packhorse

A packhorse is a horse trained to carry loads for transportation in areas where roads or motor vehicles are impractical. Loads are typically carried in panniers or on a pack saddle, allowing the animal to travel along trails, passes, and river routes. Packhorses have been used for centuries in many regions, especially in Europe and Asia, to move ore, timber, salt, food, and agricultural goods before the advent of railways and modern roads.

Historically, pack routes connected villages and markets across mountainous and upland terrain. In Europe, packhorse networks were crucial during medieval and early modern periods, and many remnants—such as old trails and packhorse bridges—survive as cultural landmarks. Packhorses shared the load with other pack animals, including mules and donkeys, with the choice influenced by terrain, climate, and availability.

Equipment used with packhorses includes a pack saddle that distributes weight along the animal’s back and is fitted with panniers or crates on either side. Loads are balanced to prevent injury, and training emphasizes calm behavior, safe loading and unloading, and steady travel over uneven ground. Good halters, proper protection for the spine, and secure tying methods are common components of proper handling.

In contemporary contexts, packhorses are less common for commercial transport but remain in use in some remote areas, for trekking and ecotourism, or in heritage reenactments. Protected areas may regulate pack animal traffic to minimize trail erosion and disease transmission, and welfare considerations stress adequate nutrition, water, rest, and properly fitting equipment to prevent sores and lameness.

Packhorse bridges are narrow, arched crossings designed to accommodate packhorse traffic, and several examples persist as historical features in the countryside.