To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Training Agenda
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 09:33:58 -0600
It is possible to combine both riding and non-riding courses
in an MSAR conference venue. It's just difficult. Chris is
correct; the key is to provide a safe place for the horses
nearby while riders are in class. Non-horsey SAR management
have a hard time grasping what constitutes a "safe place",
so planning requires a very long lead time (on the order of
many months). Another opportunity for snafu: non-horsey
people don't realize that some equine vaccinations are given
only as needed, and hence may require a lead time of weeks
or months in advance of travel.
At the New Mexico SAR conference (ESCAPE 2003), the dog teams
arrived several days ahead and held a field clinic. During
the conference proper most of the dogs were tied out of the
way. For ESCAPE 2004, I would really like to arrange an MSAR
field riding clinic ("bootcamp") in the days before or after.
Una Smith
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Posse, in New Mexico
[MSAR] NASAR standards require NASAR training
, (continued)