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Post by cyberkit on Jul 29, 2008 16:36:08 GMT 1
Hello, founts of all equine wisdom! ;D I wonder whether anyone out there can help? I'm after a pack saddle and baskets which would fit our mini Shetland (33" tall, but stocky). After a winter of lugging hay and feed out through the mud for my small flock of sheep, it ocurred to me that little Blitzen, so obliging and helpful, could carry it for me. I think he definitely needs a proper pack saddle to spread the weight properly. There are lots of historic photos of ponies wearing traditional kishies (the baskets) and clibbers (the saddles), but I don't know where I'd get new ones from. Any ideas? And for those of you who might be worried about little Blitz staggering under unreasonable loads of hay... our flock of sheep is in single figures, and they only have hay in the worst of the cold weather (and not very much because they are all outrageously good doers!) So I think he won't have any problem at all in carrying the right amount. Of course, then my problem will be to stop him eating the stuff before we get to our destination - but one step at a time.  Best wishes CK |
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Post by wally on Jul 29, 2008 18:15:06 GMT 1
  Like these that we use? Getting hold of willow or straw Kishies (baskets) is getting harder and harder. I can getthem still, I think, but they are not cheap. The klibber (pack saddle with hooks) is about £120 with the leather work and stuff. |
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Post by wally on Jul 29, 2008 18:16:06 GMT 1
Forgot to mention, they are superb for two haynets full of haylage, so long as you make sure they are equal weight.
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tob
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Post by tob on Jul 29, 2008 18:44:22 GMT 1
aww wally they are fantastic!great photos!
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Post by colourfulpony on Jul 29, 2008 19:37:56 GMT 1
what a great idea  |
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varkie
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Post by varkie on Jul 29, 2008 21:13:29 GMT 1
I'd like to get some too Wally, I think we'd find it useful for getting stuff moved about when it's tricky going underfoot, plus would just be good for the shets to do this too, I like them to work.
Where can you get them from?
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Post by mandal on Jul 29, 2008 22:49:07 GMT 1
What a fantastic idea! I've been thinking of a sled type thing like you see the Indians using in cowboy films as the biggies could pull enough for them! Lol If I roped all the littlies in with these 1 trip might do it!! ;D Mind you 4 would be a bit pricey sadly.  Oh, not roped in literally btw!  Great photos wally. |
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percypony
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Horses are life.... the rest, just details!
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Post by percypony on Jul 30, 2008 8:36:22 GMT 1
Try doing a search for Llama packs etc. They might need a bit of adapting and I think most sites are American but more popular than you might think and will give you some ideas at the very least.
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Post by wally on Jul 30, 2008 10:15:12 GMT 1
We make our own, based on one the museum lent us. Getting the meshies and kishies is the hard part, but haynets for meshies work well.
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Post by cyberkit on Jul 30, 2008 14:06:46 GMT 1
Yay, Wally, exactly like those!! What gorgeous ponies, thank you for posting those pics. I'm glad to hear a ballpark price; that was my next question!
The baskets are lovely, but I'm relieved that we could use haynets instead. I did do a willow basket making course a while ago, so maybe I'd be able to produce something which might work (but then again, maybe I'd need some practice first - my first couple of baskets looked a bit drunk!)
Varkie, I can just imagine your Shetlands all in a line with their little baskets - you could run a home delivery service for groceries that way. ;D
Thank you guys, that's really fab. Wally, maybe I could PM you if we want to go ahead? We might need to do some preliminary work with said mini Shetland to make sure that he'll be OK with the idea. He is 15 and has never really done what you might define as work, so may object...
CK
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Post by wally on Jul 30, 2008 17:34:54 GMT 1
Whiffy, is our little grey mare who turns her hoof to anything we ask her to. She has a look of utter resignation sometimes at our daft plans. But she plays ball. Today we had a terrier in each Kishie they seemed to enjoy the ride. However Charlie, who is one of my most experienced driving ponies and he's ridden under saddle, thinks that the kishies are the most terrifying thing on the planet! Even when someone else is wearing them, he like to be a bit of a drama queen! Hang on a while and I'll dig out some photos of Whiffy carrying hay nets.....and terriers! |
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Post by wally on Jul 30, 2008 18:25:43 GMT 1
   To give you an idea of scale Whiffy is about 35-36 inches, something like that. the Chestnut wearing them is about 42 inches, tall but not a stocky fellow and the bay is about 38 inches. |
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Post by horsey123 on Jul 30, 2008 20:53:21 GMT 1
WOW i want one could you make them for fat welsh d`s hehe
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Post by wally on Jul 31, 2008 10:00:00 GMT 1
We have used it on a Fat welsh pony of cob type, but very handy for terrier transport!  |
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Post by cyberkit on Aug 4, 2008 22:55:36 GMT 1
Gorgeous pony, Wally, thanks very much for posting these! Her expression in that picture with her little passengers on board is hilarious - if she could roll her eyes at the antics of her humans, she would. Our mini Shetland, Blitzen, is 33 inches, so not much smaller than your lovely grey. Haven't got any terriers to give lifts to, but I can certainly imagine being able to put a newborn lamb in each basket in the spring! I love the shape of the hooks on the top of the klibber, they look nicely carved.
I have been wondering about whether we'll be able to accustom Blitz to the idea. I guess there's no way to really know for sure until we get hold of a saddle. He will already wear a roller, carry a coat draped over his back, wear a rug, and stand still if you hold a bucket balanced gently on his back... I think the lambs in the baskets will have to remain a flight of fantasy, I'm not sure I could guarantee their safety!
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