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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Hello, MSAR bombproofing

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Hello, MSAR bombproofing
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:52:19 -0500

These clinics are sold as bombproofing or desensitizing or sometimes even “mounted training”.  What a MSAR rider has to have is a concept of partnership with the horse.

My mount of over 20 years still doesn’t like certain sights on the trail- plastic stackable lawn chairs (white against black) came up once.  Dead bodies, even deer, get him upset.  But it doesn’t stop the mission.  Your job is to detect clues—whether the subject went that way or proof that he didn’t.  It also requires you to get back alive to report in detail what you found or didn’t find.

A horse whose first reaction is to run/spook/spin/ buck when he sees something new is not useful on the real deal.  There may be some things you want him to be afraid of: shotgun blasts for instance, and others he should tolerate but be alert for: bicycles, vehicles, aircraft.  And lastly there should be those things that should scare both of you: men with guns pointed at you, loose dogs/wolves/coyotes, normally nocturnal animals about during the day.

This will vary with the horse and rider but you must be able to communicate with your mount, there should be mutual trust, and you mount should have enough brains left to protect himself and you.  Too many times owners want their horse despooked for a nice pleasant ride in the park.  Buy an experienced hack horse, they even know when to turn around and come home.  Do this to your own bright, alert mount and you teach him that it is all right to be eaten by that loose dog coming up behind.

 

Most of the clinicians who work this area are ex-mounted city police desensers who think the best horse is one that will look down the muzzle of a gun and charge.  Personally, there is one thing I am afraid of, poachers.  They shoot deer for meat and sale and face some really stiff penalties for getting caught.  If I am in a park after dark and guns start going off, I am out of there as fast as my mount can carry me. 

 

Read the concept papers concerning partnering with your mount in the archives.

 

Irv Lichtenstein

SE PA SAR

 

 

 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of T'mi Finkle
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 9:20 PM
To: 'Mounted search and rescue'
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Hello, MSAR

 

Chris, I agree 100% with you about the terminology. Words such as bomb proofing and desensitizing are used by equine clinicians to promote their clinics, which can be confusing and/or sometimes misleading to the average rider.

 

T’mi    

TROTSAR

 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pennbo@verizon.net
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 9:09 PM
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Hello, MSAR

 

Interesting discussion. However I wouldn't call it desensitized- as that usually means doesn't react at all. Instead I think a better terminology would be to say they are experienced or trained to accept varying situations. Mine aren't desensitized-  they DO react to different stimuli- but in an acceptable manner as reinforced by me during their training. :-)

Chris




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