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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Evacuation-Past hauling experience

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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] Evacuation-Past hauling experience
  • Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:27:16 -0400

I have been involved in two evacuations of boarding barns. In both cases the horses were rarely hauled because they were less than a ¼ mile from

public trails.  The easiest way to do it was:

  1. Get the biggest stock trailer you could.  We used a local dealer’s 8 horse bumper pulls and 16 horse goosenecks.
  2. Load paddock mates together. The horses were tuned out in groups of 8 to 12 on a daily basis and had established herds
  3. Load the trailers as tight as possible, leave no room for fighting or falling down.
  4. Load with confidence and convey calm to the horses.
  5. Move them as a group like they were being turned out. Make sure there are halters on.
  6. When you unload use a chute and just let them go into the new paddock or turnout which should have water and hay ready.
  7. Don’t worry about anything in transit except getting there safely. 
  8. No stops, no unloading every 4 hours, no food or water enroute is needed in most cases.
  9. Convoy, lights on.  On a long run have a “rescue” truck with fuel, extra tires, tools, and a mechanic
  10. Have spare tires and tools but only stop for flats or coupler failures. Anything else gets fixed at the end of the run.
  11. Use rope or webbing to safety doors and dividers.
  12. Keep track of which group went in which trailer and where they ended up. We don’t have brand inspection but the barn managers know their horses and knowing which bunch was in which new turnout was a starting point.  Writing numbers on their rumps like endurance horses also helps.

 

Make sure the route is known to every driver and navigator in case you have to split the convoy. If possible notify the authorities you are coming and check for traffic

bottlenecks. Have cash for tolls and fuel, not everybody takes credit cards or check cards.  Have a map and know how to use it.  Cell phones are nice but rural networks will overload if there is coverage at all and GPS doesn’t know about road closures. 

 

Irv Lichtenstein


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pennbo@verizon.net
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2011 6:25 PM
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Texas wildfires

 




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