Post-trip care for pack animals is as important as care during the trip, and the recovery period immediately following a packing trip determines how quickly animals return to full soundness and how they hold up over a season of repeated use.
Immediately upon return to camp or the trailhead, unsaddle and remove all equipment, then conduct a thorough examination of the entire back surface, checking carefully for heat, swelling, hair rubs, or early sore development. Any areas of concern should be treated immediately — cold water hosing for heat and swelling, topical treatment for skin abrasions — rather than waiting to see if they resolve on their own.
Feed and water should be offered according to the animal's state — a hot, tired animal should be walked until cool before being offered large amounts of feed or water, and electrolytes may be appropriate for animals that have been working in heat. Turnout in a comfortable pasture where the animal can graze, roll, and move freely is the best recovery environment. Animals returning from longer trips should receive veterinary assessment and bodywork from an equine physiotherapist as a standard part of post-season care.