Mounted search and rescue

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

I just posted this (below) to another SAR discussion group in response to 
watching a great HRD dogs video.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9026816343700085922 
(or http://tinyurl.com/HRD-dogs )
and thought MSAR riders might find my comments useful.

Jorene Downs wrote:
> Excellent video on effective HRD dogs. Thanks for the link!
> 
> SAR folks might find it interesting that horses have natural air scent
> ability and scent discrimination similar to dogs, making them a good
> untrained search partner. As a prey animal, they are naturally more
> aware of their surroundings than the human riders, and rely a lot on
> all of their senses. Beyond scenting ability similar to the dog's, the
> horse's field of vision is close to 360 and very good at noting
> movement or anything unexpected. The ears can pivot to focus on
> audible. It is obviously advantageous to remind the mounted searcher to
> "look where the horse looks" since that horse is more than just
> "transportation" and a height and speed advantage for the mounted
> searcher.
> 
> You can also train the horse to follow / search for specific scents and
> Alert ... air scenting, HRD, narcotics, etc. Much like putting a saddle
> on a particularly large SAR Dog. The folks who *really* have the
> advantage during a SAR is those few searchers who are mounted and also
> work a SAR Dog, since the dog is smaller and more agile getting into
> places the horse can't go.
> 
> The combination of trained (or even untrained) horse and trained dog
> can be effective, because the height of the horse allows it to pick up
> scent much higher than the dog's nose. Send out the SAR Dogs early then
> follow with the horses as the scent rises, or position horses and dogs
> based on terrain and potential for where the scent is likely to be
> higher or lower.

- - - - - -
Jorene Downs
SAR & CERT
Mounted SAR
www.ceoates.com/msar