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  • From: Shirley Roberts <shul02@hotmail.com>
  • To: MSAR -Riders <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Proving rider and horse skills to qualify for a MSAR team
  • Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:46:52 -0600

Irv,
As always, thanks so much for responding to my email.  I will keep these things in mind as we continue to develop a good, qualified MSAR team.
Shirley in Texas
 

From: ilichten1@verizon.net
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:07:57 -0500
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Proving rider and horse skills to qualify for a MSAR team

If you are going to have some kind of entrance exam you will have to be fully organized, and insured.  Most riding accidents happen at entrance exams and candidates will not be members covered by workman’s comp until after you accept them as members.  If you do not have emergency services insurance coverage this would be considered a qualifier show and you have obligations to the participants. In any case you should have a medical response on site if any demonstration of skills is going to be done by persons or horses.

 

As to what skills you want your members to have before joining you will have to decide. There are guides available from the ASTM (www.astm.org), other MSAR groups, even some state agency endorsed skills sets.  What you have to decide as an organization is whether you want to teach riding or teach searching.  If you want to teach searching and not riding or stock handling you must state the level of horsemanship you want for an entry level rider, what level of driving skill for a trailer/horse van driver, etc.

 

These skills must be described objectively and written in a manner where evaluation is objective (cut and dried). EX:  The rider is to demonstrate tacking the horse with (or without) assistance in 30 minutes, including cleaning or grooming the saddle pad area of the horse’s back and placing all field equipment or equivalent weight saddle bags on the horse. The driver is to be able to park his van or combination (trailer and power unit), in a marked space with the aid of a spotter during backing, in 15 minutes.

The rider shall present proof of ownership and veterinary records of the mount to be used at the time of the entrance exam. The driver shall produce registration, insurance, and drivers license, proper inspection records, and such paperwork as may be required by law for the weight and type of vehicle to be used.

 

I would avoid specifying a type or style of tack, shoes, or any other “horse furniture” beyond that it fit properly.  Same for riding clothes, except a helmet is highly recommended.  Whether they wear paddock shoes, cavalry boots, or western style does not affect how they search but may have an effect on safety if not properly sized or cared for.  If you are going to require a vest be ready to supply one for the candidate to try on and adjust their style to, and the horse to see.

 

Lastly, avoid copying somebody else’s test. The terrain and weather you will be operating in most often should guide you.  If you have mountains you need steep grade and narrow trail capabilities.  If you will be working open flat territory you need a different skill set. Being in Austin you should have available to you law enforcement personnel with horse skills to help define what is needed.

 

Irv Lichtenstein   

 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Shirley Roberts
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 4:06 PM
To: MSAR -Riders
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Proving rider and horse skills to qualify for a MSAR team

 

Joseph,
We will be near Austin, Tx.
Shirley
 


From: jchuston@earthlink.net
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:17:28 -0600
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Proving rider and horse skills to qualify for a MSAR team




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