Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - [MSAR] Re: Ready Packs

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>
  • To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [MSAR] Re: Ready Packs
  • Date: Wed Feb 12 10:58:01 2003

Una Smith <una@lanl.gov> wrote:
>> Pet peeve: MSAR volunteers who *have* 24hr packs, yet choose to
>> leave them back in the vehicle.

Pennington-Boggio's <pennbo@bbv.net> (Chris) wrote:
>This brings up a point I'd like to discuss here! <G> We have Ready Packs
>- all packed and ready to go. The county wanted us to have them in
>actual backpack style rather than in saddle bag/cantle bag style.
>Reasoning is good- if we are ever in a situation where we need to leave
>the horses and walk we'd need the packs on our backs. However the
>reality is somewhat unwieldy!

Do you mean each of you has a single pack intended to be worn on
your back, but you put it on the horse instead? And it sounds
large. What exactly is in it? I would wear it on my back, to
save the horse and to have it with me no matter what. Otherwise,
the gear should be divided into two parts of equal weight and if
possible also equal volume, and put in paired cantle or pommel
bags. I put heavy things (like several liters of water) on the
cantle. There, it is more stable and easier for the horse to
carry for hours. You might consider adding pack horses, one for
each pair of riders, but I would just carry gear on my own back.

>What do the rest of you use?

I wear a medium sized, frameless backpack with all my own gear.
A hip-belt doesn't work because riding softly involves extreme
freedom of motion in my lower back. On the saddle I tie a full-
length rain slicker and a pair of medium sized saddle bags.
So that they do not interfere with my backpack, the saddle bags
go on the pommel. The slicker goes on the cantle. For short
rides, or rides on or near roads, I may leave much of the gear
behind. In this case, either I wear only the backpack, or else
I leave it and put the saddle bags on the cantle. I always
have the slicker; one or two large, strong trash bags; a hoof
pick and knife; extra water; a cell phone and/or radio; and
first aid kit.

So, when I'm wearing my pack I can leave the saddle bags on
the horse. Otherwise, I can quickly take the bags off the horse
and sling them over my shoulder, clipping them together across
my torso. Not ideal for long-term use, but it serves.

Many people in my unit use only saddle bags and pockets in
their clothes. I tend to worry about others, so I carry more:
my complete gear includes a full set of extra warm clothing
and more food and water than I would need for 24hrs.

Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, New Mexico





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page