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msar-riders - [MSAR] Uniform across the board...

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>, "Mounted search and rescue in Illinois USA." <msar-il@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Uniform across the board...
  • Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:32:51 -0700 (PDT)

RESPONDING TO:
 
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:09:00 -0500
From: Norma Newton <newtonrn@huxcomm.net>
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Uniform Ideas/Suggestions
Message-ID: <4C463A9C.5050501@huxcomm.net" ymailto="mailto:4C463A9C.5050501@huxcomm.net">4C463A9C.5050501@huxcomm.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Diane,

The thoughts provided are very good. For our MSAR, we use hi-viz orange
vests with a hunter orange felt sheet over the saddle pad (cut to the
shape of the pad - can be velcroed in place along the edges of the pad
if need be) Also an orange helmet cover (requirement to go out on
Searches). This was tested for visibility with low altitude Search
aircraft (1000 ft ) and made the SAR riders visible from the air as
well. The hunter orange definitely sets apart the rider/horse team, and
if you have a park uniform as well, the orange accessories make the
connection.

Norma - Iowa

--------->>>>>
As a volunteer, I really like this idea of Normas. The orange felt pad cut to fit can easily be velcroed.
 
Some uniformity across the national board as well as state or even a few riders on a team local seems to me is going to be hard to come by with the following factors...
 
My saddle pad of choice - I prefer to use a white equifleece saddle pad in most of my riding , especially, long trail endurance or ranch riding  be it english or western.  White for a saddle pad is my personal preference for a saddle pad because mainly for hygeine and the saddle pads can be laundered thoroughly and bleached and sanatized effectively.
Wool pads cant and I see issues with the light orange felt cover as well....  Allergies with wool effect many a rider where the fleece are hypoallergenic.
 
White fleece will also show easily any sore spots on your horses backs.  The dark colors will not be effective in that as smaller sores get lost in the color.  Of course examining the horses backs each time you pull a pad will give you a clue to sore spots too if you know what you are looking for.
 
The white fleece  are getting hard to come by and I am looking for link sources.  Im down to a scrongy green fleece!  LOL!  Not very visible, unless felt covered as Norma suggests,
but even the green fleece can be bleached and will not loose to much color...they just get rough looking with age.
 
Some horses due to saddle fit require special saddle blankets, some have sewn in leather etc and oddly, only colored pads are available for their use so getting "uniform" there is a tough call when it comes to color and a multi horse unit.
 
I am wondering though, where to get such color felt covers and its thickness and durability.  To me, if you train regular in full gear... you would be going through quite a few thin orange pads over your regular blanket pads in tough work and therefore replacement would be necessary on a regular basis.
 
I beleive the ORANGE vests are the best choice for a rider.  And defineitely those orange helmet covers would be a must.
 
The horses can be effectively dressed in orange reflectors and many tack catalogs have leg wraps, blanket, saddle and bridle reflector adornments.  That would also be visible for
air, night and early morning searchs.
 
Irv, you mentioned patches... lettering, any resources links there?  A patch on the left breast, MSAR lettering on the back.. any ideas in this?  Have any of the vests pockets?  What are thoughts on pocket vests and who has them in high visibility orange etc?
 
        Karen Nesbitt - VMSAR - Iroqouis County - IL
 




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