Join RAMSAR

If you have a passion for the outdoors, a capable trail horse, can remain steady under stress, and feel called to serve your community, we invite you to join the Regional Arizona Mounted Search & Rescue Team. As a rider and horseman, you already have a partnership with your horse, trail experience, and backcountry awareness that are invaluable in locating missing or endangered individuals across Arizona’s rugged terrain.

Mounted search units can cover more ground, reach remote areas, and see farther than teams on foot—making you and your horse’s contribution both unique and critical. By donating your time and skills, you will help strengthen our team, make a lifesaving impact for those who need us most, and turn the trail miles you already enjoy into a powerful mission: helping bring people home.

Fill out an Application

What’s Required to join the team:

1. 1. Fill out an email a completed application to regionalazmountedsar@gmail.com

   2. Attend a monthly meeting and interview with the team. Membership is not guaranteed and by invitation to join.

   3. Attend a quarterly rider evaluation with your horse. 

   4. Submit a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Posse application and complete their background check.

   5. Attend MCSO mandatory training (Posse Academy, SAR Academy, First Aid, CPR, and Online training including ICS and other MCSO classes).

   6. Attend and complete a RAMSAR required training including Wilderness first aid, Equine first aid, and attend a Mock Search to learn how we operate in the field.

Several non-required trainings are offered throughout the year including: Equine Air Scent training (Horses scent detect just like the dogs), Person tracking classes and certifications, Advanced land navigation, horsemanship clinics, and other advanced search trainings.

Come join the fun!