchettes and wonder if they have something more to do than serving as ornamental pets. They sure serve the Peruvian people well. Everyone, animals too, love to exeperience a sense of purpose...and being thanked for a good day's work.
Happy Trails,
Shery Jespersen
Farmgirl Sister #753
Ranch Farmgirl http://rfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org
My Blog http://reataroseranch.blogspot.com/ |
| littlecreek |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 04:20:52 AM
I've heard that Florida has more miles of horse trails than many other places and I know that the Cracker Pony folks have a wagon train every year, I bet there are some packers in that crowd.
In the world of nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary. Maimonides |
| Kayce |
Posted - Jan 06 2010 : 05:10:06 AM
Im not one but would love to learn. I'm in a new stage of my life and that is something I would love to do. FL doesnt really tend to that though.
Learning to appreciate having a glass..not half full or empty..just thankful for a glass :) |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - Jan 06 2010 : 04:50:51 AM
Lucy, I have a Bernese Mt dog. I hear they are good packers. I have never tried it though. I wouldn't know where to begin.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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