86 MILITAEY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



Position of the hands and arms when riding luith the curb. — (PL 1, fig. 4.) 



The left arm free, and without the slightest stiffness ; the elbow bent, and on the vertical line 

 from the shoulder to the hip ; the fore arm touches the side, without pressure ; the hand in the 

 prolongation of the fore arm, and two or three fingers' breadth above the pommel; the curb reins 

 pass upward through the hand, and over the fore finger, covered by all the four fingers, the nails 

 opposite the bottom of the jacket, and in such a position that the rider can see the little finger 

 nail by casting his eyes on the hand ; the snaffle reins pass over the fore finger, and downwards 

 through the hand, lying flat in the hollow of the hand ; the thumb presses on top of the reins ; 

 the right hand rests, with the knuckles, on the seam of the pants, on the right thigh, seven 

 inches below the hip, the fist closed, except the thumb, which lies on the seam, pointing 

 upwards ; the elbow on the line of the shoulders. 



For the lessons with the snaffle, the horse is conducted to the ground without passing the reins 

 over his head, they are passed over just before placing the left foot in the stirrup ; in the lessons 

 with the curb, the horse is conducted to the ground with the reins already passed over the neck ; 

 in both cases the reins are held in the left hand while mounting. 



In the first lessons with the curb, the curb chain is hooked on the ground, under the direction 

 of the instructor ; it is of such a length that two fingers may be laid flat between it and the chin. 



All individual turns and abouts, from a halt, are made by turning the horse on his hind legs 

 as a pivot ; in wheels by platoon, or by squadron, on a fixed pivot, the pivot man turns in this 

 manner. Turns on a march are made on an arc with a radius of three yards. 



THE DRILL IN SINGLE RANK. 



This is commenced when the men are well instructed in the individual riding drill ; from six 

 to fifteen men are formed in one rank, with a non-commissioned officer or old soldier on each 

 flank. The recruits first execute this drill on foot, and are not required to execute it on horse- 

 back until they understand its principles fully. When mounted, the men are at first placed 

 two yards apart, and as they progress the files are closed in, until they touch stirrups, towards 

 •the guide. The instruction is commenced in open order, to accustom each man to observe the 

 rules for moving straight forward, to oblige him to conduct his horse independently of his 

 neighbor, and to force him to pay more attention ; for, in close order, the men, by blindly 

 following the movements of their comrades, might execute many movements satisfactorily with- 

 out understanding them, and it would be impossible for the instructor to ascertain the proficiency 

 and progress of each man. Every movement should be executed first at a walk, afterwards at 

 the other gaits. The recruits should be mixed with old soldiers in the ranks, to prevent 

 mistakes from extending through the whole rank ; but the instructor must watch carefully that 

 the old soldiers do not prompt the recruits. 



At the commencement of every drill in single rank, the recruits should be required to execute 

 some of the lessons of the individual drill ; so that correctness of riding, and facility of executing 

 the movements in close order, may always be preserved. 



The single rank drill comprises all the movements of the platoon drill that can be executed 

 in one rank. 



