Mounted search and rescue

["fred graupmann" <fredgraupmann1636@msn.com>]

I've seen quite a few questions on new units starting and being interested in SAR.

The biggest problem we've run into is units unprepared. We've had to have units park their horses & start on the ground. I think someone mentioned SAR training for groung pounders excellent start.

  Back to the horses. Before any one comes in can your group do close order drill, stand stirup to stirup for 15 min or more, walk over a rope whipping in the grass, walk through poles lined with float or party fringe blowing. walk past a umbrella being flared, in and out,sirens and shots being fired (balloons breaking), stand by a cut out culvert with rocks being dumped down, have a chance at the 6 ft. ball to push, helicopter hovering overhead, back straight back and other things that might pertain more to each geographic area.  This is Minn.

  Benefits:

          Control, control, control.

          Training inst. don't have to worry about moving horse 4 over by horse

            7 to prevent kicking or whatever.  

          Not worring about a horse when needing to concentrating on searching.

          Cross training for other sheriff's duties such as security, parades & many

            other things.

          Very good tool for your county's Risk Mgt. office. Also document somehow    everything you do in training. Trail riding can be close order drill (riding stirup to strirup with different horses), backing or sidepassing is horse control and so on & so on.

    Given the above trained unit, with good team leaders, I would definitely have work at most SAR incidents and actual training would move very quickly.   

   Yes a lot of work but don't forget to enjoy - learning is eaiser then.