Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una@lanl.gov>]

Una Smith wrote:
>> .  My amazing SAR mare, who stands calmly while I
>> unfold and flap a huge blue tarp from her back in a stiff wind,
>> nonetheless refused to cross a blue tarp on the ground (in a
>> place she knows is safe) until she had first carefully looked at
>> it, sniffed it, and pawed it.

Chris Pennington wrote:
>Which is very good self-preservation instinct! And acceptable from a horse
>who has to keep themselves and you safe in new and unusual situations. <G>

Of course.  I don't want her to give me mindless obedience;  I want
her to think about the obstacle and decide for herself that what I
ask her to do is safe.


>I agree that the above situations are valuable training but I believe there
>must be a safer way to simulate them. In the instance that I related of the
>horse flying around the corral with tarp attached to hoof- the tarp had been
>strongly staked down. The tarp tore around the stakes.

It seems to me that the real problem here is the horse has not 
been de-spooked (sacked out) with ropes and random things tied
to its ankles.  Does your unit train with ropes, picketting,
staking out, or hobbles?

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