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msar-riders - RE: [MSAR] Train SAR first, or evaluate riding first?

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "Ian Vowles" <Ian@modric.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [MSAR] Train SAR first, or evaluate riding first?
  • Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 23:54:09 -0600

Somewhat late to the debate but a few more pennies worth -

Originally we worried about horsemanship / ability first then SAR skills
- very quickly we learned that for us SAR skills were critical and had a
direct impact on call outs / local respect etc . The horse part was easy
- we train every month in the field, BEFORE you can become a member you
have to ride with us for 6 months - if you or your horse are not up to
it there are only a couple of choices , a) cease to be a MSAR person and
join our support (non horse) team b) go play elsewhere. We do NOT
teach horsemanship or riding - these have to be basic and already in
place , either you and horse measure up and fit in or not.

We spend much more time on SAR skills as these are critical - the best
rider is useless if they have no idea how to search !!

Although our system is informal it is pretty ruthless - if you or your
horse do not fit in frankly we don't want the worry of you being around
!! However we have had / do have some fantastic folks who don't even
own a horse - without them we would not have an ace support team !!

So - for us , SAR skills are critical and the almost total focus -
probably reflects in our call out numbers - we have not missed a call
out of any kind for SAR in over 4 years !! Of course many times the
horses stay home !

Absolutely agree with Una - SAR skills first ! - we are evaluating MSAR
standards now that we may adopt more for liability issues than actual
tests. ALL field deployable members are minimum SARTECH II (NASAR) and
support SARTECH III - many are also ICS qualified and Amateur radio
licensed.

Ian

Colorado Mounted Rescue
400 Ranch Place
Pagosa Springs
Colorado 81147

Tel : 970-731-4062

http://www.mountedrescue.com




-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Una Smith
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 8:35 PM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: [MSAR] Train SAR first, or evaluate riding first?


Barbara Sly wrote:
>3) How many other mounted teams do all the training first as opposed to
>rider/horse evaluation first...could we take a survey?

We don't fail anyone on horsemanship, but on the other hand we do assess
them and if they don't pass muster they do not get called out for SAR
missions and other tasks on horseback. We do have formal written horse
and rider standards (not suitable for a national standard :-) and we do
explicitly test to those standards.

We do not currently require our members to obtain basic SAR training
and/or certification but if it my decision we would so require; I think
this is a more important requirement for a SAR volunteer. A trained SAR
volunteer on the ground is of
greater value to us than an otherwise expert horse and rider pair who
are ignorant of basic SAR skills.

Safety comes first. Unfortunately, because we do not put an emphasis on
training for SAR, many of our current members are not mission ready for
transient reasons: horse pregnant, too young/old, injured, too hot, too
poorly trained, or the rider is not up to riding the horse for any
number of reasons. My own excuse at this time is that my baby is only
10 weeks old (and doing fine!), but at least I do have the SAR training
to continue to be of value to my unit in various ways apart from
searching in the field. I am not up for a spur-of-the-moment SAR
mission, but I have managed a 6.5 hour planned ride (12 hours away from
the baby).

Anyway, in short: I vote for train SAR first, evaluate riding later.
(But allow riding on SAR missions only after passing a riding
evaluation.)

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