Tag Archives: demo

How to tie a Double Diamond Knot and Horse Packing Q&A

October 14, 2016 - posted by Rose Marion

We were privileged to have Travis Sparks come by and do a packing demo the other day. Hunting is a totally different experience with horses. One hunter told me his story about finally getting his deer right at the end of the day, and was dreading the hike back uphill to the truck. Luckily some horse packers saw him, came down, and helped him quarter & pack out the deer. He would have been out there way past sunset without their help!

Packing isn’t just about packing out quarters. Your mule or horse might have tent poles, a shovel, lawn chairs, your bedroll, coolers, cooking supplies, or feed on his back. When you throw in antlers into the mix, packing turns into a real art & skill developed through practice.

Travis is a member of the Back Country Horsemen of Utah & does a lot of packing himself. He gave us a detailed demonstration of the Double Diamond hitch, and answered several questions about packing.

Watch Horse Packing Tips & Knot How-To

I split Travis’s presentation into two videos for you. First, you can see exactly how to do the Double Diamond knot on our trusted cavalry horse. This is a great hitch for top packing. Then, sit back and listen to Travis’s question & answer session about packing elk antlers, using a pack scale to balance your load, using soft packs vs hard packs, and tightening a cinch.

Packing with a Double Diamond knot. Thanks to Troy Higgs for this picture!

Watch: How to tie a Double Diamond Knot

Use a 45-foot rope to make this hitch, which starts out similar to the box hitch. Make sure and pull the rope tight.

Watch: Horse Packing for Hunting Q&A

Where to get those Pack Bags

Smith & Edwards pack bags for hunting on horseback

We make the pack bags shown in Travis’s demo, these are the #663 designed for coolers. We also make a narrower bag without flaps, #1665, and #1666 with flaps.

Of course I’ve got to mention that we proudly make those bearcloth packs you saw in the video, and you can get them right here on our online store. Read about our Tack Workshop in our Ogden store.

Do you have questions about horse packing that Marty or Travis can answer for you? Let us know in the comments below!

Travis’s Tips for Packing

Check your cinch after moving your animal – always make sure it’s tight!
Your goal is to make everything into a single package that moves together, without a pivot point
Keep your horse safe from antlers: make sure the rack moves along with the pack bags. Try not using a stick or a branch to elevate the horns, because they don’t ride well.
Keep the center of gravity low
Keep in mind what will hit a branch first: your pack bags or antlers?
Don’t take shortcuts, don’t get in a hurry – pack it right.
Rule of thumb, pack 15% of an animal’s weight. So for a 1000 pound animal, aim for 150-160 pounds split over the two sides.

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Dyson Vacuum Demo: Animal Complete DC41

November 2, 2013 - posted by Rose Marion

If you came in the store today, between 11:00-3:00, you could’ve gotten a great deal on Dyson Vacuums! We had special pricing on Dyson vacuums and you could even try out a Dyson yourself at our Dyson vacuum demo.

Want to hear about all our in-store demos and giveaway? LIKE us on Facebook, and sign up for In-Store Offers for our best deals at our store in Ogden, Utah!

Today we had Mike and Eugene from Dyson drop by Smith & Edwards to demonstrate the DC41 Animal Complete vacuum. This is a beast!

Plus, not only could you try the vacuum out, vacuuming up confetti, metal shavings, dust, and fluff, but we also had great deals on Dysons during the demo – saving you $200 or more on certain models!

Dyson DC41 Animal Complete Vacuum available at Smith & Edwards

Dyson vacuums are amazing because they never lose suction! Just watch.

Uh oh….

Someone’s breaking out the confetti…!

By the way, check out the angle Mike’s getting thanks to the Dyson ball –

Works on carpet…

Vacuuming confetti on hard surfaces with DC41

Then because of the unique Dyson active base plate, you can switch to vacuuming on hard surfaces like tile without losing suction.

The Dyson active base plate on this vacuum self-adjusts to carpet and hard surfaces, so you won’t lose suction as you vacuum across your home.

Confetti in Dyson canister at Smith and Edwards

Confetti in the Dyson DC41 canister

Excellent for Allergies and Pets

The Dyson Animal Complete is simple – there are no bags or filters to replace, and you can empty the canister in just a push of a button.

And if someone in your family has allergies – or you just have a lot of pets to clean up after – you’ll love how many allergen particles, pollen, and dust Dyson vacuums can capture. Plus, your Dyson vacuum will retain the dust it sucks up too, instead of venting it back into your rooms!

The Attachments Really Make this Vacuum Stand Out

The Animal Complete DC41, the model Mike demonstrated, comes with a bunch of cool attachments in a case.

If you or your family have long hair (like me) or lots of pets, you know the chore of cutting hair & fur out of the vacuum base. But check out this extension – it won’t get clogged:

Tangle Free Hair Tool on Dyson Animal Complete

This tangle-free hair tool rotates in opposite directions, so instead of getting stuck, hair and string go…

Hair didn't get tangled in the Dyson brush

…directly into the canister!

The wand extends to 16 feet, so you can clean your ceiling fans with your feet on the ground – no chairs or stools to climb on to dust your fans.

Use the angle brush to clean your ceiling fans!

Use this extension to dust surfaces.

Crevice Tool

Great internal filter for lifetime use.

Like us, Dyson will give you great customer support

And one more thing about Dyson vacuums: They put a 1-800 number on the vacuum handle, and you can call about anything – whether your vacuum’s working great or needs some help. They’ll recommend the attachments you should use and how to best clean your home’s carpet and floors.

Plus, when you register your new vacuum, you can give them your email address and they’ll send you reminders on when to rinse your filter (the recommendation is to wash your filter every 3 months).

Dyson’s 1-800 help number is on the vaccum handle.

Thanks Mike and Eugene for coming by and showing us the Dyson Animal Complete DC41! We’ve got a great selection of Dyson vacuums here for you to check out at Smith & Edwards. Come on out and see us just off I-15 at exit 351 and take home a new vacuum today.

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Western Department Hosts a Horse Packing Clinic

August 17, 2013 - posted by Rose Marion

Today we had a great in-store demonstration in our Western Department at Smith & Edwards. Duane LeRoy and his son Scott LeRoy came to give us a Pack Clinic. Duane and Leroy know all about packing horses and trail riding because they love trail riding – and they’re members of the Back Country Horsemen of Utah. (Check their group out on Facebook)

Duane and Scott shared their knowledge and expertise about packing horses for trail riding, and demonstrated some of the great systems you can use to pack food, water, and supplies while you’re out riding on a trail.

Several people were here to get knowledge out of the hour-long horse packing demonstration, and there was time to ask questions and trade stories after the demonstration.

Packing with Horses for Trail Riding

Duane and Scott had been up at Ben Lomond just yesterday to support folks on the trail. Then this morning, there was the Skyline Mountain Marathon! Up in the pines, it’s much cooler than down here, but it still got hot. They were able to pack in 20 gallons of water, with dry ice to keep it cool, on each horse using this system!

Adding a bag to our packhorse at Smith & Edwards

Scott adds a bag to our packhorse.

Scott LeRoy telling us about the rope, bags, and coolers you can use for horse packing and trail riding here at Smith and Edwards

Scott LeRoy telling us about the rope, bags, and coolers you can use for trail riding.

You can hold one 10-gallon cooler on each side of this canvas sling pack. Scott and LeRoy loaded theirs full of water bottles, but you can keep your favorite drinks and cold food in these coolers. Then make sure they stay cool by packing the coolers with ice or dry ice, depending on your level of adventure! Load up your top packs with food, supplies, and Easy Boots just in case. We’ve got all this gear in-store for your next adventure… waterbottles too!

All packed and ready to go!

We carry all the equipment to load your horse and have a nice day of trail riding. Marty and the folks in our Western Department in the northeast corner of Smith and Edwards will be happy to help you get all the gear you need – as well as tack and supplies. We know Western Tack because we use our gear ourselves! All our folks in our Western Department know and love horses, from trail riding to work to rodeo.

Did you know we make a lot of our Western Tack right here in the store? And if there’s a real special saddle or set of spurs you’ve got your eye on, we offer Layaway, too.

We’d love to have the Back Country Horsemen back here next year to demonstrate packing techniques again! Will we see you here? What do you like to use when you’re trail riding with your horse?

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