Mounted search and rescue

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

From: Hal Sikes
[…]

As to the Stallions being in portable stalls your Gelding would knock down, that speaks directly to their character and training.  Name me another breed where you can have 20 or more Stallions on the same hitching post without major problems.

==========

 

Socialization in a herd environment works wonders for encouraging the disposition and ability to mix well with others for the vast majority of horses, regardless of gender. While it helps to socialize the horse as a youngster, this can also be accomplished with the more mature horse.

 

For example, mixing in the herd as a younger horse teaches manners, particularly to studly colts (or even fillies) turned out with alpha mares and the “kid” learns what “NO” means. Horses living in a less socialized environment (for example, primarily stall life) – or living with a human handler not respected as herd boss - tend to be more vulnerable to having unacceptable behavior. Where you can find a horse in dire need of manners rehabilitation is when the youngster has been raised in an environment where he or she is essentially taught there is no need to respect others in the herd or the human handlers.

 

There are still QH breeders (primarily working stock, like prospects as cutters, working cow horse, reiners, etc.) who run herds of colts together until they are 2 or so, then start culling the least promising future riders from the herd. Those uncut young stallions learn acceptable herd behavior in the herd, and that carries over to mixing well with others in other environments if that early experience is reinforced.

 

Obviously the well mannered horse is needed for MSAR, and good manners includes mixing well with other horses. Since discussion veered off to stallions, I’ll mention that since many folks don’t have well socialized and well mannered stallions – tend to keep them isolated, with little or no herd interaction – studs are commonly not considered good prospects for MSAR and the MSAR organization may have a written rule prohibiting stallions.  Humans have created this situation of stallions being considered unreliable mixed with others, and commonly that is now correct.

 

- - - - - -

Jorene Downs

SAR & CERT

Mounted SAR

www.ceoates.com/msar