MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 189 



noncommissioned officers in place. Everything- being- in order, the gate 

 is opened and one of the drivers leads a docile horse up the runway ; 

 the remaining dri\ers cause the horses to follow as closely as possible^ 

 This is acconiplished without shouting or otherwise exciting the ani- 

 mals. Horses that hold back are slapi)ed or gently struck across the 

 rump with a tie rope. The noncommissioned officers inside the car 

 place themselves near the door and kpep the horses quiet by speaking 

 to them. When the first horse arrives, one of the noncommissioned 

 officers takes him from the driver and leads him to one end of the car. 

 After this the noncommissioned officers confine themselves to keeping 

 the horses quiet and preventing them from leaving the car. Trained 

 horses are thus allowed to pack themselves in the car. It is desirable 

 that as many horses as practicable be placed in each car not provided 

 with separate stalls. 



With horses not trained in loading each noncommissioned officer 

 may be assisted in the car by two men whose duty it is to hold the last 

 horse received in place across the car. In leading- horses be careful to 

 face the front and do not turn around and look at the horse. 



The car having- been filled, the noncommissioned officers inside the 

 car first put up the breast bar and leave the car. The gangplank is 

 swung back, the side gates slipped back, and the car door closed. The 

 mechanic fastens the door securely. 



When loading pens are not available and the horses must be loaded 

 from a platform similar methods are used except that all the horses are 

 led by drivers into the car. The halter tie ropes are taken off after 

 entering the car and turned over to the cannoneers collecting them as 

 the drivers pass out. In leaving the car the drivers must l)e careful to 

 avoid interfering with horses just entering. 



If shy of the ramp a little hay thrown on the ramp will make them 

 less shy. Do the loading quietly and have the animals follow one 

 another promptly. Before loading the car see that the door on the far 

 side is closed and fastened. 



In some cases it may be necessary to blindfold an animal before he 

 can be led into the car. An obstinate animal can sometimes be made 

 to enter by holding his head up, twisting his tail and pushing him into 

 the car by main force. Another method which can be used is to drop a 

 loop over the horse's croup, pass the end of the rope through the halter 

 to the nose piece and pull on the rope, this will make him move forward 

 a step or two : if he does not continue to move up the ramp get enough 

 men on the ramp to pull him in. Another method which can be used, is 

 to tie a blanket over his head or otherwise blindfold the aniiual. turn 

 him around several times and lead him up the ramp. 



The first animal is led to one end of the car, the second to the other 

 end, leaving the center of the car for the last animals loaded, the ani- 

 mals are arranged so that the alternate ones face in the same direction. 

 Each one led in must be held until the next one is in place. 



Load quietly and avoid exciting the animals by too much haste or 

 too much delay. 



