PART II. 



HINTS FOR MOUNTED OFFICERS. 

 (Alphabetically arranged.) 



Note. — To Ofpcers of British Cavalry, eqiialkd by feiv and ex- 

 celled by none in the world, the following remarks are snperHuous. 

 But they may be useful to Infantry Mounted Offcers, especially 

 young Staff Corps Subalterns, ivho suddenly find themselves 

 mounted on duty ivithout any preliminary instruction. 



ATTACK AND DEFENCE. If opposed to a Lancer, try to 

 keep on his right side, so that he cannot use his left arm as a. 

 rest for his lance. But with a mounted swordsman, keep on his 

 left, to lessen the reach of his sword-arm. Never halt to receive 

 an attack ; either advance or retire without hesitation. When in 

 doubt, always charge, and as straight and hard as you can go, 

 es])ecially at Infantry, as it unsteadies their nerves, spoils their 

 aim, and the mere concussion may knock them over. Always 

 cut at a mounted man's horse and at a dismounted man's 

 face or wrists, as cutting into the body is very fatiguing to 

 the sword-arm, and often the sword sticks fast. 



BITS. To prevent military bit getting thrown above the 

 horse's nose, whereby rider loses all power over the horse, 

 always use a lipstrap with the curb chain. Bits from England 

 are too large for Indian horses, and many falls occur from this 

 fault. The width of the bit should be exactly that of the 

 mouth, and the width of the port must be equal to the space 

 occupied by the tongue. The curb-chain, including two hooks, 

 should in length equal once and-a-half the width of the 

 mouth. The great secret of adjusting the bit properly is to 

 see that the mouth-piece comes on that portion of the gums 

 which is opposite the groove of the chin in which the curb 

 lies flat. 



