canine_packs


		Reconstruction of a 16^th Century Dog Pack Saddle By Lady Rachael of Bhakail Barony of Bhakail, East Kingdom (Rebecca Morris) February 9, 2007 fig. 1 fig. 2 Table of Contents Abstract Goals Documentation of Pack Dogs and Pack Saddles Pattern and Materials Craftsmanship Saddle Construction and Observations Dog Safety End Notes Bibliography Figures Appendix A: 16^th and Early 20^th Century Citations of Dog Pack Saddles Appendix B: Additional pictures of period saddles The 16^th Century Dog Pack Saddle Abstract Dogs have been used as draft animals and beasts of burden for many centuries. Dr. Caius in his 1576 book, Of English Dogs, describes several types of draft dogs; Tinker Cur, Water Drawer, Turnspit Dog, and Butcher Dog. Traveling tinkers used the Tinker Cur to carry their tools in pack saddles. According to Agricola (1556), pack dogs were used in the German mining industry. A woodcut in Agricola shows a dog pack train and an empty dog pack saddle. This pack saddle looks similar to horse pack saddles used in the 16^th century and earlier. The 16^th century pack saddle is different from the familiar sawbuck saddle associated American West. This style of European pack saddle was used post 16^th century in England and Spain. A mid 20^th century description of the European pack saddle was used to fill in the construction details that are lacking in period descriptions and pictures of pack saddles. Goals The goal of this project was to create a pack saddle that appears period from a few feet away. I desire to learn about saddle construction and function. I believe that this style of pack saddle functions differently than the sawbuck saddle. I expect to make several versions of this pack saddle while I learn how to fit it to my dog and as I learn how this style of saddle works. Documentation of Pack Dogs and Dog Pack Saddles Dogs have been used as draft animals and beasts of burden for many centuries. In his 1576 book, Of English Dogs, Dr. Caius describes several types of draft dogs: Tinker Cur, Water Drawer, Turnspit Dog, and Butcher Dog¹. Traveling tinkers used the Tinker Cur to carry their tools in pack saddles². Unfortunately, Dr. Caius does not give a detailed description of the pack saddle other than the panniers (saddle bags) were budgets (leather boxes ^2a). fig. 3 fig. 4 According to Agricola (1556), pack dogs were used in the German mining industry³. Dog pack trains were used in steep mountain areas that were impassible by horses, mules, and donkeys⁴. A crude woodcut shows a dog pack train (Figure 3) and an empty dog pack saddle (Figure 4). The panniers (saddle bags) were made of pigskin leather or linen (“double or triple twilled linen thread”)⁵. The woodcut indicates the pack saddle is similar to horse pack saddles used in the 16^th century and earlier (Figures 5, 6, 9, and 10). fig. 5 fig. 6 fig. 9 fig. 10 The European style of pack saddle is different from the familiar sawbuck saddle associated with the American West (Figure 7). I believe Agricola did not describe the construction of the pack saddle in detail because in the 16^th century it was a common sight. This style of pack saddle can be found in pictures from the 11^th century (Figure 9, Bayeux Tapestry) through the 20^th century. I used pictures of horse pack saddles to fill in construction details that are missing from Dr. Caius and Agricola’s books. W.H. Pyne’s sketches⁶ from 1808 show the pack saddle from angles not seen in many pre-1601 pictures (Figures 11 and 12). Joe Back’s 1959 book, Horses, Hitches, and Rocky Trails⁷, was particularly helpful (Figure 8). fig. 7 fig. 8 fig. 11 fig. 12 It is valid to look to horse pack saddles when re-constructing a 16^th century dog pack saddle. Instead of inventing something from scratch, people tend to use existing technology that is familiar. Thus, it makes sense that 16^th century pack saddles for horses and dogs would have similar features. Draft technology evolves. When a new draft animal is introduced to an area, the existing technology is applied until a technology specific to the new animal evolves. This harness and draft technology evolution has been seen numerous times. Cattle (bovids) were employed as draft animals before the equids⁸. The neck yoke was invented for cattle and cattle were controlled by a goad and by reins attached to nose rings⁹. When the donkey, onager, and horse were first domesticated, the neck yoke, goad, and nose ring were used^{10, 11}. Eventually, the bit was invented^{12, 13} and the dorsal yoke (chariot harness)¹⁴ was invented for equids. In the early Middle Ages, the draft horse lost his status as a “race car engine” and for the first time he was used extensively in agriculture¹⁵. Again, the draft harness evolved. The breast harness and rigid collar and hames were invented to allow the horse to pull a plow and harrow efficiently. The North American Indians of the plains used draft dogs hitched to travois. When the plains Indians started using the horse in the 17^th century, they took their dog draft technology and applied it to the horse¹⁶. Pictures of European cart dogs from the 14^th century¹⁷ through to the beginning of the 20th century, show the dog harness technology and cart technology was similar to that used with horses (See Appendix B). Rigid collars and hames are used or a breast collar¹⁸. Breeching is used, but I have yet to see a crupper used on a dog. Since I rarely see pictures of cruppers used on horses prior to 1601, I decided not to make a crupper for my dog pack saddle. Instead, I only used breeching instead of breeching and crupper. I believe I am justified in filling the details that are lacking with details from similar horse pack saddles. fig. 13 Pattern and Materials Figure 13. Pack saddle pattern and materials Wood: Poplar Leather Upholstery nails Upholstery tacks 3/8” No. 3 Blued Tacks ½” No. 6 Blued Tacks Cotton Strapping (3/4”) Wool fabric D-rings This is the first version of the pack saddle (Figure 13). What I learn from version 1, will be applied to the next version. Thus I made the conscious decision to use scrap materials left over from other projects. The saddle pad is scrap wool that was originally bought to make a warm winter cloak. The wool fabric was washed several times in order to give it a more “felt” like appearance¹⁹ (Figures 14, 15, and 8). The poplar wood was found in the scrap pile of Lord Tommaso Valeriano’s wood working shop. Sixteenth century riding saddles were constructed of Beech^{20, 21}. Beech is a lightweight and flexible European hardwood. It was used because it was a lightweight hardwood that could flex slightly with the horse’s movement. I used poplar because it is also a light hardwood and there was no beech in Lord Tommaso Valeriano’s wood scrap pile. fig. 14 fig. 15 The blued upholstery tacks were selected because they have old fashioned appearance and do not look objectionable from a few feet. I did not like my scrap leather and I decided to buy cotton strapping for the girth, breeching and breast straps (Figure 16). The cotton strapping is off white and has a semi course weave. From a distance, I feel it does not look objectionable and could possibly pass for linen straps. fig. 16 Craftsmanship I am a novice woodworker. Lord Tommaso Valeriano was kind enough to let me use his modern wood working power tools to construct the saddle tree. He gave wood working advice and made sure I did not hurt myself. I used a flexible, heavy gage wire to make a pattern of my dog’s back for the saddle tree (Figure 18). I left a gap at the top of the saddle for her backbone (Figure 19). I am not a talented seamstress. I hand sewed the saddle pad (Figure 14 and 17) and you will observe why I do not enter garb in A&S displays. fig.18 fig. 19 fig. 17 Saddle Construction/Observations I did not like the thickness of the scrap leather I had. When the leather was nailed on the saddle tree, I felt the upholstery tack and leather strap stuck out too much. So, I decided to use cotton strapping for the girth, breeching, and breast strap. I left the original leather straps on. If they rub my dog’s skin too much, I well replace the leather with the cotton straps. I felt these cotton straps could pass for linen when observed from a distance of a few feet. Thus, I felt the cotton straps do not distract from my goal, which was to create a pack saddle that appears to be period when observed from 5 feet or more feet. The dog pack saddle in Agricola has one girth and no breeching or breast straps (Figure 4). When I tried the pack saddle on my dog, I noticed the girth kept slipping back towards her hind legs. The girth slipped because a dog’s belly is more steeply cut under than a horse’s belly. Period horse pack saddles, riding saddles and side saddles have one or two girths (Figure 6). In fact, side saddles in use prior to 1601 evolved out of the pack saddle^{22, 23} and side saddles are frequently depicted with two girths. In addition, period pictures of horse pack saddles show both breeching and breast straps (Figures 6, 9, and 10). fig/ 20 fig. 21 I added a breast strap to help keep the pack saddle in proper position. The single girth alone was not enough to keep the saddle from sliding backwards. Withers on a dog disappear when the dog lowers his head (Figures 20 and 21). On a horse, the withers are prominent irregardless of the head position. When riding in flat terrain, the withers alone can be used to keep a horse saddle from sliding too far forward. But you can not depend on the dog’s withers to prevent the saddle from sliding forward. Thus, for practical use, I added breeching (Figure 23) to my pack saddle. Period pictures of horse harness tend not to show a crupper. Antique photographs of canine carts show breeching, but no crupper²⁵. Thus, I decided not to use a crupper with my dog pack saddle. The last strap I added to the pack saddle was the second girth (Figure 24). The second girth is closer to the front legs than the original. The girths on my dog cart harnesses are located there and in this position the girth does not slip²⁴. fig. 23 fig. 24 For practical use, I found the combination of two girths, breeching, and breast straps prevented the pack saddle from sliding forwards/backwards and from rotating sideways. The pack saddle tree keeps the panniers (Figures 1 and 25) in place, even when my dog sits down. I felt the original panniers (Figure 25) I made were too deep. The bottoms got muddy and they swung against my dog’s legs more than I liked. The second set of panniers (Figure 1) did not go below the dog’s belly. fig. 25 A dog pack saddle is very practical at SCA camping events. My dog carries my water bottles, feast gear, sewing projects, her water bowl, and etc. At dog friendly events, I no longer use a basket or basket back pack to carry these items. Dog Safety A fit dog should have no problems carrying up to 1/3 of his weight in a pack saddle²⁶. Sixteenth century Spanish explorers reported that the Navaho and Apache Indians loaded dog back packs with 30 to 50 pounds²⁷. My dog weighs 58 pounds and according to my vet, she is very fit. One third of her weight is 19 pounds. She has no problems carrying a wallet, car keys, sewing, water dish, and water bottles around events. Several years ago, I bought a nylon dog back pack and my dog happily carries two half gallon milk jugs home from the convenience store. In period, pack horses carried 99 to 150 kg (217- 330 lb) and mules carried 150 kg (330 lb)²⁸. I designed the saddle tree to have a gap in saddle tree to accommodate my dog’s backbone (Figures 19 and 22). The saddle pad has plenty of padding under the saddle tree. I observed that, in proportion to a horse, a dog’s back is flatter than a horse and has more musculature surrounding the backbone. Thus, the backbone on a dog is not as prominent as on a horse, donkey, or mule. This is why, with my dog carts, I have been able to use just a strap and padding instead of a cart saddle²⁹. A future project is to create a period cart saddle. I feel this pack saddle project is an initial project to learn about saddle construction and how saddles need to be fitted to dogs. Next Back to Crafts Back to Articles This website is designed and maintained by Cera Foxmoor of ReRa Designs If you have any comments or suggestions please send them to Cera Foxmoor Copyright © 2005 - 2008 to Hounds of Caid. The copyright of certain portions of this site are retained by the original contributors. Disclaimer: This is the recognized web page for Caid Coursing of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. It is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and does not delineate SCA policies.