What you have to appreciate here is that the best of the best has two packs, called panniers, on each side. This is an ideal pack for backcountry camping (Hey, I could.) and will carry the kitchen sink. Top packs are about half the size of the bottom packs. Bottom packs roll up leaving the smaller, top packs for day-hike use. Pretty cool. So what you see on Bucky here is the rolled up version. This means--if you can picture this--the full pack would be down to his knees! When selecting this pack online I didn't take into consideration that it was modeled by a full-grown llama. Bucky has some growing to do and won't max out until he's about 5 years old. You can see fully loaded packs on two adult llamas in the upper left corner at www.llamahardware.com and some neat photos of llama activities at www.llamahardware.com/AAphotos.htm. |
Chapter 8: Pack Training Finally comes the day my new pack gear arrives. This is not a cheap investment. I must have the best of the best because I only want to do this once. I was able to do this without breaking the bank because www.llamahardware.com, I discovered, occasionally has used equipment for sale. Such a deal I got and you'd never know the pack was ever used. So begins a new episode and I'm very anxious to begin the pack training. Husband Bob actually made me a long-handled hook tool to use in reaching across Bucky's belly for the cinch straps until Bucky trusts that I'm not going to steal any of his little boy-parts in the process. Harder was the task of getting the saddle on correctly than Bucky's acceptance. He stood there like a trooper. |
Chapter 2: The Naming Game Bucky is a wry face. Wry face is a genetic facial deformity. Due to the deformity it is suspect that Bucky is a product of a brother-sister breeding. While his previous owner had both parents, their parentage histories are unknown. You can read about the wry face condition here http://www.nas.com/~inkllamas/conformation.htm where you will also discover from the photos that Bucky is fortunate to have a relatively mild condition. One always needs to rename critters to make them one's own and my husband and I were in agreement that he should have a name reflecting his distinct characteristic. We toyed with Rocky for a day but soon decided that the name Bucky was quite suitable. Bucky Berk just has a good ring with me. And look at the great nicknames I can use: Buckaroo, Buckster, and Buckyllama. |
The poop on this page was
last scooped on: 11/5/08
Page design, photos, and written content by Gail Berk. Wallpaper: Bucky 's fleece. Materials credit: Mandy Steward. © Gail Berk 2008. All rights reserved. |
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Introduction Bucky, a two year old intact male llama, was given to me by a client who had to make an unexpected lifestyle change and could no longer maintain a farm. Not that we have a farm but I do know people in high places. Our friends Tammie and Lester have welcomed Bucky's boarding on their farm. He now lives with 10 or so other llamas and other critters too many to mention. Well, it's a farm. The farm is only 3 miles away which affords me the opportunity to work with Bucky nearly every day. And then there's my entire family of course, rolling their eyes at yet another must-have critter for my unsatiated need to train things. For quite a number of years, pretty much the whole of twelve years living here in the California Central Valley farmland, I've wanted my own llama (or two, cuz they're like potato chips). Foremost is my desire to pack train him. For those out of the loop, llamas are beasts of burden and are most used to carry loaded packs as do mules. Second to that is to shear him, reacquaint myself with spinning, and knit me some Bucky stuff. Currently he's pretty matted so I may need more patience for the latter aspiration. But when that does come about I think I can expect a sweater to look pretty much like the background of this page because it so happens it's a photo of Bucky's very own fleece. And so we embark upon the story of Bucky, his training and other adventures. |
Chapter 1: The Acquisition I was informed that Bucky has had no training whatsoever. The transport from old farm to new farm was probably pretty traumatic for him since he'd never donned a halter, never led around by a human-on-a-rope, and never forced into a trailer, the likes of which he'd probably never even seen. But good news, none of the people involved were kicked or spat upon. |
Chapter 2: The Naming Game Bucky is a wry face. Wry face is a genetic facial deformity. Due to the deformity it is suspect that Bucky is a product of a brother-sister breeding. While his previous owner had both parents, their parentage histories are unknown. You can read about the wry face condition here http://www.nas.com/~inkllamas/conformation.htm where you will also discover from the photos that Bucky is fortunate to have a relatively mild condition. One always needs to rename critters to make them one's own and my husband and I were in agreement that he should have a name reflecting his distinct characteristic. We toyed with Rocky for a day but soon decided that the name Bucky was quite suitable. Bucky Berk just has a good ring with me. And look at the great nicknames I can use: Buckaroo, Buckster, and Buckyllama. |
Chapter 3: Llamas Kush It's how llamas lie down. They travel this way as well so it makes a van a convenient transport. Here was the first I'd seen my Bucky do this. He must be comfortable with his surroundings now. And here's a llama perk. They don't eliminate while they are traveling in a vehicle. Seriously. |
Chapter 4: Training Starts Here Bucky has had no training or handling to speak of so it's the handling that begins the training process. At first it's just an approach, no touching. After only two weeks here he's only just starting to realize I am the face he's going to see nearly every day for the rest of his life. A trust must develop. This is much more difficult to establish with an older llama...an adolescent even. The background used for this layout is Tammie and Lester's farm where Bucky is boarding. And okay, I don't wear flattering clothing when working on the farm. |
Chapter 5: Lead Training Now that Bucky is allowing me to touch him I think the next step is going to be lead training. He's already wearing a halter from the day of transfer so I think attaching a lead is less invasive than halter training for now. At first he did buck around a little bit (photographer husband didn't capture this) but settled right down as soon as he realized nothing bad was going to happen to him. The rewards of patience are priceless. |
Chapter 6: Halter Training I bought Bucky his very own spiffy new halter so let the halter training begin. I can't really say there was much training involved at all because he took to this like a duck to water...or nearly so. I was shocked at how easily I was able to remove the borrowed one and put on his new one. Pretty much a done deal. From the get-go he dunked his head right into place. He was even tolerant of the new halter adjustments necessary to make it fit properly. I practiced the on-again, off-again several times in one session until I was convinced I would have no trouble in the future. Only then could the halter be removed altogether when he wasn't training or working. Wearing a halter full time presents a potential hazard of catching on something in the pasture. We were all glad when we could let Bucky run naked once again. |
Chapter 7: Towel Training I have not purchased a pack yet and cannot locate one to borrow to start Bucky's pack training so decided that a towel would be a baby step in the meantime. This went well. He only freaked once when the breeze caught it and flapped his side a little bit. The lead training is coming along nicely, not balking at obstacles. And the rewards are tenfold. Looks like we're on our way folks. Am I getting ahead of myself by hoping for a hike in the hills by the end of the summer? |
Chapter 8: Pack Training Finally comes the day my new pack gear arrives. This is not a cheap investment. I must have the best of the best because I only want to do this once. I was able to do this without breaking the bank because www.llamahardware.com, I discovered, occasionally has used equipment for sale. Such a deal I got and you'd never know the pack was ever used. So begins a new episode and I'm very anxious to begin the pack training. Husband Bob actually made me a long-handled hook tool to use in reaching across Bucky's belly for the cinch straps until Bucky trusts that I'm not going to steal any of his little boy-parts in the process. Harder was the task of getting the saddle on correctly than Bucky's acceptance. He stood there like a trooper. |
What you have to appreciate here is that the best of the best has two packs, called panniers, on each side. This is an ideal pack for backcountry camping (Hey, I could.) and will carry the kitchen sink. Top packs are about half the size of the bottom packs. Bottom packs roll up leaving the smaller, top packs for day-hike use. Pretty cool. So what you see on Bucky here is the rolled up version. This means--if you can picture this--the full pack would be down to his knees! When selecting this pack online I didn't take into consideration that it was modeled by a full-grown llama. Bucky has some growing to do and won't max out until he's about 5 years old. You can see fully loaded packs on two adult llamas in the upper left corner at www.llamahardware.com and some neat photos of llama activities at www.llamahardware.com/AAphotos.htm. |
Chapter 10: The First Walkabout This is a first for the both of us and I had no idea what to expect. There was no "cameraman" to accompany me so you'll just have to deal with your minds eye. I wanted Bucky's first experience (and mine) to be accompanied by Tammie and another llama but this just wasn't an option and I didn't want to hold up Bucky's training. Remember, I'm heading for the hills by the end of summer. Bucky was saddled and we proceeded through the gate and on out of his pasture for the first time. So far, so good. Though I was leading I let him set the pace. He seemed to be enjoying himself: wary, curious, and in awe all at the same time. So we moseyed off of the property and on down the road a ways. We didn't get very far when a slight breeze stirred some unfamiliar trees which brought Bucky back to reality. He took a look behind and FA-REAKED OUT when he discovered there were no llamas behind him...or anywhere in sight! So this was a challenge to go all the way back with a bucking llama. Oh yeah, it's funny now. |
Chapter 9: Saddling Up We had a recent incident in our pack training endeavor. Nothing serious, just a training set back. It seems I did not secure one of the panniers to the saddle the second time around and, of course, Bucky chose this time to spook at the russle the pack makes as he walks. His hip-hop flung it onto the ground and he stood there proudly looking at the monkey he flung off his back. Ya gotta laugh. As you can see there are so many bells and whistles on this pack I am still figuring out what goes where on the saddle. I made a decision to take down the training a notch and just work with the saddle. I can see this is going to be more about honing my skills in this area than Bucky's. |
Cinching is tricky. I have to avoid a kick as well as place the cinches in the right spot on his underside. It would cause a HUGE setback in his training if I yanked his belly hair or cinched a little boy-part...or for me if I got kicked. So for now, we leave the panniers off and at a later date we'll learn the insignificance of the russling panniers. I seriously have to figure out how I'm going to give this guy a haircut. |
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