Mounted search and rescue

["irvin lichtenstein" <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

My work predates Nowacki's and was published in peer reviewed journals. I
have also worked with the first air scent dogs introduced into the US SAR
community in the 1980's. If the subject is downwind and you are depending on
the wind to carry the scent you are in the wrong place most of the time. In
some terrain the wind will swirl and shift constantly so being downwind of
you may not be a constant. A trailing or tracking dog works within 6 inches
or so of the ground following a scent the dog has been set on, either by a
sample the handler provides of the subject's scent or by cutting trail and
telling the dog where to start  the track. Wind direction has no real effect
on a tracking/trailing dog other than to disperse the scent. Remember, if
you are upwind of the subject and the subject is downwind of you the wind is
going from you to him, and not into the dog's nose. And the subject may hear
the creak of your saddle, the sound of hooves, or other noise you are making
if they are downwind of you.

The primary advantage a horse has over an air scent dog is that the horse
uses all its senses.
The slightest movement in brush makes noise, moves the brush, as well as the
scent being blown downwind. Horses are very aware animals and any movement
or sound will catch their attention. Until the movement is identified as
friendly the horse will track the something and remain aware of it as a
possible threat. I have had my horse alert on persons on trails uphill, up
wind, and even just passing by on the other side of the ridge because of
other than scent. In one recent case as we were climbing the side of a hill
he was distracted by a something that appeared to be on the paved path along
the top of the hill, blocked from view by terrain.  As we topped the hill he
relaxed. When we got there, there were fresh tracks, but no people.

You must use all the resources you can in search.  But at the same time you
must use resources that aid your search. Our first response area is
primarily public use areas that are so heavily used that rangers must
sometimes close the areas until some people leave. We cannot clear a 1200
acre state park, city parks of over 9400 acres, or combinations of park,
game lands, monument, and forest to conduct a search. There will be people
there who are not searchers and not the search subject. The animal must be
able to discriminate between targets and everybody else. And your mount must
trust you not to get him in trouble so he will communicate with you rather
than spook or bolt in  strange circumstances.

Irv Lichtenstein