Horse Packing: A Manual of Pack Transportation (1914)

Horse packing--using horses (and sometimes mules) as a form of conveyance for supplies and goods--was once a cornerstone of human transportation. Filled with precisely drawn illustrations and written instructions on the many types of required hitches, cordage, ropes, splices, and knots, this practical guide expertly covers all aspects of a formerly commonplace skill. It includes fine explanations of general packing rules and background on pack organization; records of endurance; the diseases that can strike pack animals and how to avoid them; cargo slinging; and much more. For anyone interested in the storied history of pack transportation, or for those who still travel with pack animals and want to do so safely and efficiently, this unique volume is a necessity.