near the horizontal you can
sling it without danger of its jarring out.

[Sidenote: Pack Outfits]

So much for your own riding horse. The pack outfit consists of the pack
saddle, with the apparatus to keep it firm; its padding; the kyacks, or
alforjas--sacks to sling on either side; and the lash rope and cinch
with which to throw the hitches.

[Sidenote: Pack Saddles]

The almost invariable type of pack saddle is the sawbuck. If it is
bought with especial reference to the animal it is to be used on, it is
undoubtedly the best. But nothing will more quickly gouge a hole in a
horse's back than a saddle too narrow or too wide for his especial
anatomy. A saddle of this sort bolted together can be taken apart for
easier transportation by baggage or express.

Another and very good type of pack rig is that made from an old riding
saddle. The stirrup rigging is removed, and an upright spike bolted
strongly to the cantle. The loops of the kyacks are to be hung over the
horn and this spike. Such a saddle is apt to be easy on a horse's back,
but is after all merely a make-shift for a properly constructed sawbuck.

[Illustration: _Under Side of Pack Saddles._]

[Illustration: _Shape of Collar Pad--for Pack Saddles._]

[Sidenote: Aparejos]

I shall only mention the aparejos. This rig is used for freighting boxes
and odd-shaped bundles. It is practically nothing but a heavy pad, and
is used without kyacks. You will probably never be called upon to use
it; but in another chapter I will describe one "sling" in order that you
may be forearmed against contingencies.

[Sidenote: Pads]

We will assume that you are possessed of a good sawbuck saddle of the
right size for your pack animal. It will have the double cinch rig. To
the under surfaces tack firmly two ordinary collar-pads by way of
softening. Beneath them you will use two blankets, each as heavy as the
one you place under your riding saddle. This abundance is necessary
because a pack "rides dead"--that is, does not favor the horse as does a
living rider. By way of warning, however, too much is almost as bad as
too little.

[Sidenote: Breasting and Breeching]

The almost universal saddle rigging in use the West over is a breast
strap of webbing fastened at the forward points of the saddle, and a
breech strap fastened to the back points of the saddle, with guy lines
running from the top to prevent its falling too far down the horse's
legs. This, with the double cinch