MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 245 



Lameness, founder, etc., generally mean poor gaits. In case a car- 

 riage or team is forced to fall out during the march it should close on 

 the rear of the column at the regulation trot and take its place in 

 column at the next halt, unless otherwise ordered. 



(2) During the Halt. 



(a) When halting, teams and carriages should halt on the right side 

 of the road, leaving the left clear so that traffic will not be congested. 

 Individually mounted men must also keep to the right of the road. 

 This is of the utmost importance, because of the fact that orders are 

 continually sent from front to rear and vice versa. Before going into 

 action and during the "approach march" it often happens that organi- 

 zations in rear are ordered forward. Their march must not be delayed 

 by a congested road. 



(b) Immediately after halting",the soldier must adjust his equipment 

 and harness. This necessitates a careful examination by the soldier 

 and an inspection by the chiefs of section and chiefs of platoon. All 

 animals should be examined to see that they have no sores, or rubs, 

 that the shoeing is O. K. and that no stones have been "picked up," etc. 

 The general condition of the horse should ])e noted and any symptoms 

 of sickness reported immediately. L'nder no circumstances will a 

 soldier leave his horse or pair, without first getting- a man to "stand 

 by" in his place. It should be remembered that when carriages are used 

 the pole prop should be let down immediately after halting. 



The chiefs of section and gunners should make it a point to caution 

 "Pole props down," and should inspect to see that this is done. 



Horses in harness should not be permitted to graze because of the 

 danger of the animals becoming entangled, thereby resulting in kick- 

 ing- or a stampede of the team. This will prevent the driver from ex- 

 amining the horse's shoulder and the bearing- surface of the collar. 



If it is intended to water during the halt, two circumstances arise: 

 (1) when the animals may be watered from a running- stream, (2) when 

 buckets must be emplo^'ed. In the first case, the teams are unhitched 

 and the traces looped over the horse's back as prescribed in the Drill 

 Regulations. Each individual driver takes charge of his pair and the 

 Battery, Platoon or Section is formed in column. The v.'atering of the 

 animals is superintended by the Captain and Battery Officers, each 

 chief of section superintending the watering of his section. After the 

 stream has been filled with all the animals which it will accommodate, 

 all should be held in the stream until the last horse has finished drink- 

 ing. 



In leading in to water it is advisable to fill the down-stream end first. 

 This method gives the horses on the down-stream side clean water 

 whereas if the up-stream end is filled first, by the time the down-stream 

 side is filled the water in that section is liable to be muddy. The com- 

 mand, "Move out" is then given by the officer superintending the 

 watering, whereupon all the horses leave the stream and form in 

 column in the direction from whence thev came. A new batch move 



