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[MSAR] WAFA training

From: "Thomas and Christy Matthews" <tcmatthews0113@msn.com>
To: "K9 tracking list" <tracking-k9@yahoogroups.com>, "K9sar list K9sar list" <K9SAR@yahoogroups.com>, "mounted sar list" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>, "northwest serch dogs" <nwsearchdogs@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [MSAR] WAFA training
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 09:25:30 -0600

Just a reminder, Stillwater Co. MT SAR still has some opening for the
Wilderness
Advanced First Aid course in May. If you're interested you can get the info
and
sign up sheet on our web site at http://co.stillwater.mt.us/sheriff or
email me.

Christy Matthews
Stillwater Co. SAR
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Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 21:57:05 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
From: mythbehavin <mythbehavin@shaw.ca>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Rough riding in snow
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I have been following the e-mails from this newsgroup for some time but have
never responded to one, so here goes!

Una Smith had queried (on April 3, 2003) about riding in the snow and I
found that I just had to respond... albeit a little after the eight ball.

Horses instinctively already know how to travel in the snow. The basic rule
of thumb for a rider is to not interfere with the horses' head and maintain
a center of balance while staying totally relaxed. As soon as the rider
tenses, the horse may tense and possibly slip, if the horse is on ice. I
find riding with a loose rein allows the horse to use his head and neck to
the best possible potential.

Our team rides in snow up above the horses' bellies with no problem. The
harder or crustier snow poses more problems than soft, powdery snow because
it is harder for the horse to break a trail. We tend to change lead horses
a lot in harder conditions so each horse may have a break. Ice is the most
difficult for a horse to navigate but barium on the bottoms of the shoes
helps with the traction. If you can keep your horse barefoot, that is
always the best bet.

The only training you would have to give a horse is to introduce him/her to
snow. It doesn't matter whether the snow is a couple of inches deep or 4
feet deep; the horse will respond basically the same. Spend some time just
pleasure riding in it... make it fun for both horse and rider and remember
to stay calm and relaxed at all times.

In early spring or late fall, when the foals on the ranch see their first
snowfall, they tend to romp and play in it.

I usually ride an ex-racehorse who had never seen mountain trails previous
to my owning him. He periodically forgets he has 4 legs and being a
flat-tracker, he doesn't jump yet, but he always makes it through whatever
terrain I ask of him. It is true that a horse will naturally squat on their
rump when navigating steep hills... even ex-racehorses. I started mine off
with small hills and gradually increased the length and grade until I was
safely able to work him in the mountains.

I hope this has answered your questions Una.

Good luck and happy trails
Susan
BC MSAR

A good 6 inches of snow fell here yesterday, which reminds me to
ask you all about training horses and riders to travel in snow.
My own experience riding in snow is limited (although I do ride
all winter, regardless of condition, unlike most people I know).

We can expect to be called out to search in snow up to 12 inches.
In fact, we have been called out in this situation once already
this year, but by the time we got on site the snow had melted to
just a few inches. Up to that depth, horses should travel a lot
faster than people on foot and probably faster than people on
snowshoes. But what is the maximum depth of snow that an MSAR
team can reasonably hope to deal with effectively? How much does
this depend on the condition of the snow? For instance, powder
is the rule in New Mexico, but in the northeast US the rule is a
hard crust of ice.

What particular training issues does snow present for you? Some
members of my unit say certain of their (ranch-bred) horses are
safe to ride down steep slopes in snow. If the horse starts to
slide, it calmly spraddles and squats on its rump until the slide
ends. My mare probably has no clue how to travel in deep snow,
and I doubt she is alone. So we should do some training to teach
our horses about snow, and to learn for ourselves what to expect
from our horses.

Oh, by the way, it is common for us to ride where there are no
roads or trails, perhaps even no animal paths. So being able to
see the trail under the snow is a non-issue for us.

Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in northern New Mexico

_______________________________________________

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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">I have been following the e-mails from =
this newsgroup for some time but have never responded to one, so here goe=
s! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">Una Smith had queried (on April 3, 2003=
) about riding in the snow and I found that I just had to respond... albe=
it a little after the eight ball.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">Horses instinctively already know how t=
o travel in the snow.  The basic rule of thumb for a rider is to not=
interfere with the horses' head and maintain a center of balance wh=
ile staying totally relaxed.  As soon as the rider tenses, the horse=
may tense and possibly slip, if the horse is on ice.  I find riding=
with a loose rein allows the horse to use his head and neck to the best =
possible potential.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">Our team rides in snow up above the hor=
ses' bellies with no problem.  The harder or crustier snow poses mor=
e problems than soft, powdery snow because it is harder for the horse to =
break a trail.  We tend to change lead horses a lot in harder condit=
ions so each horse may have a break.  Ice is the most difficult=
for a horse to navigate but barium on the bottoms of the shoes helps wit=
h the traction.  If you can keep your horse barefoot, that is always=
the best bet.  </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">The only training you would have to giv=
e a horse is to introduce him/her to snow.  It doesn't matter whethe=
r the snow is a couple of inches deep or 4 feet deep; the horse will resp=
ond basically the same.  Spend some time just pleasure riding in it.=
=2E. make it fun for both horse and rider and remember to stay calm and r=
elaxed at all times.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">In early spring or late fall, when the =
foals on the ranch see their first snowfall, they tend to romp and play i=
n it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">I usually ride an ex-racehorse who had =
never seen mountain trails previous to my owning him.  He periodical=
ly forgets he has 4 legs and being a flat-tracker, he doesn't jump y=
et, but he always makes it through whatever terrain I ask of him.  I=
t is true that a horse will naturally squat on their rump when navigating=
steep hills... even ex-racehorses.  I started mine off with small h=
ills and gradually increased the length and grade until I was safely able=
to work him in the mountains.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">I hope this has answered your questions=
Una.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">Good luck and happy trails</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">Susan </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS">BC MSAR</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR>A good 6 inches of snow fell here yesterday, which reminds me to=
<BR>ask you all about training horses and riders to travel in snow.<BR>My=
own experience riding in snow is limited (although I do ride<BR>all wint=
er, regardless of condition, unlike most people I know).<BR><BR>We can ex=
pect to be called out to search in snow up to 12 inches.<BR>In fact, we h=
ave been called out in this situation once already<BR>this year, but by t=
he time we got on site the snow had melted to<BR>just a few inches. Up to=
that depth, horses should travel a lot<BR>faster than people on foot and=
probably faster than people on<BR>snowshoes. But what is the maximum dep=
th of snow that an MSAR<BR>team can reasonably hope to deal with effectiv=
ely? How much does<BR>this depend on the condition of the snow? For insta=
nce, powder<BR>is the rule in New Mexico, but in the northeast US the rul=
e is a<BR>hard crust of ice. <BR><BR>What particular training issues does=
snow present for you? Some<BR>members of my unit say certain of their (r=
anch-bred) horses are<BR>safe to ride down steep slopes in snow. If the h=
orse starts to<BR>slide, it calmly spraddles and squats on its rump until=
the slide<BR>ends. My mare probably has no clue how to travel in deep sn=
ow,<BR>and I doubt she is alone. So we should do some training to teach<B=
R>our horses about snow, and to learn for ourselves what to expect<BR>fro=
m our horses.<BR><BR>Oh, by the way, it is common for us to ride where th=
ere are no<BR>roads or trails, perhaps even no animal paths. So being abl=
e to<BR>see the trail under the snow is a non-issue for us.<BR><BR>Una Sm=
ith<BR>Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in northern New Mexico<BR><BR>___=
____________________________________________<BR></DIV></TD></TR>
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>From pennbo@bbv.net Wed Apr 16 02:07:44 2003
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Subject: Re: [MSAR] Rough riding in snow
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Good info Susan. I have some questions for you. (from one snow country
to another) Do you ride in this deep snow for fun or for searches? If
for searches why? We just were called out today on a search in the snow
and took bigger horsepower- snowmobiles and snowcats. I'm curious as to
why you would be deployed. I am sure there are some reasons that don't
fit my area and therefore aren't ones I would think of! <G> Always
willing to learn!

> Our team rides in snow up above the horses' bellies with no problem. The
> harder or crustier snow poses more problems than soft, powdery
> snow because it is harder for the horse to break a trail. We tend to
> change lead horses a lot in harder conditions so each horse may have
> a break. Ice is the most difficult for a horse to navigate but barium on
> the bottoms of the shoes helps with the traction. If you can keep
> your horse barefoot, that is always the best bet.
>

I'm not sure if Una is online this week or not. She is at a conference
nearby. We rode together on Sunday. It was fun but short. A storm front
was moving in and it was cold and drizzly. Not great pleasure riding
weather. But we made the best of it and showed her some of our mountains
and views! Anyone else ever out this way be sure to stop and say howdy!
<G>

Chris Pennington
Big Bear Lake, CA

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<html>
Good info Susan. I have some questions for you. (from one snow country
to another) Do you ride in this deep snow for fun or for searches? If for
searches why? We just were called out today on a search in the snow and
took bigger horsepower- snowmobiles and snowcats. I'm curious as to why
you would be deployed. I am sure there are some reasons that don't fit
my area and therefore aren't ones I would think of! <G> Always willing
to learn!
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>
<pre>Our team rides in snow up above the horses' bellies with no
problem.  The harder or crustier snow poses more problems than soft,
powdery
 snow because it is harder for the horse to break a trail.  We tend
to change lead horses a lot in harder conditions so each horse may have
 a break.  Ice is the most difficult for a horse to navigate but
barium on the bottoms of the shoes helps with the traction.  If you can
keep
 your horse barefoot, that is always the best bet.</pre>
</blockquote>

<p><br>I'm not sure if Una is online this week or not. She is at a conference
nearby. We rode together on Sunday. It was fun but short. A storm front
was moving in and it was cold and drizzly. Not great pleasure riding weather.
But we made the best of it and showed her some of our mountains and views!
Anyone else ever out this way be sure to stop and say howdy! <G>
<p>Chris Pennington
<br>Big Bear Lake, CA</html>

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[MSAR] WAFA training, Thomas and Christy Matthews, 04/14/2003