MANUAL FOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 227 



fluenced by both the time the horse is to carry the load and 

 the distance to be covered. The quicli:er a march can be com- 

 pleted without forcing the less the fatigue to both horse and 

 man. Where the footing is good, the road level, and other 

 considerations do not hamper the column, after the first or a 

 subsequent halt, may advance first by leading dismounted, 

 then mount and walk, then trot, a short gallop (exceptional), 

 then the trot, followed by the walk to the next halt. No gait 

 is to be maintained continuously long enough to weary either 

 horse or man, neither must it be changed too frequently in 

 long columns; but whatever pace or gait is taken it should 

 conform to the standards (par. 279). The officer setting the 

 pace should occasionally drop back to observe its effect on the 

 column, and veterinarians, if present, should be habitually 

 utilized for this purpose. 



The walk, if the footing is good, should be at the rate of 

 4 miles per hour, exclusive of halts ; the trot at 8 miles per 

 hour, so as to facilitate posting ; the gallop, a very exceptional 

 gait even for small commands, should be not faster than the 

 maneuvering gallop (par. 236), and its practicability will de- 

 pend upon the training and condition of the horses, since on 

 long marches, unless accustomed to this gait with packed 

 saddles, the horses will soon break down. 



Very rarely, however, will the conditions allow the regular 

 arrangement of gaits indicated above. Rolling country, with 

 ascents and descents, stretches of hard or stony road or of 

 mud, dust, or sand, crossings of streams, etc., will ordinarily 

 impose corresponding changes of gait or pace on each of tlu^ 

 small elements of the column as it reaches them. To provide 

 for this the troops in route column, when so directed, take 

 greater distances than prescribed in order to allow for closing 

 up at checks. 



The commander must give this matter unremitting atten- 

 tion, since normal route-order distances in column frequently 

 entail discomfort to the men and sometimes Injuries to the 

 horses which might have been avoided. 



Unless under exceptional circumstances, the commander of 

 a marching column will authorize each troop commander to so 

 regulate the gait and pace of his troop as to conform to that 

 next in front, the gait and pace of the leading troop being 

 regulated by the commander himself. This results in each 



