CattleAnnie
Well-known member
PACK ANIMAL SPEED INDEX
Normal Speed: Two steps per four seconds slower than the horse you're riding. One attempted mouthful of grass every 11 steps.
2nd gear: Passes your saddle horse, on either side every 62 feet. Needs to be slapped with rope, but will pull back when you do...and jerk you out of saddle.
Eats grass at a trot. Ducks leadrope under your saddle horse's tail every 600 feet. Result: two wrecks per mile.
3rd gear: Likes to walk ahead of lead horse by at least two feet. Goes on wrong side of most trees. Catches your horse's rump (or your leg) on pannier.
Your temptation to turn pack horse loose is strong. Don't do that...your supper is in those packs.
4th gear: You turned him loose. Eddie Arcaro aboard Secretariat couldn't keep him in sight on a fast track. If you can head him off, he'll run into the timber.
If you can't, you'll be running an ad in the paper.
5th gear: He saw a bear and sold the farm. In rough country this situation is worse, because he gains speed jumping logs. Shoot him if you can -
the horse, not the bear.
Normal Speed: Two steps per four seconds slower than the horse you're riding. One attempted mouthful of grass every 11 steps.
2nd gear: Passes your saddle horse, on either side every 62 feet. Needs to be slapped with rope, but will pull back when you do...and jerk you out of saddle.
Eats grass at a trot. Ducks leadrope under your saddle horse's tail every 600 feet. Result: two wrecks per mile.
3rd gear: Likes to walk ahead of lead horse by at least two feet. Goes on wrong side of most trees. Catches your horse's rump (or your leg) on pannier.
Your temptation to turn pack horse loose is strong. Don't do that...your supper is in those packs.
4th gear: You turned him loose. Eddie Arcaro aboard Secretariat couldn't keep him in sight on a fast track. If you can head him off, he'll run into the timber.
If you can't, you'll be running an ad in the paper.
5th gear: He saw a bear and sold the farm. In rough country this situation is worse, because he gains speed jumping logs. Shoot him if you can -
the horse, not the bear.