Saddles - wood vs metal

[hihobaron]

Charlie Horse pid='7854' dateline='1447094928']To mess with city folks I like to put my huge Acid Rain panniers on and fill them with pillows and empty coolers etc.  Often I'll take a bed-roll and strap it across the top.  

If you think pack goats get attention... When I had my yak with her packs on she really was the kind of thing that caused a lot of cars to stop.  

Regarding buying pack saddles:  A friend who does a LOT of miles with goats seems to think that none of the pack equipment is super reliable as it ships from the factory.  He has replaced the rigging with leather straps and stuff, and he has his complaints about pannier materials and design.  To me its the kind of thing where probably anyone with some experience on the trail is going to have their 2 cents to add about the perfect pack equipment.  

An idea:  For cheap panniers I bet you could find some used horse saddle bags and convert them.  They'd be great for casual hikes rather than deep-woods camping.

Hello Charlie Horse
A YAK !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd love to see a picture of that.
I used to do a bunch of Muzzle Loading Primitive Events took horses with and one year there was a guy with a OX Trained to pull a 2 wheel cart ,ride and Pack that was a fun year with several horses in camp and a OX on a cart running a shuttle service for coolers and ice from the parking lot. (No Vehicles allowed in primitive camp you know) Week Long Camp.

I was doing a Presentation on using your backyard horse as you BOV at Prepper Camp this fall when I got the itch for a goat or 2 again.
I do have Saddle Pack Set ups for my two prime horses that we were Presenting with there. I agree with you that people with horses or goats that work them are always looking for something better in their opinion and will play with their equipment. 


I have been looking at different goat pack supplies the last few days here .
Nothing much better to do here with 9 inches of rain last week and 2.25 here today and still coming.
I hold the high ground here so we are ok for now.
I see a kit sawbuck type ,as well as their assembled and finished ones. Yes, I am handy with most all tools.
I looked at a Treeless system using about the same idea I have seen in Treeless horse saddles some of the Mounted Police Units I work with have been using .
I have yet to see a picture of a all metal pack frame are they like a Decker Pack for horses? Except smaller?
then I have seen the little padded Day Packs like you mentioned are thinking about making a set of horse saddle bags out of.
I also saw a set of Pannier Bags sized to use plastic Kitchen trash cans for liners.  
That was shown with a sawbuck pack saddle on the goat. 

Do you have the Farm Supply Chain Stores out there "Tractor Supply" 
I know the local manager there well, they are dog friendly, and I asked him if he would mind if I brought goats in to visit ,He said sure.
Anytime.

One of the fun things I am thinking about on a Saturday,  Yes I buy some of my goat feed there. but for the most part my boy eat in the woods around camp here. They do have goat halters but from what I saw they are to small for my boys. OH well.
Oh well enough for now thanks for the ides and info.
Happy Trails
hihobaron