BOZEMAN HORSE FIELD GUIDE
Pack In Your Own Camp: A Two‑Day Hands‑On Horse and Mule Packing Clinic in Bozeman
A compact, practical clinic from Sunrise Pack Station that teaches saddle fitting, load tying and backcountry stock management over two days—ideal for anyone who wants to learn to pack and work around pack stock.
Pack In Your Own Camp: A Two‑Day Hands‑On Horse and Mule Packing Clinic in Bozeman.
Set against the working landscape around Bozeman, Sunrise Pack Station's 2‑day Horse and Mule Packing Clinic is a focused, hands‑on course in the craft of packing: from choosing and fitting a pack saddle to tying manties and hitches and managing stock in the backcountry.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Hands‑on practice with real animals
The clinic emphasizes practicing what you learn on Sunrise Pack Station's animals, making classroom technique immediately transferable to field work.
Everything from saddle selection to advanced hitches
Instruction covers choosing and fitting a pack saddle and a range of loading and hitches—basket sling, Crow's Foot, Arizona Hitch, Box Hitch and the Diamond Hitch—so you leave with a toolkit of practical techniques.
Backcountry stock management
Beyond knots and loading, the course addresses working around pack stock and broader backcountry stock management to help you safely move and care for animals in remote settings.
What the day feels like
What the two days feel like
Across two concentrated days at Sunrise Pack Station, instruction alternates between demonstration and hands‑on practice: you learn how to choose and fit a pack saddle, how to prepare and tie manties, how to rack and secure loads using a variety of hitches, and how to move and manage animals in the field, with the opportunity to practice each skill on station animals.
THE CLASSROOM
Hands‑on practice with real animals
The clinic emphasizes practicing what you learn on Sunrise Pack Station's animals, making classroom technique immediately transferable to field work.
THE SKILLS
Everything from saddle selection to advanced hitches
Instruction covers choosing and fitting a pack saddle and a range of loading and hitches—basket sling, Crow's Foot, Arizona Hitch, Box Hitch and the Diamond Hitch—so you leave with a toolkit of practical techniques.
THE CONTEXT
Backcountry stock management
Beyond knots and loading, the course addresses working around pack stock and broader backcountry stock management to help you safely move and care for animals in remote settings.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this clinic suits — and who should seek something else.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The program is presented as a 2‑day clinic at Sunrise Pack Station in the Bozeman area.
The curriculum explicitly covers 'what to take', though specific personal gear lists are not provided in the source material; expect to follow operator guidance on clothing and personal items.
The clinic is offered by Sunrise Pack Station in the Bozeman, Montana area.
Topics include working around pack stock, choosing and fitting a pack saddle, loading techniques (manties, basket sling), multiple hitches (Crow's Foot, Arizona Hitch, Box Hitch, Diamond Hitch), stringing animals and backcountry stock management.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the clinic?
The offering is presented as a 2‑day Horse and Mule Packing Clinic.
Who runs the clinic?
The clinic is offered by Sunrise Pack Station in the Bozeman area.
Will I get to practice on animals?
Yes — the classes give you the opportunity to practice what you are learning on one of the station's animals.
What skills will I learn?
Instruction covers working around pack stock, choosing and fitting a pack saddle, load tying methods and multiple hitches, stringing animals and backcountry stock management.
Does the clinic tell me what to bring?
The course content includes a session on 'what to take,' but the source material does not list a specific personal gear checklist.
Is this a guided packing trip?
No—the offering is an instructional packing clinic focused on teaching you how to pack and manage stock rather than serving as a guided multi‑day pack trip.