XXII. 



To accustom young horses to tlie saber. — For the first 

 few days the saber should be worn on the belt and not 

 slung to the saddle. In this manner the saber may more 

 easily be held away from the horse, in case he becomes 

 too excited, and any dangerous struggles resulting from 

 prolonged contact may be avoided. With very nervous 

 horses, the saber, instead of being attached to the belt, 

 may be held in the hand and the lesson can then be easily 

 continued or stopped at will. 



The first lesson should be given in the middle of the 

 period of work when the horse^s nervousness has already 

 been worn off. 



The saber is next slung to the saddle; as soon as the 

 horse has become accustomed to it, the different move- 

 ments of the saber exercise should be executed until abso- 

 lute indifference is obtained. 



To accustom horses to firearms and noises. — Several 

 methods are used. One of the best is to place the 

 mounted troopers on a large circle; dismounted men are 

 placed in the center, some with revolvers, flags, and trump- 

 ets, others with boxes or sieves of oats. At a given 

 signal the noises cease and the horses are turned to the 

 center of the circle where the oats are offered to them. 



This same exercise is repeated on circles of smaller 

 radius and when the horses show no further anxiety, they 

 are turned into the center and fed oats while the noises 

 continue. 



Another plan is to place in line the dismounted men 

 with the revolvers, flags, and trumpets and have them 

 march around the drill ground. The young horses, also 

 74 



