Mounted search and rescue

[Mary Duffy <mduffy2727@juno.com>]

Hi All - 
        Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth on the hobble topic.  I
hobble "break" most of my young horses when they are being started under
saddle.  I use a figure 8 hobble and save my grassiest pasture or even
the back yard to get them accustomed to them.  For MSAR, I find the
handiest thing is when I need to tie off to a tree, the hobbles will keep
my horses from pawing and damaging the ground around the tree.  Probably
the most useful thing I use my hobbles for is tying stuff on to my saddle
(for example when the horses are used to carry gear for other SAR
professionals - medical kits, high angle gear, etc.).  
        Being in New England, I do get "why on earth would you hobble
break a horse in this part of the country?" a lot.  Of course the biggest
reason.........so when they eventually get caught in some buried wire cow
fence from decades ago, I am confident that my horses will just wait for
me to come and get them.  An example of which is when a buck took down
the wire fencing in my stallions pen......when the stud did not come in
for breakfast, instead he was at the far end of his pasture just standing
there..........waiting.  I went out, saw he was caught in the wire, went
back to the barn for the cutters, went back out, cut him out of the
wire....he stood there the whole time until I pulled all the wire away
and then he moved to follow me to the barn..........THAT is why hobbles
and hobble training are most beneficial. 
        
Mary 

Mary C. Duffy
Lucky Rooster Farm-Registered Missouri Fox Trotting Horses
Concord, MA  01742
MASSOI-MSAR
http://masooi.org/SearchAndRescue.html