HN Ae IB WY Jel IE IN| “a0 
On 
MARCHING AT HOME AND 
ABROAD. 
BY 
LA J) © 1 dio TELCO) BP ek ANIME | 18) 6 1ab IN, 
INTRODUCTION. 
Nearty all officers have marched during their service and know all 
about it, but some there are probably who have passed most of their 
service abroad, and others who have served mostly at home; therefore 
as one who has had a great experience of marching in both countries, 
I have compiled these few notes with the hope that they may prove of 
assistance in some cases. 
It is perhaps scarcely necessary to insist upon the importance of 
having the horses fit to march, before going on the road, hard and full 
of muscle, or to say that the harness should be soft and pliable, not 
harsh and brittle with beeswax and heelball, that the saddles should be 
in good order and not restuffed and pricked up some three or four days 
before starting (a certain cause of sore backs) : that the valises should 
be well curved over the backs and should not be flat, and that the 
arches of the saddles should be well fitted to the withers of the horses. 
Still I have seen batteries at the end of a march arrive tied up ina 
sheep skin and numnah, the horses covered with galls, and looking like 
towel horses ; I have seen cavalry with scores of sore backs, and these 
things I imagine must have come about owing to the C.O. having 
started unprepared and with fat, soft horses. 
If horses start well on a march, and are treated judiciously for the 
first few days as regards the rate of travelling and halts they will arrive 
at the end in the best of condition, hard and bright, with no loose 
flesh but all muscle; provided of course the forage be fairly good and 
the weather ditto. 
The officers should look over all saddles and harness carefully before 
starting, and see that everything fits, that all ties are made up and in 
good order, all the carriages in good repair, the horses shod up to date, 
and also that the store shoes are complete. 
They should lay down distinctly what kit is to be carried in the 
valises, etc. on the road, and what is to be packed in bags or left be- 
hind. They must insist on the kits being properly packed in the 
valises and blankets daily; I once opened a bulging valise on the 
W225  WOiio XO, 
Officers. 
