Feedback on a Pack Saddle Prototype

[CaminhoDeCabras]

Hi guys,

My partner and I are looking seriously at getting some goats for packing in the mountains in Portugal.

With our combined skills, we have been able to build a sawbuck saddle based on measurements and designs we found online.

We don't have any goats yet but were lucky enough to be able to try the saddle out on a friend's dairy goat (a Golden Guernsey mix - ours will be Alpines). While it seemed to work okay overall, there are a few things that I can see that immediately need improving, but I would really appreciate some feedback from people better informed than we.

From what I can see:

The girth, and all the straps in fact, are too long. I've taped them up in these pics. The girth definitely needs shortening quite a bit - I had to tie it to the cross buck to make it fit this goat, so ignore what is going on there.

The girth also appears to sit very far forwards, right in the poor goat's armpit. I am not sure how I would stop it sliding forwards like this, short of making it very tight. Would two girths (as I have seen in some designs) be better?

The angle of the breast and breeching straps both seem awkward. Breast strap seems very high, possibly putting pressure on the throat?

We followed the plans extremely closely, so I am not sure if this goat is just too small and bony to wear it correctly. If anyone has any tips or anything they can see that would improve the design, I am keen to hear it. We are working on a Mark II, so let me know what is working well for you in your best saddles/your favourite strap set-ups, configurations, etc. I am sure there are a million ways to improve this.

[Nanno]

It looks like you built a very nice packsaddle! I can see that the straps are too long, but that's not a serious problem. Much better to have them too long than too short because you can always cut some off!

I think your girth will be in a better spot if you slid the saddle back a bit. It looks like it's too far forward and resting on her shoulder blades. You want to make sure the saddle is sitting behind the tops of the shoulder blades. You can easily find them if you feel on either side of the withers while the goat is walking.

I understand the concern about the breastcollar, which is sitting rather high and at a sharp angle. One idea that I've seen is to attach the breast strap to the rigging (that's the ring that the girth attaches to) instead of to the saddle tree. I don't think you need to worry too much about the britchin strap. Almost all of them are a little awkward and tend to slide down more than I like.

Other than that it looks nice! One thing I can't see from the photos is whether the bottom edges of your saddle are beveled. Make sure they are beveled. Otherwise the edge will dig into your goat's ribs and shoulders as he walks. The front edge is especially important.

I wrote an article on saddle placement and fit a few years ago. You might find it informative:
https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/upl...itting.pdf

Good luck and let us know how this project progresses!

[CaminhoDeCabras]

It looks like you built a very nice packsaddle! I can see that the straps are too long, but that's not a serious problem. Much better to have them too long than too short because you can always cut some off!

I think your girth will be in a better spot if you slid the saddle back a bit. It looks like it's too far forward and resting on her shoulder blades. You want to make sure the saddle is sitting behind the tops of the shoulder blades. You can easily find them if you feel on either side of the withers while the goat is walking.

I understand the concern about the breastcollar, which is sitting rather high and at a sharp angle. One idea that I've seen is to attach the breast strap to the rigging (that's the ring that the girth attaches to) instead of to the saddle tree. I don't think you need to worry too much about the britchin strap. Almost all of them are a little awkward and tend to slide down more than I like.

Other than that it looks nice! One thing I can't see from the photos is whether the bottom edges of your saddle are beveled. Make sure they are beveled. Otherwise the edge will dig into your goat's ribs and shoulders as he walks. The front edge is especially important.

I wrote an article on saddle placement and fit a few years ago. You might find it informative:
https://www.goatorama.com/wp-content/upl...itting.pdf

Good luck and let us know how this project progresses!

Thank you so much Nanno, so helpful!

I have read your article - I actually already had it saved and spent a long time studying it when we were designing this saddle - an invaluable resource!

The inside edges are absolutely beveled and I like your idea of attaching the breast collar to the ring. Do you find that some set-ups work for some goats and not for others? Body type seems to vary a lot.

We are hoping to build a few more saddles to really hone the design and to get some kids and milk does in the spring. I will definitely come back with updates. Such a nice supportive community you have here.

[Nanno]

I'm glad my article was helpful in designing your saddle!

I definitely find that some setups work for some goats and not for others! Generally speaking, as long as the tree fits the goat's back, everything else can be fixed or adjusted so it works. You just have to experiment a little. Some designs that everyone thinks of as "tried and true" are only that way because they've been around so long. It doesn't mean the design was ever ideal in the first place. I tend to think that most saddle designs can be improved with a little imagination and reworking.