How to Make a Saddle Pack

Our pets go so many places with us that it would be handy to have them sport saddle packs to carry their treats, our sunblock and an extra bottle of water to share. Saddle bags have always been associated with horses and pack mules, but your best canine friend can be a big help and share an ever bigger part of your active life. This project uses fanny packs to create a saddle pack for a medium to large dog, but it could also be used to make saddle packs for horses or donkeys by utilizing packs that are in proportion to the animal's size.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil
  • Denim or other sturdy fabric, 2 yards
  • Scissors
  • Iron
  • Straight pins
  • Needles
  • Heavy-duty thread
  • 2 fanny packs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the girth of the animal with a tape measure and divide in half. The girth of the animal is just below the rib cage. Record measurement.

    • 2

      Lay fabric on a flat surface and mark fabric using a pencil according to the girth measurement taken. This will be the length of the saddle pack. Measure the width of the pre-made fanny packs, and add 2 inches for seam allowance. This will be the width of the saddle packs. Mark the denim fabric and cut fabric with scissors.

    • 3

      Fold over the edges on each side 1/4 inch. Press with an iron. Fold another 1/4 inch and hold in place with straight pins. Hem each side with a straight stitch and a needle and thread or a sewing machine. Remove straight pins when hem on each of the four sides is sewn.

    • 4

      Sew straps that will be used to attach fanny pack to saddle pack by cutting two strips of fabric the length of the girth, with a width of 5 inches. Fold the strips in half, right-side to right-side, and sew a seam either with needle and heavy duty thread or by sewing machine. Turn the straps right-side out. Divide each strap into two pieces, and cut so that there are four equal straps.

    • 5

      Attach one strap to each corner of the saddle pack by sewing it on the under side of the fabric. Sew with a needle and heavy duty thread or by sewing machine. Sew the ends of the straps by turning the open end inside and sewing small, overcast stitches. Tie off and cut thread. Sew all four strap ends.

    • 6

      Remove the straps from the pre-made fanny packs with scissors. Open the fanny packs and position them so that they hang right-side up and will sit comfortably on the animal's back. Pin inside the fanny packs with straight pins. Sew fanny packs in place onto the denim saddle pack with a needle and a heavy duty thread. Remove all straight pins.

    • 7

      Place the saddle pack on the animal's back in order to measure for the chest strap. Measure from the one side of the saddle pack where the chest strap will be attached, across the chest to the other side of the saddle pack where the chest strap will be attached. Add 2 inches for seam allowance. Record measurement.

    • 8

      Measure and mark the denim fabric for a chest strap that is 5 inches wide, with a length of the recorded chest measurement. Cut the chest strap. Fold the fabric right-side to right-side and sew a seam with a needle and thread or by sewing machine. Turn the fabric right-side out.

    • 9

      Attach chest strap to each side of the saddle pack. Chest strap should rest straight across the chest. Pin the chest strap in place on the wrong side of the saddle pack fabric using straight pins. Sew the chest strap in place with a needle and heavy duty thread or by sewing machine. Sew both sides of chest strap.

    • 10

      Slip saddle pack over animal's head and tie the straps under the animal's chest and belly.