point of view Recusa Interago: Jack(ie) of All Trades
mare in America. Recusa has been trained in classical dressage, has bred four foals, and has competed in hunter paces, endurance and cross country. She was also the 2008 ERAHC halter champion for Portuguese mares and has participated in breed exhibitions. In April 2011, a unique new certification was added to her already impressive list of credentials. Recusa, along with her owner Sarah Vogeley of Vogeley Lusitanos in Charlottesville, Virginia, underwent intense training and testing with the TROTSAR organization and passed their requirements to join the team. TROTSAR is an all volunteer-based, non- profit, mounted search and rescue organization which stands for “Trail Riders of Today Search and Rescue.” They are a first responder resource that serves government public safety organizations in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania, rescuing victims in wilderness, rural or urban/suburban settings. “For the last seven years I’ve been involved with
R
search and rescue efforts, but for the ground search operations,” says Sarah. “I had to pass various courses for CPR, first aid and FEMA along with other wilderness training. My beloved family has been very supportive, especially since when called upon, I have to drop everything to help search for missing and lost persons from all age groups and walks of life.” A Lusitano breeder for over ten years, Sarah felt that she and her mare Recusa, now 13, were ready for the next big step into mounted search and rescue. “It’s the perfect marriage given my past experience with ground searches combined with Recusa’s temperament and cross country experience.” When it came to the testing, she remarks, Recusa was a champ. “She had to endure smoke, flares, emergency lights and sirens—all kinds of
ecusa Interagro is perhaps the most versatile Lusitano
sport horse snippets by Liz Cornell A Lusitano mare recently adds “Search and Rescue” certification to her resume.
Recusa and Sarah Vogeley with all their Search and Rescue gear. Photo courtesy Sarah Vogeley
visual and noisy distractions. But Recusa is the most focused, self- disciplined horse I know. When it’s time to work, she is always ready for the task and takes her job very seriously.” Being a Lusitano mare, Recusa is sensitive and alert while at the same time is agile, maneuverable, and confident, all good qualities for the SAR (search and rescue) Team. Yet these horses have to be able to relax. “There are times when we sit and wait for thirty minutes in one place with the horse tied to the trailer. Or the horse waits on the trailer. Not so easy to do for a lot of horses in a strange place,” she adds. Other testing exercises include ponying another horse, being ponied by a strange horse, leaving a group of
horses at a trot, plus standing still on a very steep hill for two minutes.
“SAR horses are of all breeds and types such as
Arabians, Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walkers. It’s all about temperament and experience and whether the horse is up to the demands of the job,” Sarah continues. “I’d love to know if there are other Lusitanos doing SAR work. In our mid-Atlantic organization Recusa is the only one. Another interesting breed of horse also recently certified is a Thoroughbred/Belgian draft cross.” Finding Recusa was pure luck says Sarah. Recusa
was imported from Brazil as a yearling, bred three times and was trained in dressage at a local breeder’s farm. When the farm had a dispersal sale and closed its doors, Sarah was able to purchase her five years ago. It’s been a rewarding journey for the two of them ever since. Although Sarah has cut back on her own breeding operation, in 2007 Recusa gave her a fancy chestnut colt out of the stallion Mistral do Top. “I am overwhelmed with pride for Recusa,” Sarah
exclaims, “for having what it takes to be a part of such a highly respected and dedicated organization. Our new challenge as a mounted search and rescue team has just begun!”
WT Warmbloods Today 57
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