lUU MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 



twice from front to rear to smooth the hair, bein,!:^' careful to raise the 

 blanket in bringing- it forward, place the blanket with the forefinger of 

 the left hand on the withers and the forefinger of the right hand on the 

 backbone, the blanket smooth ; it should then be well forward with the 

 edges on the left side ; remove the locks of the mane that ma^^be under 

 it. 



TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF THE WATERING BRIDLE 



The instructor commands : BRIDLE. 



Take the reins in the right hand, the bit in the left; approach the 

 horse on the near side, slip the reins over the horse's head and let them 

 rest on the neck; reach under and engage the snap in the right halter 

 ring; insert the left thumb in the side of the horse's mouth above the 

 tush and jiress open the lower jaw ; insert the bit and engage the snap 

 in the left halter ring. The bit should hang so as to touch, but not draw 

 up, the corners of the mouth. At the command unbridle, pass the reins 

 over the horse's head and disengage the snaps. 



TO SADDLE 



(a) (McClellan saddle.) For instruction the saddle may be placed 

 four yards in the rear or front of the horse. The stirrups are crossed 

 over the seat, the right one uppermost ; then the cincha and cincha strap 

 are crossed above the stirrups, the strap uppermost. The blanket hav- 

 ing been placed as pre^•iouslv explained, the instructor commands, 

 SADDLE. 



Seize the pommel of the saddle with the left hand and the cantle with 

 the right, approach the horse on the near side from the direction of the 

 crou]i and place the center of the saddle on the middle of the horse's 

 back, the end of the side bar about three-fingers width behind the point 

 of the shoulder blade ; let down the cincha strap and cincha, pass to the 

 off side, adjust the cincha and straps, and see that the blanket is 

 smooth ; return to the near side, raise the blanket slighth' under the 

 pommel arch so that the withers ma}" not be compressed ; take the 

 cincha strap in the right hand, reach under the horse and seize the 

 cincha ring with the left hand, pass the end of the strap through the ring 

 from underneath (from inside to outside), then up and through the 

 upper ring from the outside ; if necessary, make another fold in the same 

 manner. 



The strap is fastened as follows: Pass the end through the upper 

 ring to the front; seize it with the left hand, place the fingers of the 

 right between the outside folds of the strap, pull from the horse with 

 the right hand and take u]) the slack with the left ; cross the strap over 

 the folds, pass the end of it with the right hand underneath and through 

 the upper ring back of the folds, then down and under the loop that 

 crosses the folds and draw it tightly; weave the ends of the strap into 

 the strands of the cincha. 



