THE ONE-MAN OR LIFTING HITCH
This is a pretty good hitch sometimes where kyacks are not used and an irregular pack is swung upon the crosstree. While it holds the pack very securely to the animal's back, its tendency is to lift the corners that might cause friction upon the horse's sides.
Standing on the near side of the horse, throw cinch over the horse's back, pick up cinch and engage rope upon cinch hook, from in out, as in previous hitches. Take up slack, bring running rope up side of pack, double and thrust loop or bight under standing rope from rear forward at top of pack, to hold slack. Throw all loose rope to off side, and pass around to off side yourself.
(Fig. 1.)
A—Cinch
C—Standing rope
B—Cinch hook
D—Running rope
E—Front rope
F—Marker
Lifting Hitch
(Fig. 2.) Grasp loop A in left hand and with right jam rope C C along and under rope B (where latter passes beneath corner of pack) to D, as shown in Fig. 3.
(Fig. 3.) Off side of hitch completed.
Lifting Hitch
(Fig. 4.) Hitch formed ready to tighten.
Draw loose end of running rope forward and from under standing rope at top of pack. The effect of operations thus far is this: The running rope passes up the near side, from hook and to top of load and passes under standing rope, which will serve effectually in final tightening of cinch to hold slack.
Pass end of running rope over and under the forward end of off pack and backward under standing rope and pack. Now bring the rope forward over side of pack, double, and thrust the doubled portion over and under forward rope in a bight. With left hand grasp double of rope at bight just to rear of forward rope where it passes over and under forward rope, and with right hand slip running rope down and just to rear of standing rope. Take up slack. By pulling hard upon loose end of running rope the ends of pack will be lifted slightly.
Throw loose end over horse to near side, and across middle of load. Pass to near side and manipulate rope as on off side. Tighten load. Secure the hitch by bringing loose end of rope over and under forward running and standing ropes, and tie.