Mounted search and rescue

["Mary" <mhawes@mlecmn.net>]

When clues, tracks, etc are found during a search, volunteer members are NOT 
to disturb the evidence so why would the mounting/dismounting issue come to 
play here?!?  If we find any evidence, we are expected to call for assistance 
via radios  carried during searches.  If an injured person is found, that 
would be a different situation...obviously I would get off my horse to assist 
an injured person no matter how much trouble I would have getting back on!!
Mary Hawes
>From Edususan@aol.com  Fri Jan 21 09:45:02 2005
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From: Edususan@aol.com
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Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 09:44:57 EST
Subject: Re: [MSAR] mounted patrol testing question
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 not that some overall basic requirements should be ignored, but "testing" in
general is way too limited.  it does not ensure safety, and a member's
struggle to get on the offside may have little bearing on their overall skill.
conversely one could pass that requirement and be a real liability in the 
field
because they lack common and horse sense.  there is no substitute for riding
with your team weekly, knowing your team's strenghs and weaknesses and being 
sure
all of you are safe with each other when the unexpected arises.  one's
knowledge of the terrain, navigation skills, good incident command, medical 
skills,
"team" ability and general safety including their horse is the issue.
if i have to ride out a thunderstorm or blizzard in the high country with a
teammate, i want to have ridden with them enough to know their (and their
horse) response to stress, wildlife, fatigue, injury, etc.  i want to know the
endurance factor of horse and rider.  things you can train for but there is no
test.  you can add the "broken arm" mount, the "broken leg" mount, have a
distance test, etc., and the list could go on forever.  hard and fast rules 
don't
work very well.  train, train, train.  then your partners will be ready to go.
         susan nestor, new mexico.