] A pack

saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...

is any device designed to be secured on the back of a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey, and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two ...

, or other

working animal A working animal is an animal, usually domesticated, that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. Some are used for their physical strength (e.g. oxen and draft horses) or for transportation (e.g. riding horses and camels), while oth ...

so it can carry heavy loads such as

luggage Baggage, or luggage, consists of bags, cases, and containers which hold a traveler's personal articles while the traveler is in transport, transit. A modern tourist, traveler can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, sma ...

firewood Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not heavily processed, and is in some sort of firelog, recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellet fuel, pellets. ...

, small

cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...

s, or other things too heavy to be carried by humans.

Description

Ideally the pack saddle rests on a

saddle blanket The terms saddle blanket, saddle pad (or numnah), and saddle cloth refer to blankets, pads or fabrics inserted under a saddle. These are usually used to absorb sweat, cushion the saddle, and protect the horse's back. There are lighter types ...

or saddle pad to spread the weight of the saddle and its burden on the pack animal's back. The underside of the pack saddle is designed to conform well to the shape of the pack animal's back. It is typically divided into two symmetrical parts separated by a gap at the top to ensure that the weight being carried does not rest on the draft animal's backbone and to provide good ventilation to promote the evaporation of sweat. The pack saddle consists of a tree, or the wooden blocks that sit on the horse's back, the half breed which is the canvas saddle cover, the breeching and often a

crupper A crupper (; occ. spelled crouper) is a piece of horse tack, tack used on horses and other Equus (genus), equids to keep a saddle, horse harness, harness or other equipment from sliding forward. Construction The crupper consists of a loop (the ...

which prevents the loaded saddle from sliding too far forward and the

breast collar A breastplate (also referred to as a breastcollar, breaststrap or breastgirth) is a piece of Horse tack, tack (equipment) used on horses. Its purpose is to keep a saddle from sliding back. It is also a safety feature—if the saddle's Girth (ta ...

which holds the loaded saddle from sliding too far back on the

packhorse A packhorse, pack horse, or sumpter refers to a horse, mule, donkey, or pony used to carry goods on its back, usually in sidebags or panniers. Typically packhorses are used to cross difficult terrain, where the absence of roads prevents the use of ...

. The flexible bars on this packsaddle adjust to a horse's back and offer several options for hanging

pannier A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or similar container, carried in pairs either slung over the back of a beast of burden, or attached to the sides of a bicycle or motorcycle. The term derives from a Middle English borrowing of the Old French ' ...

s, manties (packs wrapped in canvas), or other loads. There are many types of pack saddle: * Crossbuck / Sawbuck pack saddle has crossed wooden bars to attach sling ropes. *

Otago pack saddle The Otago pack saddle, later known as the British universal pack saddle, is a rideable pack saddle devised by Harvey Spiller in Otago, New Zealand, in 1863, to prevent ruinous injuries to horses carrying heavy loads. It was improved and ad ...

, known in military use as the British universal pack saddle, is a rideable pack saddle with two large cushioning pads to prevent injury to the animal and large hooks on each side of the metal pommel and cantle arches for hanging pack bags or crates. * Decker pack saddle has two rings for tying sling ropes. The modern pack saddle is usually not intended to support a human rider. The upper side of the pack saddle resembles a rack to let its load rest on and be tied on with ropes, straps, a

surcingle A surcingle is a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around the horse's girth. A surcingle may be used for ground training, some types of in-hand exhibition ...

, or other devices. One historical exception was a pack saddle used in feudal Japan by non-

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

class commoners who were not allowed to use riding saddles (kura) for transportation.

References

External links

* Animal equipment Saddles {{Horse-stub

Description

See also

References

External links