Breaking a horse to meat packing

[Kstitz]

I have a horse that we had packed meat on in the past. Last year my buddy borrowed him for an elk hunt, he killed an elk and tried to load the meat on him unsuccessfully. I attempted to load him with an elk that I shot in November and he was having none of it. Does anyone have a technique for breaking a horse for meat packing.

 

[BackCountryMulies]

Is he not liking the scent or is it the pannier? De-sensitizing him in a controlled environment would be a good starting point, we use tarps and cans and about anything else a horse might think is scary while doing the ground work at home. When ever I have fresh hides at home I will hang them on the fence of there coral. Whenever we start a young horse I will usually haul salt in there panniers when we ride just to acclimate them.

 

[missjordan]

Do you have any other problems with him at home or on the trail?


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[WCB]

While guiding had a mule that did not like to see the cut up carcass being loaded. Had no issue with smell or once it was on. Had to stand between her and the carcass and block her view. If we cut the legs off and had the quarters in a game bag it was a non-issue.

At what point does he reject it? Does he pack everything else fine?

 

[Kstitz]

Is he not liking the scent or is it the pannier? De-sensitizing him in a controlled environment would be a good starting point, we use tarps and cans and about anything else a horse might think is scary while doing the ground work at home. When ever I have fresh hides at home I will hang them on the fence of there coral. Whenever we start a young horse I will usually haul salt in there panniers when we ride just to acclimate them.

It is the smell, if you have fresh blood on your hands he does not like it.

 

[Kstitz]

Do you have any other problems with him at home or on the trail?


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He is buddy sour, if we are out hunting and I separate the horses he has a fit. If i ride him out of camp alone and leave the other horses he does not like it, but after about a mile he is fine.

 

[Kstitz]

While guiding had a mule that did not like to see the cut up carcass being loaded. Had no issue with smell or once it was on. Had to stand between her and the carcass and block her view. If we cut the legs off and had the quarters in a game bag it was a non-issue.

At what point does he reject it? Does he pack everything else fine?

He does not like the carcass or smell of fresh blood. He packs everything else fine and we have desensitized him with tarps, plastic water bottles and things.

 

[missjordan]

If it’s possible next time you harvest an animal I’d take some parts that you can to desensitize the horse to the animal.

Maybe could even visit a processor in the middle of the season for a hide then start working the horse

Spooking and especially buddy sour is usually a lack of confidence. Lots of great resources to view online if you have an understanding of horses and how they think


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[Legend]

I am no horse guy but i have seen a few tricks. Saw a guy rub some vicks vapor rub in a horses nose who had never packed meat before. Worked like a charm!

 

[mtnbiker208]

What about the old wise tail of smearing blood on his nose till he gets used to it?
never seen it done, just heard about it for decades.

 

[cnelk]

What about the old wise tail of smearing blood on his nose till he gets used to it?
never seen it done, just heard about it for decades.

Way back in the day I had a horse that packed elk but didnt like the smell of blood.
The first thing I’d do when I got to the carcass was tie her up real good, take a handful of blood and put it in her nose and mouth.
Problem solved

 

[WCB]

He does not like the carcass or smell of fresh blood. He packs everything else fine and we have desensitized him with tarps, plastic water bottles and things.

keeping the carcass out of sight I.e. game bags or something similar would help. Smell wise why not try desensitizing to smell like would with anything else. freeze some chunks of hide or blood and during the year use it while training somehow.

Maybe around a grain bucket if you use one.

Or as a couple have stated above get some elk scent on his nose...he doesn't have a choice then.

 

[Oregon Big Game Hunter]

I have a few times with horses stopped a 100 feet or so short of the carcass and tied him up. Then I walk down get a good bloody hand and come back and rub it inside his nostrils really well. You may have to do some pressure and release as you are coming back to him with the blood. Then when you bring him down to the carcass to load its just a visual problem to solve not a smell issue.

 

[DoubleDropMuley]

We have a horse that will pack deer and elk just fine, but moose on the other hand haha I guess there like humans got the likes and dislikes . Good thing moose is not very often haha

 

[JCooper]

We use Vicks vapor rub also. Never have had a problem after rubbing in there noses.

 

[Preston]

We are training two filly’s and last fall I placed a deer hide next to the feeding area, and within a couple days I could put it on them no problem. The second picture you can see how much she has grown in 9 months from weaning

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Start with something much more difficult so the horse recognizes how easy he's getting off hauling meat.

 

[Brooks]

Seems like some horses take to it better than others. I bought a 4 year old qt horse, ranch horse a month ago that never packed elk and he loaded and packed out 2 quarters and 2 back straps like an old pro. Just stood there licking his lips the whole time we were loading him. He crossed blow downs, streams and climbed some steep terrain.

 

[Fronttrack]

You need to train him is a comfortable environment. Start with a blood soaked mantie put big rocks on each corner so it will not move, and put his grain on it and move up from that.....

 

[mcr-85]

I had a horse that did not like deer. I could haul elk on him but he hated the smell of deer. I never did get him to be able to haul deer. He got replaced by a mule.

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