Teaches the essential skills, gear, and animal-care principles needed to safely and efficiently pack with horses and mules in the backcountry.

Kristy walks through the full process she uses to evaluate a quality mule, explaining what she looks for and how thoroughly she vets each animal.

In this chapter, Kristy tackles the important topic of weight limits, animal conditioning, and what it truly meant to be a responsible packer. Whether you’re brand new or brushing up on the basics, this chapter sets you up for success.

In this chapter, we explore the two most common pack saddles – the sawbuck and the decker. We also hear from professional packer and saddle maker, Jeff Pace, who shares his hands-on expertise to help you better understand which saddle might be right for you.

In this chapter, Kristy dives into panniers, exploring the history and key differences between soft-sided and hard-sided options. She covers the pros and cons of each style and touches on proper weight distribution and the role of the manty in protecting your load on the trail.

This chapter covers the foundation of livestock packing and the world of hitches – what they are, where they come from, and why choosing the right one matters.

Kristy covers the traditional art of building a manty load. She explores the history and roots of the manty, then breaks it down step by step so you can learn to wrap, secure, and balance a load with confidence.

Explore the history of the box hitch and why it is a go-to option across a wide range of packing scenarios. From there, Kristy walks through the hitch step by step.