MANITAL FOE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 231 



camping place a guard is at once placed over the source of 

 supply of drinking water. 



Before pitching tents the rifles are stacl^ed, sabers, rolls, 

 saddle bags, and lariats removed from the saddles, girths 

 loosened (the saddles being left on until backs are cooled), 

 and the horses either linked by section, iu circle (par. 428), 

 or coupled head and tail (par. 427), and a man detailed to 

 watch them until tents are pitched. 



After pitching tents, stacks are broken, rifles placed in the 

 tents, horses unsaddled, unbridled, and tied on the line or 

 herded, saddles placed in a row in front of the tents and 

 sadle blankets spread on them to dry, fue.l secured, sinks dug, 

 and other necessary preparations made for the night. Tlie 

 use of saddle blankets as bedding by the men will be permitted 

 only under very exceptional conditions, and special care must 

 be exercised to keep them free from dirt and burs. During 

 evening stables, troop commanders, accompanied, if practicable, 

 by a veterinarian, inspect the backs and feet of their horses, 

 and in the morning they permit no trooper who is not spe- 

 cially authorized, to saddle his horse before the call boots and 

 saddles, or to mount before the command for so doing. 



986. Herding: In a hostile country camps should be se- 

 lected, if possible, where grazing is good and beyond rifle 

 range of cover for an enemy. Orders are issued as to places 

 of assembly, and in each troop men are detailed beforehand 

 to go among the horses and quiet them in case of a nighi 

 alarm. In the event of a stampede, men should mount the 

 fastest animals within reach, ride ahead of the herd, and lead 

 it back to camp. Sometimes the sounding of stable and water 

 call will prevent or check a stampede. 



In case it is necessary to graze the horses In an enemy's 

 country, they are sent out to herd under charge of an officer 

 as soon as possible after making camp, they being taken 

 during daylight as far away as is safe so as to keep the grass 

 nearer camp for the night. 



987. Forced and night marches: To conduct a rapid march 

 of a command of any magnitude successfully, horses must be 

 in condition (pars. 950, 959) and men must have been trained 



(par. 175) ; if either is lacking, the daily marches at first 

 must be short. 



