Mounted search and rescue

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

From: <Santafearabians@aol.com>
> I am the manager of our county Sheriff's mounted posse search  team. We
> started a formal training program and recruited new members about  2 years 
> ago. The
> first year and last year almost everyone was on  the sport for in-service
> whether it was inside or outside. This year  attendance has fallen off, I 
> hope
> this is not a prediction of the future. [...]

As others have mentioned, participation tends to fluctuate. However, if the 
team has been training for about 2 years, you should have covered the basics 
and be ready to take on some new training to expand the team's capabilities. 
Repetition is important to retain knowledge and skills, but taking on 
something new - or approaching things differently - can spark new interest. 
Give the team members a new focus by setting various goals, and mix the new 
training in with the repetition.

MSAR can be very versatile. With only 2 years of formal training you've 
barely scratched the surface. It sounds like taking on new challenges might 
generate some interest. Identify different areas of specialty and see what 
members might be interested in pursuing for additional skills. Some may be 
interested in Mounted Tracking. Others might want to train in air scenting. 
Learn the skills needed for using the horses to transport injured. If you 
have local packers in MSAR, encourage seeking methods for packers to be 
useful in local SAR. Etc.

Try sitting down with your team, with other teams, and with SAR Management 
for your operational area and identify ways MSAR can make a bigger 
contribution to local SAR. Cross train with other teams. Find ways to use 
existing skills in different ways. Learn new skills. Offer advanced classes 
in the basic skills.  Collaborate with other MSAR teams in the region and 
bring in outside instructors for specialized training that would be 
advantageous in your region. Groom leadership within your ranks with 
management / team leader training.

If the team is interested in more versatility, also investigate how MSAR can 
be effective in local disasters. Perhaps you can take on the county pre-plan 
for evacuation of horses during a flood or fire and be the official resource 
for that response. Cross-train in CERT. Get involved as a mounted unit in 
local disaster drills.

There are lots of options. Find out what interests the team, and encourage 
pursuit of versatility by individuals and as a group, and you'll encourage 
attendance. ;)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare SAR - Hasty Team ICP Team
www.ceoates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT
www.tk-cert.org