HOTH Ranch Volunteer Mounted Search and Rescue
Who we are.
We are a Mounted Search and Rescue Team deployed to aid in the searches of missing/lost subjects. We are a volunteer group trained, skilled and educated to go into any terrain where a subject may be lost at. Our team members are all trained and educated. We all are CPR/AED certified with stinuous amount of training hours in the field. The backbone to our team are our Ground-pounders(ground searchers). Trained and equipped to walk miles and miles by foot searching for clues/evidence of where a missing subject was/is.
Our second main resource to our team is our Mounted Team. The horses are all athletic and capable of covering great distances in a shorter time than other search resources. In addition, the horses bring a useful set of sensory awareness to a search. They are prey animals and respond to stimulus in nature(auditory, visual, and olfactory) with "tells," read and responded to by the rider.
The Mounted Team trains extensively to master traditional and nuanced horsemanship skills that could prove important in difficult terrain and in the field with scenarios carefully structured to simulate potential searches.
Our team is affiliated with FEMA and the National Association For Search and Rescue (NASAR). With updated courses and education by these affiliations, our team members are required to take these educational courses to continue to help our community in search efforts.
Who we work with.
HRMSaR works closely with our local sheriff's dept when they reach out for our assistance in a search or rescue mission. Because we work with our local sheriff's dept all volunteer members must meet the standards established by the Sheriff in order to qualify. We also work with families who have not involved the sheriff's dept. We can cover search and rescues with or without law enforcement involved.
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Founder
Melissa Ogle is the owner, founder, and lead MSaR member of HOTH Ranch and the MSaR Team. Melissa has worked, ridden, and trained horses for 13 years. Her drive and dedication to put together a mounted search and rescue team was based off a little boy who was autistic and went missing back in 2022. After a long 6 hour search the boy was found safe. Her commitment to her community is what drove her to put together a team that the community and local law enforcement can depend on to help in the aid of searches.