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Autumn... Here is a group in Lancaster Co PA

http://www.midsar.org/

Here is requirements for Mounted SAR

RIDER REQUIREMENTS
Experienced Trail Rider:

Mounted Unit members must be experienced trail riders at least 18 years of age. The team members must be comfortable searching in wilderness and other large undeveloped areas.

Some relevant questions to be considered...

Are you an experienced trail rider? Even if you are a skilled rider, if your riding is mostly in a ring or other controlled environment, you will need to spend more time trail riding before undertaking to train for search and rescue work.


Are you accustomed to riding for long periods of time? Are you physically fit to do so? Although the search pace is generally slow, you may need to stay out all day in any kind of weather.


Are you willing to ride unfamiliar trails? You must be confident working with topographical maps, compass, etc.


Are you and your horse patient and calm in stressful situations? The search pace is slow, methodical and tedious.. rarely done at more than a walk. The search command post area is noisy, busy and energy charged.

TIME


Mounted unit members spend many hours (50+) in training toward becoming operational. Mounted field training sessions are held two times a month (conditions permitting) in various locations to expose the riders and horses with different stimulus each time. The mounted unit members are responsible for re-enforcing training received in between training sessions with the mounted unit. Field training is held on the weekends and will include at least two two-day/overnight exercises per year. Planning/training meetings will be scheduled as needed by the Captain of the Unit.


The operational team is available 24-hours, 7-days per week. Team members need to consider whether their work and family responsibilities are flexible enough to be able to respond most of the time. Obviously, there may be instances when a member cannot respond.


HORSE REQUIREMENTS

Horses used for SAR work must have a quiet, cooperative disposition, free of vices, and generally fit to ride all day. Specifically:



Absolutely no kicking, biting, or other dangerous intimidating behavior. This is a safety factor not only for the mounted group members, but also the public and other search groups during searches and training exercises. All team horses must be able to work closely with one another without intimidating body language. The SAR horse must be steady and reliable. In a search situation, the rider must devote his/her attention to the trail and surrounding area in order to locate clues to the victim's passage/location, as well as navigating with map, compass, radio transmissions, etc. The rider has an intense job to do and must have a cooperative, sensible horse that requires minimal direction. A hyper, flighty horse that requires the rider's fall attention is not an effective search horse.


The SAR horse must tie safely for an indefinite period. In search situations, riders may dismount, tie the horse, and proceed on foot to assist a victim, search an obscure thick area, and possibly tie the horse in camp overnight.


The SAR horse's reaction to stressful situations is critical. Does he blow up and "lose it"? Or, does he simply snort, blow a little, and eventually accept what is asked of him? The SAR horse must be prepared to correctly deal with the search environment.. which includes: excited people and dogs, flashing lights, flashlights, spot lights, fire trucks/ambulances, sirens, motorcycles, road flares, bicycles, helicopters, umbrellas, bridges, streams and ditches. Some of this stimulus training can be done by the rider individually, while some will be conducted as a group training exercise. The prospective SAR horse's personality and trainability must be carefully considered by the rider and other mounted personnel.


Fitness and conditioning are extremely important. Although search work is generally conducted at a walk... slow and tedious; it may require active search all day (sometimes 2-3 days) in extreme weather conditions. A fit horse will be better able to tolerate adverse conditions for long periods.


Safe loading and trailering temperament directly affect the team's response time. The rider needs to confidently load/unload and trailer alone if necessary. Distant locations of mounted members prohibit assisting each other in this task. Abusive loading tactics do not promote a good public image and will not be tolerated.