If I had know that llama carting would be so fun, I would have started 15 years ago! The sheer pride and pleasure of a cruise down the road on a sunny day is incomparable to anything else in my book! I have been carting for almost two years now. My friend Janet Boyhan and I have enjoyed many adventures in the last year. Last fall we ventured over to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. While there we went downtown for coffee and then the following day went for lunch in Roche Harbor. When the Christmas season got closer we made a trip to Fairhaven Washington. After decorating our carts and llamas with bells and even reindeer antlers, we went downtown. While there (still looking for coffee) we visited with people on the streets and handed out candy canes. Many a person came out of stores or slowed in their cars to tell us how we had made their day! This was so much fun, we headed to La Conner Washington within the next week. Prior to coming, we made arrangements with the town to assure that we would be okay with city codes and ordinances. Again we decked the llamas and carts out and off we went to create more holiday cheer. About half way through our day we became hungry and decided to have lunch at a cafe downtown. I tied Eagle (my cart llama) up to a stop sign and Janet tied her llama Minstrel to a bikerack in front of one of the cafe's windows. While eating lunch the people inside laughed as the two llamas kept looking in the cafe windows. All in all we were quite the spectical!

Along the way we have learned and found things:

1. You need to make sure you are consistent in your training.

2. You can not expect to have a truly great llama without working with it. There is no replacement for time!

3. Just because an animal is big does not mean it will be the best cart llama. Some of the countries best cart llamas have been ones that are medium sized.

4. Attitude is everything! Yes, you can make a llama pull a cart, but if he does not want to do it.... By using an animal that likes to get out and has a willing attitude it will mean the difference between chasing them and or having them waiting at the gate to go. If the llama is not willing to change his gate, it will take a long time to get down the road.

5. Not everyone is a trainer! In the horse world, most people pay someone to train their horses. If you don't have the ability to train, it's okay. There are many reputable trainers who will help you get the cart llama you have always dreaned of! Spend the extra money and make a purchase of an animal that will be a joy to drive.

6. Don't buy the equipment until you know for sure you are serious. We have assisted in the sale of many used harnesses and carts for people.

7. Select animal that is conformationally sound and athletic. An animal that is not sound, will not be comfortable going out for long drives, assuming you want to do extended driving.

8. Talk to all the people you can that drive and see what sort of information and advice they have. So few people drive (given how many llamas there are in the U.S.), talk to the people who really do and gather all the information you can.

9. Once you are driving, be careful who you give rides to or make sure you have good insurance. We all hope we never have an accident, but things do happen and you don't want to put yourself in a liability situation.

10. Carting is VERY addictive! So if you don't have a lot of time, beware!!!

Printed in April 1999 Llama Link Magazine
Web Site:JNK Llamas
Email Niki: jnkllamas@nas.com
Copyright © 1999 Niki Anderson Kuklenski .