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  • From: Terry Nowacki <wwfarm@wiktel.com>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Advanced Scent Detection Horses
  • Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 10:29:21 -0400

Advanced Scent Detection Horses

Since I have worked with many members of this list on beginning training
steps for scent detection. I thought some may be interested in reading
how some of my advance students are doing. See write up below.

TER


The Ultimate Scent Detection Demonstration

This spring I put on an Equine Sign Language/ Scent Detection Clinic for a
group horsemen
and natural horsemanship enthusiasts (mostly non-SAR personnel) at Tumbleweed
Stables
in southern Nebraska. (Tumbleweed Stables is a brand new, full service
training/boarding/
overnight boarding facility located near Sidney, Nebraska.) Participants for
the clinic included
three trailer loads of horses and people that came from northern Nebraska.
The participants
that came from northern Nebraska were members of the Ponderosa SAR INC.
Ponderosa
SAR offers a variety of search tools that include: ATVs, mounted, ground and
scent detection.
Ponderosa SAR are trailblazing and proving how great a combination of scent
detection tools
(dogs and horses) work together by doing public demonstrations in front of
law enforcement,
firemen, etc. They traveled from northern Nebraska to attend my clinic
because they knew
the value of information presented, since I have put on several clinics in
their area in the past.

After I concluded the second day of my two day clinic, the non SAR people of
the group were
intrigued by the idea of learning more about how Search and Rescue, equine
sign language and
equine scent detection all work together. Since the non-SAR people wanted to
learn more,
members of Ponderosa SAR said they would do a mock search. I was asked to
set up a
search scenario and without the search teams knowledge, I went out, placed
one person in an
ideal hiding spot and than found a great second location where I hid a
shirt in a washout ravine
(the shirt had been worn the night before by one of the non SAR clinic
participants). I then
found an ideal viewing point for the remainder of the group to observe the
search. The search
area's terrain was made up of approximately 75 acres of rolling hills and
grassland that was
intertwined with ravines. From our high viewing point, myself and other
observers were able
to view about 60% of the search teams' progress as it unfolded.

For this mock search Ponderosa SAR used four well trained K-9s and two
mounted searchers.
The four dogs and the two horses were trained, tested and certified by this
group in scent detection
for search and rescue. I enjoy watching good dogs and horses work and I have
the utmost
respect for SAR K-9s, so I knew I was about to witness a display that has
only ever been
viewed by a select few.

As they started their search, the mounted handlers set up and followed a
precision, quick-paced
search. They used a flexible grid that met the needs of the challenging,
rolling terrain and wind flow.
As the mounted searchers used human reasoning power to guide their unique
combination search
teams through the assigned area, it was nothing less than spectacular to see
the well trained scent
detection search tools (dogs and horses), each doing their jobs. The K-9s
were able to get in to
every nook, cranny, and washout where the horse could not easily reach, and
the horses were
using their long necks as a scent detecting probes to catch each wisp of high
flying illusive scent
that came their way. The mounted handlers had "the best seat in the house" to
observe their
dogs' indications and to observe, feel and hear their horses indications.
After the team had
searched approximately 30 acres, Gretchen, one of the mounted handlers called
in to our
observer group by radio and stated that Pepsi, her scent detection horse, was
using equine
sign language, giving an indication to Gretchen that the horse had picked up
on human scent
in their search area. After Gretchen radioed in, we all watched as Pepsi was
given his head
and set off on a mission, heading directly into the wind, over a hill and
found the first hidden
subject of the search. As Gretchen later reported, and we witnessed, the
distance from where
she first reported the indication to the hiding subject was about 500 feet up
and over a hill. The
search continued, after they covered about 65 acres of the search area,
Gretchen once again
called in by radio and reported that her horse Pepsi had given her another
indication. Once
again we watch as Gretchen and her horse Pepsi headed straight into the wind
a distance of
about 200 feet and found the well hidden shirt.

After the team came in our whole group critiqued the search. This combination
horse and dog
scent detection team had searched the rolling grass covered hills and ravines
area of approximately
75 acres in about 45 minutes with 100% detection. Gretchen told the group
that normally her
dogs do their share when it comes to scent detection, but since the
temperatures were about 80
degrees, they were unable pick be able to pick up long distance scent. All I
can say is it was a
mock search to remember, it was pure enjoyment to see both the dogs and
horses doing a great
job of covering the search area in record time. I wish all SAR personnel
including management
and law enforcement could witness this type of search.

Plans are in the process to bring me back (some where) to Nebraska next year,
if any SAR
personnel would like to participant or observe a mock search as described
above, please let me know.

If any one would like to contact Tumbleweed Stables or Ponderosa SAR INC.
please contact me
privately and I will relay contact information to you.

Terry Nowacki
Training Officer and Director for Marshall County Mounted Sheriff's Posse -
An 80 plus membership MSAR organization.
http://equinedetectionservices.com/clinics_&_training.htm





  • [MSAR] Advanced Scent Detection Horses, Terry Nowacki, 06/28/2006

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