Otago pack saddle
Rideable pack saddle devised in 1863 to prevent animal injuries.
The Otago pack saddle, which would later be called the British universal pack saddle, was invented in 1863 by Harvey Spiller in Otago, New Zealand. Spiller designed it to stop horses from suffering severe injuries under heavy loads. The saddle was later refined and taken up by the Commissariat Transport Corps for military use during the New Zealand wars from 1863 to 1867 and the Abyssinian expedition of 1867–1868. It became a standard military pack saddle and was also popular with explorers. Besides horses, it worked well on mules and bullocks after adjustments.
The saddle spread the weight across the animal’s back and sides using two large cushioning pads. Each pad was fixed to a side bar, and the bars were connected over the animal by metal arches at the pommel and cantle of the seat. A breastplate, breeching, and two girths held the saddle in place. Large metal hooks on the arches made it easy to secure ropes or straps for loading and unloading. Stirrups could be added since the saddle was rideable to some extent. Stripped of extras, it weighed between 25 and 27 pounds (11.34 to 12.25 kg), and often reached 43 pounds (19.5 kg).
By 1870, a variation called the Royal Carriage Department pattern had been developed for hospital and ambulance work. It carried field panniers, letters, and cacolets, and included breeching, a breast collar, a crupper with strap, two web girths, a pair of saddle panels, four breeching or breast straps, two crupper straps, and a wantie. This version weighed 63 pounds (28.6 kg).
Harvey Spiller was born in Kensington on 17 November 1840. He served as a second lieutenant in the newly formed Northumberland Artillery from June 1859. After his father, Lieutenant Colonel George Spiller of the Royal Artillery, died in 1861, Harvey and his brother sailed from Plymouth, Devon, to New Zealand. They arrived at Port Chalmers on the *Black Swan* during the Otago gold rush in June 1862. Spiller later recalled that in 1863 he was living far upcountry in Otago and doing a great deal of packing. He used common Cape pattern saddles, the same type issued to imperial troops. The lack of ventilation and constant friction from the pads closing under the load quickly ruined every horse he had. He tried modifying a riding saddle and kept making changes until he got what he wanted. The idea came from a knapsack his father had invented in 1861. Spiller wo
- inventor
- Harvey Spiller
- year_devised
- 1863
- place_of_origin
- Otago, New Zealand
- field
- Military equipment / pack saddles
- known_for
- Preventing back injuries to pack animals; adopted by British military for campaigns in New Zealand and Abyssinia
Lore & Background
Harvey Spiller, born at Kensington on 17 November 1840, had served as a 2nd lieutenant of the Northumberland Artillery from June 1859. After his father's death in 1861, he and his brother shipped out from Plymouth for New Zealand, arriving at Port Chalmers on the Black Swan amid the Otago gold rush in June 1862. Spiller recalled in 1869 that in 1863 he was living up country in Otago and doing much packing, but the common Cape pattern saddles caused constant friction and rendered every animal useless. He worked on a new design, inspired by a knapsack invented by his father in 1861, until he realized his conception of what a pack saddle ought to be.
During the Waikato campaign, Spiller took a commission as a lieutenant of the 3rd Waikato Regiment from 19 October 1863 and was later attached to the Commissariat Transport Corps under Assistant Commissary General James Bailey. Trials of Spiller's pack saddle proved it a vast improvement, and Lieutenant General Duncan Cameron accepted it for use. Manufactured by J & A Wiseman in Auckland, branded 'CTC', the saddles played their part throughout the campaign. Deputy Commissary General Edward Strickland commented in 1865 that the saddle was the best he knew, noting that not a horse had been hurt by it.
After the war, Bailey supplied a sample Otago pack saddle to the War Office in England in March 1866, where it underwent trials at Aldershot and Woolwich. The Ordnance Select Committee sealed the Otago pattern for general commissariat purposes on 9 July. During the Abyssinian Expedition of 1867–68, concerns over pack saddles led to an inspection at Woolwich on 10 September 1867, where Bailey concluded from his personal experience that the Otago saddle could be carried with very little injury to animals' backs.
Reader's Guide
The Otago pack saddle represents a significant innovation in military logistics and animal welfare during the mid-19th century. Its design—two large cushioning pads fixed to side bars bridged by metal arches—spread the load weight on the animal's back and sides, preventing the ruinous injuries common with earlier patterns like the Cape saddle. The saddle's adoption by the Commissariat Transport Corps during the New Zealand wars of 1863–1867 and later for the Abyssinian expedition of 1867–1868 demonstrates its practical value in rugged terrain. Its versatility extended beyond horses to mules and bullocks when adapted, and it was also used for hospital and ambulance purposes in a Royal Carriage Department pattern by 1870. The saddle's acceptance by senior military figures, including General Sir D. Cameron and General Sir T. Chute, and its eventual sealing by the Ordnance Select Committee for general commissariat use, underscore its impact on British military transport. The saddle's legacy lies in its contribution to reducing animal suffering and improving the efficiency of pack transport in colonial campaigns.
Did You Know?
- The Otago pack saddle was devised by Harvey Spiller in Otago, New Zealand, in 1863.
- It was adopted for military use by the Commissariat Transport Corps during the New Zealand wars of 1863–1867 and the Abyssinian expedition of 1867–1868.
- The saddle weighed 25–27 lb (11.34–12.25 kg) stripped, and often as much as 43 lb (19.5 kg).
- A variation, the Royal Carriage Department pattern, was devised by 1870 for hospital and ambulance purposes, weighing 63 lbs (28.6 kg).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the Otago pack saddle and when?
Harvey Spiller devised the saddle in 1863 while working in Otago, New Zealand. His goal was to create a design that would protect pack animals from the severe injuries caused by carrying heavy loads.
What problem was the Otago pack saddle designed to solve?
Spiller's design distributed the weight of a load more evenly across the animal's back, preventing the kind of serious spinal and back injuries that horses typically suffered under heavy pack loads.
Did the British military adopt the Otago pack saddle?
Yes — the Commissariat Transport Corps put it into service during the New Zealand wars of the 1860s and again during the Abyssinian expedition of 1867–1868. It went on to become the standard British universal pack saddle.
Could the Otago pack saddle be used on animals other than horses?
With minor adjustments, the saddle proved effective on mules and even bullocks, making it versatile for a range of pack animals.
Why is the Otago pack saddle considered a notable New Zealand invention?
It originated from a practical problem identified by a local inventor and went on to become a standard piece of military equipment used across British campaigns. Its adoption by both the military and explorers gave a small Otago workshop design a genuinely international legacy.
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