Mounted search and rescue

[tm-fi <TFinkle@erols.com>]

You both bring up some great points with regards to rider control and the 
“safety issue” problem.  This is often caused by the lack of well-rounded
balance.   I have seen a few people who can tell you everything ever read
about a horse and about every concept and tactic ever written, yet they can
not safely ride one mile into the outback.  I have also seen folks with years
of formal training (from a qualified instructor) and away from the schooling
environment, are not able to travel that same outback mile.

Confidence, experience and exposure are the key elements, which serves as
the three-legged stool of a balance for any SAR team (meaning horse and rider).  
The mix includes; 1) a solid bond and trust between the team, 2) a broad
mixture of riding environments, 3) the constant search to explore new frontiers. 
Regardless of what part of the Country we live in, we all have one thing
in common “we utilize a working horse.”  I do not mean that in the “draft”
horse kind of way.   What I'm trying to explain is, the team (horse &
rider) need to have the rare blend somewhere between that of a Police Equine
and a Working Ranch Horse (not the Dude Ranch type).  

We can not spent a couple of years working for the nearest police department
assigned to their mounted unit, followed by a year working on a 10,000 acre
ranch.  But we can advance our skills by joining a local trail riding club,
taking a day or two off and attend a seminar or riding clinic, and even go
try your hand at participating in a few Judged Trail rides.  From my perspective,
these activities are the spices that help make the proper blend of a safe
team.  

Day Dreaming- I have often thought a great MSAR-only event is a 5-mile Judged
Trail Course.  Include three (3) mock workstations, a status II III and III. 
Then have seven (7) obstacles that are set up using the experience of each
field judge.  Invite one (1) judge from each of the following fields; a police
mounted instructor, a season wrangler, a ribbon winning trail rider, a hunter
jumper instructor, a western pleasure instructor, a polo instructor, and
an equine veterinarian.  Hmmm, a great centralized location for such an event
would be anywhere east of the Potomac River ;)   

Tomï
TROT-SAR Mounted Team
State of Maryland

Jorene@CEOates.com wrote:
> From: "Una Smith" <una@lanl.gov>
> > Don't you wish we could get everyone on MSAR-Riders to read
> > rec.equestrian for a few years?  That would address most of
> > the basic horsemanship issues that come up here.
> >   
> Better still, go find a QUALIFIED instructor and spend *at least* a year
> with riding lessons. Rider control is a big issue to be successful in MSAR.
> But what Chris reported seeing in Barstow isn't uncommon - sometimes you
> feel safer NOT riding with the group. Lots of fundamental horsemanship
> errors in MSAR that can qualify as safety issues.