

322 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRl. 



[PEBIOD IV. 



Under Frederick the Great we find a very marked 

 change in the manner of di'illing the individual horsemen 

 and so preparing the units carefully before manoeuvring 

 them together in large masses. Frederick seems to have 

 been the first to bestow great attention to the instruction 

 of each cavalry soldier in horsemanship and in the use 

 of his sword. In the days of chivalry we know that 

 the knights were drilled and exercised from the age of 

 fourteen with constant care in riding and in the use of 

 the lance, sword, mace, and battle-axe, and they were 

 probably as skilful in the use of their chargers and 

 weapons as the cavaliers of the Prussian monarch ; but 

 they were trained only for single combat, their skill was 

 intended only to perfect them in individual feats of 

 arms. Frederick made a great step in advance when he 

 made the individual training merely the foundation of, 

 and the preparation for, rapid manoeuvring and fighting 

 in enormous masses. 



After the peace of Dresden great attention was paid 

 to the horsemanship of the cavalry. In every regiment 

 a riding school was established, and rough riders and 

 riding masters were appointed, by whom the men and 

 horses were continually exercised ;' the soldiers being 

 taught every detail of the eqiiCstrian art and being con- 

 stantly practised in swordsmanship when mounted. By 

 this means each particular horseman acquired a personal 

 (confidence in his own powers in the management of his 

 horse as well as in his ability to defend himself with his 

 sword. In fact, no soldier was admitted into the regiment 

 to go through field manoeuvres until he was individually 

 thoroughly instructed and well established in his seat in 

 the saddle. 



The great care bestowed upon the training of both 

 horses and men in the riding schools was the secret of 

 the ability of the Prussian cavalry to manoeuvre in large 

 bodies with such remarkable speed. They were able, as 

 already stated, to perform all the evolutions required in 

 the field at the galop, in good order and with perfect 

 alignment.* 



^ Beamish, 358. ^ Rocquancourt, Humbert, 105. 



