They learned that rifles and horses were not a very effective defense the last time an invading force rolled into the country. Sending surplus M14's would be the same as saying that they are screwed.
Bolt action rifles and poorly trained citizen home guards is not the same thing as highly trained marksmen who have two years of mandatory training ala Switzerland.
Of course the Swiss also allow heavy weapons such as mortars and anti tank missiles to be stored in homes as well.
Keep in mind the Chechens mauled the Russian Army twice in Grozny, the first armoured move into that capital led to a column of burning tanks.
And there was only one documented case of the Poles using horses against tanks when a German armoured division dismounted and went through woodlands to be met by Polish cavalry and routed.