Mounted search and rescue

["Laurie Hanahan" <lhanahan@mindspring.com>]

Though not a requirement, to me those are basic maneuvers that are useful in so many situations, such as getting close to a tree to put up a marker or opening & closing gates.  They also need to stand still so that you can write notes, write on a marker tape, talk on the radio or whatever.  Other things I do to insure a cooperative mount is to walk back and forth on the same stretch of trail several times for no apparent reason.  It teaches the horse that regardless of whether they think you should be heading home, they need to listen to what you are asking them to do and just do it.  Often we head out on a ride, go a couple of miles, then go towards home, just to turn around and head out again.  Or ride several miles, go home, sit in the barn to eat lunch, then head back out for another loop in the opposite direction.  The first several times you do this, it is a real battle of the wills.  But eventually they figure out that just because you go home or back to where you parked your trailer, that doesn’t mean the ride is over.  They become less hurried on the return trip, enabling you to thoroughly search at a reasonable pace both directions of a task area when out on a mission. 

 

Laurie Hanahan

TROTSAR

 

 

From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of ghfayret@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 15:42
To: MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [MSAR] Requirements for horse rider team

 

I am a member of Contra Costa County Sheriffs Search and Rescue in CA.  Our Equestrian Resource requires our horse rider teams to perform most of the common tasks I have seen on other units web sites, an issue among our group is a requirement to turn the horse on the forehand and hind quarters in hand and mounted.  One opinion is this is unreasonable because other units do not require it and they see no need.  The other opinion is riders should be able to move any part of the horse when desired.  Do any of your organizations require the forehand and hind quarter turns?

 

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