What makes this book so good is its comprehensiveness. EVERYTHING you need to know, and probably most if not all of what you should know, about packing is found within its pages. It doesn't just cover the relevant advantages or disadvantages of horses over mules or vice versa, but also the proper training of the animal, types of shoes, care/feed of the animal, what to look for when purchasing a horse or mule, etc.... It covers deckers and sawbucks, and how they should fit the animal, and the merits of each. It covers panyards and manties and how they are tied, loaded on the animal, secured on the animal.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that if the topic is related to horse packing, it is not only addressed in this book, but THOROUGHLY covered. As just one example, the authors use pigtails to link their packstock while on the trail, rather than tying up to the tail of the horse in front. They therefore discuss the use and tieing of pigtails. But they nonetheless show how to tie the most common knot used for tailing "because it can be useful for leading a string of lost animals back to camp. You can't pigtail unsaddled stock."
And one last example which simply reflects the knowledge that the authors, especially Smoke Elser, have gained over a lifetime of backcountry experience and share with the readers of their book. "While you're thinking about range for your stock, give some thought to wildlife. Livestock grazing can be detrimental to deer and elk if it removes feed they would otherwise use in winter. You should avoid open south-facing slopes of grass and shrubs at low elevations. In late summer, the grass on north and east slopes will be better, and yet worthless to wildlife in winter."
With its comprehensive coverage of all topics related to horse packing, presented in a very succinct and enjoyable style, and its unmistakable respect for, and experience with, nature--"Your first obligation is to your animals. The integrity of the wilderness runs a close second, and your personal comfort a distant third"--this is not only the best book on the subject, but a darn good book!!
