Trail building equestrians of New Mexico

[Una Smith <una.smith AT att.net>]

Deb <dspenni AT aol.com> wrote:
>Una, I would like to see a Wilderness first aid for both horse and rider 
>sometime
>mid June. We could hold it in the Fort Stanton area.

Do you want a formal Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course, complete with 
certification
from a recognized training provider?  The WFA course offered by Wilderness 
Medical 
Institute is 16 to 24 hours long.  As far as I know, it has no veterinary 
content,
but much of what is taught is relevant to horses as well as humans.

Some random remarks about wilderness first aid for horses...

In my experience, the equine injury in the wilderness that is most common and 
calls
for intervention, is soreness somewhere causing pain and limping or 
reluctance to
move.  The horse isn't going to reach a road and trailer except by walking 
there
(helicopter hoists are dramatic but rare, and not without risks, so 
appropriate only
when likelihood is high that the horse will die if not hoisted).  Having bute 
on
hand is helpful, or you may need to stay where you are for a few days.  In the
context of a CTR or endurance race, though, rarely are you very far from a 
road.
Damaged shoes are another common problem, that if not dealt with promptly 
often
cause injury.  Get practice pulling shoes.  Ask your farrier to schedule time 
in
his next shoeing to coach you in pulling off your horse's shoes.  Learn what 
tools
you need.  Some people can do the job with just a multitool;  others do better
with farrier tools.

Re mounted orienteering, anyone experienced in designing orienteering courses 
and
teaching orienteering can help.  The problem is I don't know of any 
orienteering
course designers south of Albuquerque.  For a good training course, you do 
need a
skilled course designer.  Course design is done partly on maps, so you could 
work
with someone remote (like me).  You would still need two people with 
experience
in orienteering to go to Fort Stanton to set and vet the course.  Setting and
vetting must be done by different people!  With New Mexico Orienteers I have 
been
designing courses, setting and vetting courses in the field, and running 
meets 
for about 6 years now, all in Los Alamos.  (If anyone here wants to learn 
about
orienteering, see the NMO website www.nm-orienteers.org and come to some of 
our
meets.  Come early, so we have time to give you some free coaching.)

There are orienteering clubs in east Texas, and NMO has a member in west Texas
who is very experienced.  He often comes to meets early to help vet the 
courses.
He may be willing to help with training.  To locate an orienteering club, see 
http://www.us.orienteering.org/, the "CLUBS" link on the sidebar.

If you are interested in search and rescue, consider attending the New Mexico 
state
SAR conference April 30-May 2 at Philmont Scout Ranch.  The conference is 
very low
cost and includes mounted SAR.  To isolate the Philmont horse herd from 
infectious
diseases, horses may not be brought to the conference.  For schedule and 
other info
see http://www.nmsarc.org/ESCAPE.htm .

        Una Smith
        New Mexico