Mounted search and rescue

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

From: IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN
You don't train your horse to air scent, he trains you in how to read him.  [...]

 

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What Irv describes is the natural ability of the horse to use his senses, as a prey animal, and the rider learning how to "read" that horse. This is the fundamental "Look where the horse looks" used by MSAR ... which riders need to remember is not limited to use of the nose. The horse's natural alert may be when the horse has smelled, seen, or heard something. A typical natural alert is the horse turning his head, ears up, to look in a particular direction, but it may be more subtle or more blatant.

 

If you want to train that horse to search for a specific scent or type of scent on command, repetition is required in training for the horse to understand you are asking for scent discrimination. Commonly during this training for MSAR you use something different in his equipment that lets the horse know he is now supposed to be in "work" mode. Only use that equipment when you are asking the horse to seek a specific scent, or you can confuse him. But keep in perspective that horse will continue the natural alerts when working, since he is a prey animal and will continue to make note of what is in his environment that may be considered a threat. When the horse is distracted by something, the rider then reminds the horse he is working and to focus on finding / following that particular scent.

 

Taking advantage of the horse's natural senses during a search makes the horse a very viable search partner. Incident management needs to understand that MSAR missions should take into consideration the direction of the wind and location of other searchers, much like when an air scenting / area dog is assigned, particularly when relying natural response of the horse and not discriminating. When the horse has additional training specific to scent discrimination, apply the same "rules" regarding wind, etc., that is done for that search dog type.

 

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Jorene Downs

SAR, CERT, Emergency Communications

Mounted SAR

http://www.ceoates.com/msar

KJ6JCD