Packing and Portaging

by Dillon Wallace

The near packer, taking a position at the horse's neck, grasps the rope about six feet from cinch, and with an upward and backward motion, drops it between the two packs, one slung on either side of the aparejo.

Still grasping the rope in his right hand just forward of the packs at the top, he pulls forward between the packs sufficient running rope to permit him to bring his hand down to his side. Retaining the rope in his right hand he now reaches up with his left hand, and with back of hand up and thumb under grasps running rope and draws sufficient rope forward to permit the left hand grasping the rope to come down to his side, arm's length.

With the right elbow crooked the right hand, still holding the rope, is brought up about on a level with the chin, and the left hand, also retaining its hold on the rope, thumb down, is raised to hollow of the right arm, with loop of rope between the hands lying outside the right arm. Now by a single swinging motion with both hands the rope in the right hand, called the "standing rope," is thrown over the center of pack to the off packer who stands ready to receive it; and the rope held in the left hand, called the "running rope," over the horse's neck, forward of the pack.

The off packer, still standing with cinch hook and end of rope in left hand, with his right hand grasps the standing rope as it comes over as high up as he can conveniently reach, draws it down, and holding the cinch hook in proper position below the aparejo draws down the standing rope and engages it upon the hook from in out.

The near packer now draws forward between the packs about six feet more rope, which he throws to the rear of the near side pack. This rope is now called the "rear" rope. He next grasps the running rope at the horse's neck, and with the off packer's assistance releases that portion of the running rope lying between the packs forward of the standing rope, and brings it to the center of pack on near side, next to and just back of the standing rope.

He now slips his right hand down the rope to a point half way between pack and aparejo boot, and with the left hand reaches from forward between standing rope and aparejo and grasps the rope just above the right hand. Both hands are now slipped down the rope, and with the same motion drawn apart, one on each side of standing rope (under which the rope being manipulated passes) to the cinches. With the hands about ten inches apart, the section of rope between them, which is held in a horizontal position, is jammed down between the two cinches under the aparejo.

The off packer, holding the running rope with his right hand above the hook, places the left hand holding end of rope on top of running rope between his right hand and the hook, and with thumb under running rope grasps both ropes and slips his hands up on running rope, bringing it to center of load.

He now draws the end of the rope, held by left hand, forward until a foot or so falls upon the near side of the horse's neck. The hitch is now formed, ready to tighten.

To tighten, the near packer with his left palm passing the side and center of the pack grasps the running rope at the rear of the standing rope, at the same time bringing the running rope between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, which he is using as a brace. In this position he is prepared to hold slack as it is given him by the off packer.