Just curious/survival skills (Was: search & rescue/kicking incident)

[K S Swigart <katswig@deltanet.com>]

Was this person (Stephanie, I think you said her name was) unhorsed by the
kick?  As I can't for the life of me figure out why she didn't just ride
her horse back to the barn.  RIding with a broken leg is not what one
normally elects to do, but getting off to find out what the problem is
with the understanding that this may leave you stranded out away from
assistance for a long time is not what I would consider a better choice.

Speaking generally, rather than about this incident specifically.....

I think that we, as endurance riders who spend "extended periods of time
in inaccessible areas away from assistance" need to learn how to take care
of ourselves.  Rather than making sure that we have cell phones (which
may not work), radio transmitters, riding buddies, etc., we would do well
to develop the skills to survive on our own and get ourselves to
assistance rather than expecting assistance to come to us.  Having the
mind-set to understand that when we undertake to go out on the trail in
remote areas, we also undertake responsibility for getting ourselves back.

I am not saying that this is true in all circumstances, nor that we
shouldn't call for help when help is available, but rather that developing
self-sufficiency is a very important aspect of endurance riding;
self-sufficiency even in unforseen and/or unpleasant circumstances.

We all agree that trails, weather, horses, etc. can be dangerously
unpredictable  That being the case, we ought to all follow the Scout motto
of "be prepared" even if that includes putting yourself through
excruciating pain.

I can remember when I was working on my "survival in the wilderness" merit
badge (yes, I was a Boy Scout) which required not "making sure that you
took with you everything you might possible need" but rather required
"making do with what you had"...which was nothing but a pocket knife and
some TP :).  In addition to including what to take along with you so you
can draw attention to yourself and get assistance to come to you, it also
included surviving on your own if there was no assistance.

Mostly what this requires is having the right mindset that says, "survival
is up to me" and then doing what needs to be done, no matter how
unpleasant (even if it included eating bugs :)).

kat
Orange County, Calif.