Mounted search and rescue

["Kate Beardsley" <katebeardsley@hotmail.com>]

One more idea for packing dogs...
I kept thinking about this topic and couldn't come up with anything good 
until I imagined myself having to do it. Then the answer (for me) came 
easily.
If my pack string was hired and I found myself at some trailhead knowing 
there were 5 dogs needing to be packed out, it would only be a question of 
equipment for me. I would want collapsible crates for each dog and I would 
not use my panniers. I would use my racks. I have folding flat racks that I 
use to pack in coolers, propane tanks, fence posts, you name it. Placing one 
crate on each rack, I would balance each dog with another dog and maybe a 
rock or two, strap 'em on, and hit the trail. Every horse in my pack string 
is trained to ride, drive, and pack, so I'm not worried about the sensation 
of movement by the dogs in the crates. And all my pack horses are 
ridiculously used to my dog jumping up on them when I ride. A barking dog 
would drive me insane, so having muzzles on hand would be nice. Putting the 
crates on flat racks would keep the dogs readily accessible if something 
unforseen were to happen. I would want the smallest crates possible as many 
wilderness trails are simply not that wide. I try to not carry more than 160 
pounds of load on my horses on any routine basis. So that covers two 70 
pound dogs plus crates and racks without a problem. I do load them heavily 
occassionally for short distances, so in this possible emergency, I would be 
willing to carry out heavier dogs. Using the crates would be preferable over 
the bags as it adds a degree of protection for the dog, but the bags would 
be a great option to consider.
So, add that to the list of possibilities. It's the one that would work for 
me. I remember seeing children in the panniers of pack horses in Havasupai 
Canyon years ago. And they regularly just turn their pack horses loose and 
gather them up when they've travelled 7 miles up to the canyon rim! Yikes!
Kate

"We are what we repeatedly do."

Kate Beardsley
...building relationships
...developing athletes
..."driven" to excellence
Central Oregon

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