Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Is 17 h. too tall for most MSAR horses?

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Thor Burfine" <thor@cpcinc.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Is 17 h. too tall for most MSAR horses?
  • Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:55:34 -0500

I am 6'4" and I have an 18 hand thoroughbred that I have used in our area, coastal Texas, and found him to have an advantage on the flat
however I found my 14 hand quarter is much better for my sanity in the rough hills and heavy tree areas.
 
Most of the time if there are lots of trees I wind up on foot leading both through the brush or staking them out and
continuing on foot for a while.
 
As for multiple horses, I like to take two or three on each search. Most of the people on our team can also ride
and either don't have a trailer or a horse or did not take theirs, so I just let them ride the extras.
As for letting them rest, I try real hard to keep mine conditioned for at least 2 days of solid ride in rough terrain.
After that I will switch one out or go to ground for a day or two and let them rest.
 
As for trailering, All I have is a 30 ft Goose neck that, If I grease the sides of the horses, I can get nine into it.
 
I love that trailer and would not trade it for any other trailer. I have loaded 5 4-wheelers in without horses
I have had 2 4-wheelers and 2 horses in it at once. The worst part is when we get to an area and my rig is
too big to make the turns on the dirt roads, or in most cases will not clear the bridge or R/R tracks
due to the distance from wheels to coupler. That is where an open slot in a two or four horse comes in great.
 
There have been many times when I have had to unload my horses and put them into different trailers
just because I was either too long, or in most cases, I weighed too much for the wood bridges.
(Truck and trailer empty is 11,250 pounds).
 
As for stinging nettle...
I learned this by chance. I dust my horses legs and belly with a very light dusting sulfur to help keep the ticks at bay
and found that it helps with the nettle and mosquitoes also. Another thing I started packing is a can or two of meat tenderizer, mix with water to
make paste and it gets the nettle out of them and you.
 
 

------------------------------------
Thor Burfine
Texas Equusearch
Equine Team Leader
ATV Team Leader
www.texasequusearch.org

 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of ALLEN SNYDER
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 9:55 AM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: [MSAR] Is 17 h. too tall for most MSAR horses?

1.  I know I will hear many opinions, but I am wondering how tough it will be to get under branches and track from a horse this tall at the withers.  I adopted a 20 yr. old TB gelding who stands like a rock for me to get on and does not overreact to equipment, animals and has been sensible on the trails except he can be a little herd-bound if a buddy leaves the group.  I can work on herd-bound and trailer-loading issues, but I can't change his height .  I think his height could be an advantage at times, but want the thoughts of those who have been in the trenches. 
 
2.  I can use my daughter's big-bodied Connemara even though I am almost 6 feet tall if you recommend I train him instead.  At almost 15.3 or 15 hands, it is easier on my older knees to get on and off of him.  I can use one of those stirrup step helpers too.  3.  I also wondered how many of you haul 2 horses in case one needs rest or is injured?  Thanks for your input.  Dana Snyder, KS
 
PS Stinging nettles have been incredibly bad each fall in Kansas.  I have learned to use a hose with sprayer attachment to rinse off after each trail ride, then wash legs with mild shampoo and rinse again to get them off before the horse scratches his skin off.  Thinner-skinned breeds like TBs really suffer with this!



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page