Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Extended Search Solved.

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Extended Search Solved.
  • Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 20:44:24 -0600

Terry Nowacki wrote:
>I do not know of any MSAR group
>any where besides my group that has certification standards or training's
>that are similar to the air scenting dog test as described below.
>
>Certifying K9 Air Scenting Test
>Day search - 40 to 60 acres - one subject in [1 1/2] hours
>Night Search - 80 acres, one subject in three hours.
> Advanced day search -140 TO 160 acres locate two moving subjects in Five
>hours

*First hand*, I don't know any MSAR team that trains and uses
horses specifically for air scenting. But I do know MSAR
riders whose horses do notice people and large animals in the
vicinity, and who know to follow up on their horse's cues. At
MSARCO earlier this year (put on by Ian Vowles team) I almost
caught the mock search "subjects" early in the search because
my horse alerted on them. Rather than pursue the lead, I blew
my whistle and they ran away to hide as fast as they could go.
They told me this, afterward.

Now, Terry, does your test involve air scenting for any human
scent, or for a specific scent (ie, the test involves a scent
article and decoy persons in the field area)?


>Just think what a improvement it would be if each MSAR could
>cover ground similar to the above test.

It would be interesting to run some tests, just to see how
an average MSAR horse and rider perform without any special
training. I suspect horses used for hunting or gathering up
cattle might already be experts at playing the search game.

Una Smith
New Mexico




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page