What should you do to help your renter and your llamas - have the best packing experience?
, Rental Page, Rental sources
Renting a llama to a non-llama person can be a little unnerving, but renting one to a someone who has little to no experience with large animal can be dangerous- - to both the llama and the person. Precautions you take will help eliminate the potential problems. Pre-planning and precautions on your part will greatly help assure a pleasant experience on the part of the renter and your animals.
1. Make sure that any llama they take out is an experienced packer.
That means he/she has been on several trips. It means that he has shown that he can produce, work with people, and will likely be a successful packer for a new person to llamas.
2. Make sure any llama that you rent is in good condition.
EVERY llama that is rented off your place should have been give walks and experiences the year of his rental to condition his back, muscles, and to remind him of obstacles, loading, and other tasks. No animal should be considered for rental that has not been on a couple trips (even overnighters) that year. Make sure he is a good example of what we perceive pack llamas to be.
Pack llamas and renters get bad publicity when someone rents llamas and that can't or won't perform. When we read in the WTA Signpost of llamas lying down and ruining a planned trip, it does us no good. We hear some stories of people buying or renting llamas that turn out to be non-packers which turns people off to llama packing. They got the wrong animal from the wrong people. It is our job to try to counter-act that type of bad publicity.
3. Make sure you provide the best equipment you can.
Don't skimp on your packs and panniers. Whatever other equipment you include or rent, make sure it is in great shape and will be dependable. If it includes tents or stoves, make sure they are in perfect working condition. The stuff should be clean and of professional quality.
4. Make sure your renters have a good idea how to halter, saddle, feed, and care for your llamas.
Provide them knowledge, maybe even a handout telling them of possible hazards and problems and what their response should be. Check out Rudy Stauffer's Llama Packng with Rudy and Wes Holmquist's booklet, Introduction to Llama Packing. another booklet is available for $5 from Jack Bennet.
You may want to hold a short training class of a couple hours for people who have never handled llamas, charging a minimal fee that covers your time without discouraging people from taking it.
5. Go over their plans with them.
Make sure there is reality in their plans, that your animals can fulfill their expectations. Give advice about where they can or cannot go. If areas are close or need permits, advise them.
6. Do whatever you can to ensure they have a successful and wonderful time.
You are seeking to have people make referrals for others to experience the same great trips. You may find that they will write an article, giving you additional publicity, and you will want to make sure that the experience will turn others on to llama packing.