Packing with llamas

[weatherbow21]

Got it, he looks small in the pictures but 44 isn't bad. I have one thats 18 months, last I measured him he was 43", I'm thinking hes gonna be a tall one. His younger buddy (he's about a year) is already taller than the other 2 that are 2 year olds so I'm thinking he's gonna be a good tall one too.

 

[Blueticker1]

[QUOTE="weatherbow21.
So funny thing is, when I first got my other llamas I thought they were tiny. Come to find out they are decent size my females are 48" & 49", the new male I got is 51" He is huge I feel like.

 

[weatherbow21]

Yeah 51 is a big male for sure, he sounds like a good one

 

[Blueticker1]

Yeah 51 is a big male for sure, he sounds like a good one

Yeah definitely big, I think one of the reasons why the white one looks so small is his back and neck isn't as long as all the others. He's more compact but super stocky, either way I think he will work out. Perhaps not as a breeder but definitely a packer.

 

[squirrel]

Can I ask why you guys are obsessed with height? Are you moonlighting as llama basketball pro-staffers? ( I think I know the answer but would like to hear why specifically you are so into tapes?) I've trained 50-100 and never weighed or measured a one of 'em, I have had bigguns, mediumuns, and liluns tho...

 

[Blueticker1]

Can I ask why you guys are obsessed with height? Are you moonlighting as llama basketball pro-staffers? ( I think I know the answer but would like to hear why specifically you are so into tapes?) I've trained 50-100 and never weighed or measured a one of 'em, I have had bigguns, mediumuns, and liluns tho...

Well I honestly don't really care about height, I've talked to you and a few others on the phone, so I set my "standard" so to speak on an article that Wes holmquist wrote on structural guidelines for pack llamas and kind of what to look for. But with having males and females both, I am eventually going to breed them and I personally would like to take the best I've got in males and breed it to the best I've got in females. Height not necessarily a concern, but overall structure. With that I'd also like to add that I really dont know my a$$ from a hole in the ground on exactly what I am looking for quite yet as I am new to this whole llama business and I may be totally off on what I think looks good as opposed to what the people in the "know" looks good. Honestly to me I think my male that is considered small by most looks the best conformation wise as far as bone and muscle structure. I do apologize for the long winded response as I am not trying to step on any toes of any of the llama specialists.

 

[weatherbow21]

I didn't know anyone was obsessing.

 

[squirrel]

First sign of obsession is denial of same

It seems to be all anyone into llamas talks about or considers, I just find it funny that nobody talks about what their animals can actually DO instead of how tall their granddaddy was... Some of the strongest packers I have ever seen were mutts of free or nearly free status who had not one ounce of "quit" in them. I'm talking herculean tasks of 125-155lbs uphill 2000 ft and 6-8 miles in 24" of un-broken snow type shit. That was accomplished with huge hearts and hard conditioning similar to Navy seals "BUDS" training, it's in the heart and head, not the muscles. Now if you want to feel completely un-obsessed with it join up with the facebook group "backcountry llama packing..." Those guys talk nothing else but height.

 

[Blueticker1]

Honestly I can't speak for anyone else, but for my self being new to llamas and not knowing anything about them really, when you do research on them as far as packers and what to look for and basically everything else to set you up for success. With everything you read as far as packers go is most commonly height. There are a few that write about structural guidelines and what have you but most everything mentioned in anything you read has to do with height. So I guess that's the reason we are "obsessed" with height. If you don't know something and you want to learn about something all you can do is research, especially if you don't know anyone personally that has done said subject before.

 

[hobbes]

Marco

 

[Blueticker1]

[QUOTE="hobbes,
The babies sure are some cute little buggers, goofy as all get out but cute.

 

[squirrel]

Honestly I can't speak for anyone else, but for my self being new to llamas and not knowing anything about them really, when you do research on them as far as packers and what to look for and basically everything else to set you up for success. With everything you read as far as packers go is most commonly height. There are a few that write about structural guidelines and what have you but most everything mentioned in anything you read has to do with height. So I guess that's the reason we are "obsessed" with height. If you don't know something and you want to learn about something all you can do is research, especially if you don't know anyone personally that has done said subject before.

Thank you for articulating that, it is exactly what my presumption was, but I wanted to hear it from your own perspective.

Personally I have stayed as far away as possible from the "political side" of llamas for 25 years with the only exception of providing llamas for the Fairplay race and Leadville 100 Hope pass station at my buddies request (since he needed llamas) to put on both events.

There has been a battle for quite some time between the "form" vs. "function" branches of those political wings. The battle would appear to have been recently won by the "papers and conformation" crowd.

In dog terms this would be "westminster dog show vs. field trial championships"

Personally I think the wrong side won but don't have a dog in the fight, just in the stands enjoying the show. I was told that "this time it 's different" by a disciple of (he who shall not be named) which made me laugh as i've read that a lot in financial planning books. His point was that the internet changes everything, he is wrong, but too young to know that, it is the same shit just being slung by a different pitchfork...

 

[squirrel]

And Hobbes?? Everyone agrees that llamas are cute as a button!

 

[Riverdog]

I mostly lurk here...but have quite a few years of llama packing under my belt and have learned a lot by trial and error. Agree with Squirrel regarding height. To my mind the most important physical characteristics are nice high pasterns and a fairly straight spine. The two seem to go together.

 

[dakotaduner]

I may never own any llamas, but I sure enjoy following these threads and learning a bit along the way..
thanks for sharing

 

[weatherbow21]

I'm about as green as they come with Llamas, but I do like to bullshit about them. Sometimes topics get brought up, like for instance I've heard rumors blue eyed llamas can be deaf, I suppose if I asked about eye color and we went back and forth on it a couple of times I'd be obsessing over it, so I won't bring up the eye color thing

My boys are all too young to know how strong or good of packers they'll be. My youngest still has some trust issues, he's probably the biggest pain but he's learning and still small enough I can muscle him around, none of the others I can. I have one that really doesn't want to be touched or haltered, hes the biggest pain to halter for sure but ones its on, he's easy peasy and will go pretty much anywhere I want him to. My easiest and friendliest came as a rescue and had a 4h girl work with him a lot, hes really well mannered and I don't have to even catch him, just walk up and halter him, he leads well but really isn't a fan of walking away from his buddies, but he'll do it. The last one is shaping up to be my favorite, it started out I wasn't a big fan, he's a suri so has long thin hair and he was a turd in the beginning but he's getting pretty well mannered, halters great, leads great, and so far doesn't freak out too bad putting a pack on him.

 

[Blueticker1]

First over night highline.

 

[Blueticker1]

I have only been in the llama game for a short while, but damn llama people are weird. Just like horse and dog people, I guess no one is normal once it comes to animals.

 

[Blueticker1]

[QUOTE="Riverdog,

That was pretty much what was in the article that I read that made the most sense, long story short it said that just because its tall and big doesn't mean that it will make a good packer, what to look for was a medium length back, legs longer than depth of body, good high pasterns, level back, not to broad or narrow, good bone structure, and good muscling. The only reason that height was mentioned and set at 43" because it was easier for them to cross dead fall, nothing to do with being better packers or carrying more weight etc. Just strictly for ground clearance.

 

[weatherbow21]

I have only been in the llama game for a short while, but damn llama people are weird. Just like horse and dog people, I guess no one is normal once it comes to animals.

I've found them to be quite a bit more odd than dog or horse people.

I had a great weekend with my boys, they're not learning super fast but its slow and steady.