Mounted search and rescue

[Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>]

Lee,

Please do clarify what you're looking for.  If you want the
experience of being a mounted SAR volunteer, then perhaps
the story should center around what it is like to be a new
volunteer?  Omitting all details pertaining to any subject. 

The nervous excitement:  which feels scarier, the thought 
of you personally finding the subject or the thought of no
one finding the subject?  Will you find incident base, in
some remote location where you have never been before, or
will you get lost en route?  Will you get there "on time";
when the Incident Command team or your teammates expect you
to arrive?  Will your teammates take good care of you and
keep you and your horse safe?  Did you forget anything at
home, such as your saddle?!  Will you be able to hitch up
your trailer alone, in the dark, or do you need to call a
friend to come help you?  Does your truck have enough fuel
to get where you're going, and from there to the nearest
service station, or should you use precious time stopping
to buy more?  Will your horse have time to eat breakfast?
Would he eat it in the trailer en route?  Is the cell phone
charged?  Why didn't you actually try all this before now,
instead of just thinking about how you would do it?  Gaak!

The first search is a *huge* threshold for a new volunteer
mounted SAR person.

        Una