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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] saddles

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
  • To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] saddles
  • Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:22:43 -0700

Hello Deb,

Welcome to MSAR-Riders!

As others have said, fit comes first, and fit to the horse comes
before fit to you. That said, for SAR type trips I mostly ride in
an old dude ranch saddle. It is heavy and has thick skirts. It
does a great job of spreading the load, and I have hung all sorts
of equipment on it without harming my horse. I once hung off the
pommel an old radio tracking device with a big battery, probably
a 25 pound load. The horse was fine; I made sure the device did
not touch horse flesh. However, I did let it touch my own flesh
and I paid for that with a huge bruise on my thigh from it moving
around as we moved out. That was an impromptu job where SAR
management handed me the device as we were heading out, so I did
not have the luxury of time to plan and construct a good harness
for it. My dude saddle is not waterproof, but on the other hand
it has been soaking wet many times and does not show it.

I think it is important that any equipment you use for SAR be very
familiar to you. It should be stuff you use all the time, that
you know how to use, enjoy using, and keep in good repair, fully
assembled, ready to go.

Una Smith
New Mexico




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