Mounted search and rescue

[una.smith@att.net]

Joan Pottinger wrote:
>> What type of conditions will you not ride in?

Una Smith wrote:
> When it is dangerous.  I have put the horse back in the trailer when
> faced with really bad ice balls.

I want to add that "dangerous" is very subjective.  For responders
with no experience riding at night, riding at night in on a SAR
mission may be dangerous.  For others, it may be routine. What
matters is that you work as you train and you train for the conditions
in which you intend to work.  So if you intend to respond for SAR
missions in places where you have never trained, then you probably
need to train at least some of the time by going riding somewhere you
have not scouted out in advance.  That is a high barrier for some
units, and for many riders!  "But, but where are we going to park?
Wah!  Is there any water for the horses?  Wah!  What about toilets?
Wah!  How do I get there?  I don't think I can do this..."

   Una





> >
> >
> >> How far do you go for a rescue?
> >
> > I have trailered to destinations over 200 miles away for some searches, 
> > and
> > farther for many trainings.  Our normal response area is 100 miles or so;
> > that covers enough missions to keep us busy.
> >
> >
> >
> >> Do you search rural, urban, city?
> >
> > Wilderness and rural.
> >
> >
> >> If a person is lost in the city would you join in the search?
> >
> > Yes.  However it is unlikely that we would be called.  Cities have 
> > municipal
> > police and most of them seem to think New Mexico state SAR resources are 
> > for
> > use only in wilderness.  Also, searches in populated places more often 
> > than
> > not involve crimes, and police are better prepared than most SAR 
> > volunteers
> > for those missions.  Etc.  SAR gets called more often for suburban and 
> > urban
> > searches when the subject is a small child.
> >
> >   Una Smith
> >   New Mexico
> > _______________________________________________
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> > MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
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> > 
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