Packing with llamas

[weatherbow21]

I like the low line idea, that looks cool. Is it home made? do you just tie or snap their leads to the low line?

 

[Blueticker1]

4 Horse Swivel No-Knot Picket Line Kit J T International - Pack Equipment | Saddle Accessories | Sup

Fast Shipping. Great Low Price. Safely secure your horse when trail riding or camping where there are no hitching rails. This 4 Horse Swivel No-Knot Picket Line Kit includes: 3/8" x 100' long nylon rope, 2 tree saver straps (70" long ring to ring), 4 swivel No-Knot picket line ties...

www.valleyvet.com

That is what I use, used em for years with mules and horses.

 

[Blueticker1]

My leads have clips on both ends so I just clip em on

 

[weatherbow21]

Perfect, thank you for that I'll get one ordered. How picky are you with the llamas you're looking for? I may know of a couple that will be available relatively soon.

 

[Blueticker1]

I'm not picky as long as they have 4 good feet, I started the ones that I have and they had never been lead or anything. I dont mind putting in the work.

 

[Blueticker1]

Well I am back in the game.

 

[hobbes]

My boy Pedro will be old enough to pack next year, 2021

Momma spent some time with an old friend last year. My new cria, Marco, won't be ready untill 2023.

 

[Blueticker1]

By no means take this the wrong way and I may be wrong, but I have been under the understanding that you can't pack them with really any weight until they are 4, I may be mistaken. Either way good looking critters, they sure are some goofy animals but they kinda grow on ya.

Look at that face. Lmao

 

[hobbes]

By no means take this the wrong way and I may be wrong, but I have been under the understanding that you can't pack them with really any weight until they are 4, I may be mistaken. Either way good looking critters, they sure are some goofy animals but they kinda grow on ya.
View attachment 212134
Look at that face. Lmao

I was thinking 3 was recommended, but maybe I should wait until 4. I'll have to look at more info. I won't start him on anything heavy.

 

[hobbes]

Looks like his ear was on the wrong end of some fighting teeth.

 

[weatherbow21]

I've had a hard time getting a hard number on when to pack them, but I know the 4 year old mark is consistently where everyone agrees you can start packing heavy. I have 3 boys that will be 3 next fall, one of them just barely. Id really like to be able to take them on some trips, shoot even if I only had them pack 10-20lbs it would save me most my pack weight.

I ordered the lowline suggested earlier, that sure looks handy. I've been staking mine out in the yard, they're great lawn mowers. Being a complete noob, I'm really surprised at how well they learn to untangle themselves. Even one I tied to a tree on a long lead and he would start wrapping himself around the tree, and everytime would unwind himself. My lab could never figure that out.

 

[Blueticker1]

I was thinking 3 was recommended, but maybe I should wait until 4. I'll have to look at more info. I won't start him on anything heavy.

I am completely new to this whole llama thing so take anything I suggest with a grain of salt, but the general consensus is 4 years old.

Looks like his ear was on the wrong end of some fighting teeth.

Definitely on the wrong end of some fighting teeth, I bought him as an already trained packer.

 

[Blueticker1]

I've had a hard time getting a hard number on when to pack them, but I know the 4 year old mark is consistently where everyone agrees you can start packing heavy. I have 3 boys that will be 3 next fall, one of them just barely. Id really like to be able to take them on some trips, shoot even if I only had them pack 10-20lbs it would save me most my pack weight.

I ordered the lowline suggested earlier, that sure looks handy. I've been staking mine out in the yard, they're great lawn mowers. Being a complete noob, I'm really surprised at how well they learn to untangle themselves. Even one I tied to a tree on a long lead and he would start wrapping himself around the tree, and everytime would unwind himself. My lab could never figure that out.

They seem pretty quick to figure stuff out on their own, just gotta watch em for awhile at first to make sure they dont hurt themselves.
Like I said we used a highline my entire life with mules and horses, we never had an issue with any of them per se, so I decided to try it with the llamas and it works great, I have been low lining them for a few hours here and there to get them used to having the line at their feet instead of over their heads. In the places I hunt the most I couldn't get a stake in the ground so the high/lowline was option A, plan b was filling a net bag full of rocks and hooking the leads to that, 1 50-60 pound bag of rocks per llama.

 

[hobbes]

I am completely new to this whole llama thing so take anything I suggest with a grain of salt, but the general consensus is 4 years old.



Definitely on the wrong end of some fighting teeth, I bought him as an already trained packer.

I'm not sure why I had 3 stuck in my mind because everything I find now says 4 before they are ready for full packs. I suppose Pedro won't be going on any hunts until 2022 and Marco 2024, I will start exercising Pedro on the trail next summer with the saddle and empty paniers.

My neighbors have alpacas and they are vicious going after each other's ears.

 

[weatherbow21]

They seem pretty quick to figure stuff out on their own, just gotta watch em for awhile at first to make sure they dont hurt themselves.
Like I said we used a highline my entire life with mules and horses, we never had an issue with any of them per se, so I decided to try it with the llamas and it works great, I have been low lining them for a few hours here and there to get them used to having the line at their feet instead of over their heads. In the places I hunt the most I couldn't get a stake in the ground so the high/lowline was option A, plan b was filling a net bag full of rocks and hooking the leads to that, 1 50-60 pound bag of rocks per llama.

The highline would be ideal in a lot of spots I'll take them, whats the downside to a highline with llamas? Besides the obvious of if there are no trees which isn't a problem here

 

[Blueticker1]

The highline would be ideal in a lot of spots I'll take them, whats the downside to a highline with llamas? Besides the obvious of if there are no trees which isn't a problem here

That's pretty much the only downside as far as I can figure, you just got to make sure that it's about 7 feet or so high.

 

[Blueticker1]

I got one of the new llamas saddled today, first time being saddled. He just turned 4 this year.

 

[weatherbow21]

Looking good, I need to get to saddling my boys up. How tall is the white one pictured?

 

[Blueticker1]

You know I don't really know, I will have to find out. If I had to guess probably 45".

 

[Blueticker1]

Looking good, I need to get to saddling my boys up. How tall is the white one pictured?

Well he is 44" from the ground to the top of his withers, he is the smallest I own.