Page 55 - The Pocket Guide to Equine Knots

Holding tension, I do this a couple more times, then circle the remaining free end under
the manty, up its backside and around to the front to tie it off. Several knots can be used; I

use two half hitches, the top one being a slip hitch, but with the end of the rope passed
through the loop so that it won’t inadvertently untie if it snags on something (step 7).
When basket-hitching the manty to the packsaddle, height of the packs is important.
Assuming loads that are relatively consistent in weight (no heavy or light end), you want the
manties high enough that the packsaddle, not the animal’s ribs, is bearing most of the

weight. Yet, too high, and the loads can become top-heavy and even flip up on the animal’s
rump, should he spook or jump a log. I once had that happen while packing a big gelding
named Major, and it occurred in a bad place, on a ledge trail. His Decker, relieved of some

of the weight on one side, then began to slip to the other.

Manty, step 7: ready to sling.

It was a dicey few minutes, but I managed to get the load back in place and the saddle
straightened on Major’s back, my heels all too close to a drop-off. At the next clearing, I
lowered both manties, which, with the basket hitch, is easy to do. And that’s another beauty

of this system. Should one manty end up, in spite of your best efforts, a bit heavier than its
mate, simply sling it a little higher than the lighter pack on the other side of the horse. By
doing so, given the shape of the animal’s back, you shift the load inward toward his center
of gravity, giving it less leverage downward, thus “lightening” the load on that side.

Mule with manties basket hitched.

The packer who knows this basic system—manties, basket hitch, and (preferably)
Decker packsaddle—is very well equipped, even if he or she never learns more. It’s