Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>]

Kevin, could I get a copy too?  We have some similar stuff,
that I can send you in return, once I get a copy at our next
meeting.  Our unit's mailing address is 

Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse
3213 Rodeo Road
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 



klstokes wrote:
>Hi Sandra,  We carry our gear in saddlebags.  Of course, we
>aren't in a wilderness area so we don't need to carry so
>much.

In his e-post on Friday Kevin mentioned his unit gets called
out on maybe one search a year.  That's a very low frequency,
Kevin;  could it be due in part to your not carrying enough
stuff?  I know this is a major issue for SAR in New Mexico;
to groundpounders, a rider who does not wear a pack and has
maybe only a small saddlebag is just not SAR-ready.  I used
to do a lot of wilderness backpacking and although I feel
very safe on horseback I cannot help worrying for riders who
carry nothing but a knife and two cans of caffeinated sodas.

For the New Mexico mock search this weekend, I am going to
carry a full set of extra clothes, none of it cotton.  Also,
I am going to dress far warmer than for a hiking trip;  you
can get very cold sitting on a horse all day.  I will carry
enough food to meet my daily caloric requirement, and to be
sure I eat it, it will be items I like:  almonds, hazelnuts,
tins of kippered fish in oil, some expensive chocolate...I
may also bring a camping stove and fuel, pot, etc.  This is
normal winter equipment for groundpounders;  I see no reason
MSAR people should not pack the same stuff.  If anything, we
have it easy because the horse carries all of it and us too.
That's another reason to wear a backpack;  you can unload
the horse more whenever you get off, and there will be less
stuff bouncing on the horse.

        Una
        (Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse)