Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

> Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 11:39:17 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Jim Green, muleequestrian at yahoo dot com
[...]
>    Above all else - train, train, train!!! If you have something
> that spooks your animal, work it out of them. Anything you do to
> reduce the liability of fielding horses on a search is going to
> benefit you. Any one of us who puts an MSAR team in the field,
> offers something unique to the authorities... speed, extended
> range, and brute strength. OOOPS! I didn't mean to preach. Just
> adding some thoughts about stuff I had to put up with getting
> started.   ---  Jim

I strongly agree with "train, train, train!!!" and IME several different
areas tend to be neglected by MSAR. Traditional MSAR training is often more
focused on the riding skills - don't forget to build solid Search skills and
Rescue skills. But the riding skills (and appropriate horse/mule) are indeed
critical. Not just the skills to control the horse, but the horse and rider
experience to deal with more challenging terrain and new environments.

The more comfortable that horse and rider are in that kind of terrain, the
less focus is needed on riding safety, and the more attention can be focused
on the actual search. The more challenging the riding, the more often the
searcher should stop and focus exclusively on search.

That means regularly training in more challenging terrain to increase the
comfort level of horse and rider is very advantageous. Leave the trails and
go cross-country (practice using map and compass) and take the harder route
instead of the easy way. (What would you do if you were tracking someone and
the tracks led you through more difficult terrain? Learn when to dismount,
when to ride.) If your operational area has few challenges, travel to where
there are more challenges. This better prepares the team for response out of
area.

Keep in mind the domestic horse is only experienced with terrain and
environments where the human has put him. For example, if he has never
navigated steep mountain trails, if he has never been ridden at night, if he
has never been ridden in heavy traffic, etc. ... a SAR response is *not* the
time to introduce him - or the rider! - to something new.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co, CA SAR - Hasty Team ICP team
www.CEOates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT - Program Coordinator
www.TK-CERT.org