84 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



9. To ride in circle to right and left, at all gaits. 



10. To circle back to rear on same track, at all gaits ; at a gallop, both true and false. 



11. To change direction across the riding hall, at all gaits. 



12. To change foot when galloping on a straight line. 



13. To leap ditches and fences. 



The privates are taught everything prescribed above, with the following exceptions : they are 

 not required to change foot at a gallop, nor to gallop false ; it is only at a walk and trot that 

 they ride in circle, circle back to rear on the same track, and change direction in the riding 

 hall. Nevertheless, the privates having the best horses should receive the instruction prescribed 

 for the non-commissioned officers, as far as the strength and fitness of the horses and the aptness 

 and intelligence of the men will permit. Commanders of troops should never require of the 

 men more than is prescribed in these instructions, and should never lose sight of the preserva- 

 tion of their horses ; for a horse in good order, although less perfectly broken to the rules of 

 manege riding, is preferable to one perfectly instructed in all these rules, but broken down. 



The recruits are carried through the course indicated above, at first with the snafiie, after- 

 wards with the curb. The squads are made as small as the available number of instructors 

 will permit, and the movements in the riding hall are few in number and simple in kind, being 

 limited to those actually necessary for the purpose in view. 



THE GAITS. 



There are three kinds of gaits : the walk, trot, and gallop. 

 The trot is of two kinds : (a) the common trot, (h) the trot out. 

 The charge is the acceleration of the gallop to the utmost power of the horse. 

 At a walk the horse travels about 3^ miles per hour ; at the common trot, 6| ; at the trot 

 out, 9J ; at the gallop, 8. 



EQUITATION. 



The instructor must never allow the recruit to pass from one lesson to another until he fully 

 understands and can execute all that precedes. When the recruit has learned how to arrange 

 his equipment, to take care of a horse, to saddle and bridle him, he takes his first lessons in 

 ridino-, on a quiet, well broken horse. The first lessons are given with the snaifie ; the man is 

 to be in undress uniform, without arms or accoutrements, the horse without schabraque, but 

 with a surcingle ; in the first lessons with the curb the recruit is without arms or accoutre- 

 ments then with both, and finally with the schabraque and full pack. In the beginning the 

 recruit is required to ride with stirrups somewhat shorter than the proper length, that he may 

 acquire confidence and firmness in his seat, without which the fear of falling from his horse 

 renders him inattentive to the explanations of the instructor. In the course of time, as he 

 progresses, the stirrups are lengthened, and finally he is required to ride without them, until he 

 acquires a perfectly firm seat ; then he is again obliged to ride with stirrups an inch too long, 

 and is thus, in the course of several lessons, brought by degrees to the prescribed length. 



It is necessary to explain to the recruit that he should not press hard upon the stirrups, or 

 thrust them forward, but allow them to hang vertically ; also, that the bottom of the stirrup 

 should never be under the hollow of the foot, but that the first joint of the great toe should be 

 ao-ainst the inner side of the stirrup ; in other words, the ball of the foot rests on tlie stirrup. 

 Spurs are given to the recruit when he is fully confirmed in his seat, with and without stirrups. 



