4.1 This guide establishes the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities that a person must have to perform as the rider in a Mounted Search Team. No other skills are included or implied.

4.2 Every person who is identified as a Mounted Search Team rider shall have met the requirements of this guide.

4.3 This guide is to be used by individuals and agencies having jurisdiction that wish to identify the minimum training required for a Mounted Search Team.

4.3.1 Determining the requirements and qualifications for a Mounted Search Team is the responsibility of the AHJ.

4.3.2 The AHJ shall determine the depth or detail of training required to meet these needs.

4.3.3 Nothing in this guide precludes an AHJ from adding additional requirements for its own members.

4.4 Though this guide establishes the minimum standard of training, it does not imply that a Mounted Search Team rider is a “trainee,” “probationary,” or other similar term member of a team, organization, or agency.

4.5 This guide can be used to evaluate a document or training program to determine if its content includes the topics necessary for training an individual to be part of a Mounted Search Team.

4.6 This guide can be used to evaluate a book or other document to determine if its content includes the information required for training a Mounted Search Team. Likewise, this guide can be used to evaluate an existing training program to see if it meets the requirements of this guide.

4.7 This guide does not stand alone, and must be used with the referenced documents to provide the specific information needed by a Mounted Search Team or AHJ.

4.8 This guide by itself is not a training document; it is an outline of the topics required for training or evaluating a Mounted Search Team.

4.9 The knowledge, skills, and abilities defined in this guide are not presented in any particular order and do not represent a training sequence.

4.10 A Mounted Search Team rider shall document their training by completion of a position task book compliant with Guide F3068 or by field demonstration under qualified supervision.

4.11 Except where a physical skill or ability must be demonstrated, the AHJ shall determine the best way to evaluate a person’s knowledge. This may be by written exam, oral exam, demonstration, or by some combination of the three.

4.11.1 In order to validate a Mounted Search Team’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, equine and rider evaluations should be conducted in a controlled environment on an individual basis.

4.11.2 It is recommended that at least two evaluators observe each rider and mount during the evaluation or validation process.

4.12 Unless stated otherwise, an ability, or proficiency in a skill, shall be demonstrated for initial qualification and then as often as required by the AHJ.

4.13 Users of this guide shall be aware of established international, national, federal, state, tribal, regional, or local government standards, requirements, guidelines, policies, procedures, protocols, or combinations thereof.

1.1 This guide establishes the minimum training requirements for a Mounted Search Team as it relates to general, field, and search-specific knowledge and skills.

1.2 Mounted Search Teams search on the surface of the land only, including urban or disaster areas that may be isolated or have lost supporting infrastructure.

1.3 Personnel trained only to this guide are not qualified to perform rescue. No knots, rope use, litter handling, or other rescue knowledge or skills are required of a Mounted Search Team.

1.4 Personnel trained only to this guide are not qualified to perform the mounted evacuation of a subject.

1.5 Personnel trained only to this guide are not qualified to operate in leadership positions.

1.6 A Mounted Search Team is eligible to be listed as a Category—Land Search, Kind—Mounted, team or crew, as defined in Classification F1993.

1.6.1 Further training may be required before a Mounted Search Team may be part of a particular Category or Kind of team, depending on local needs, regulations, or the policies of the authority having jurisdiction.

1.6.2 This standard guide does not address any particular species, breed, size, or gender of the equine family (the most common equines used in MSAR are horses and mules).

1.7 This guide does not supersede any protocol established by any international, national, federal, state, tribal, regional, or local government.

1.8 This guide uses the United States customary system of units. Measurements given in this system are followed in parentheses by the equivalent measurement in SI units.

1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.