Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army Part 23

TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF THE BIT AND BRIDOON BRIDLE (MODEL 1909).

=184.= Before bridling the curb chain is unhooked on the near side The instructor commands: =BRIDLE=.

Take the reins in the right, the crownpiece in the left hand; approach the horse on the near side, pa.s.sing the right hand along his neck; slip both reins over his head and let them rest on his neck; take the crownpiece in the right hand and the lower left branch of the curb bit in the left hand, the forefinger against the mouthpiece, the snaffle bit above and resting on the mouthpiece of the curb bit; bring the crownpiece in front of and slightly below its proper position; insert the thumb into the side of the mouth above the tush; press open the lower jaw and insert the bits by raising the crownpiece; with the left hand draw the ears gently under the crownpiece, beginning with the left ear; arrange the forelock, secure the throatlatch, and hook up the curb chain on the near side below the snaffle bit.

The bridle is adjusted as prescribed in par. 302.

The throatlatch should admit four fingers between it and the throat.

=185.= At the discretion of the instructor, the halter may be taken off before bridling, the reins being first pa.s.sed over the neck; the hitching strap, if not left at the manger or picket line, is tied around the horse's neck; if the horse be saddled, in the near pommel ring.

=186.= The instructor commands: =UNBRIDLE=.

Stand on the near side of the horse; pa.s.s the reins over the horse's head, placing them on the bend of the left arm; unhook the curb chain on the near side; unbuckle the throatlatch, grasp the crownpiece with the right hand and, a.s.sisting with the left hand, gently disengage the ears; gently disengage the bits from the horse's mouth with the left hand by lowering the crownpiece; place the crownpiece in the palm of the left hand, take the reins in the right hand, pa.s.s them together over the crownpiece, make two or three turns around; the bridle, then pa.s.s the bight between the brow band and crownpiece and draw it snug.

The bridle is hung up by the reins or placed across the saddle on the blanket.

If the horse has no halter on, unbridle and push the bridle back so that the crownpiece will rest on the neck behind the poll until the halter is replaced.

=187.= =Stand to horse=: At this command each trooper places himself, facing to the front, on the near side of the horse, opposite his head, and takes the position of _attention_, except that the right hand, nails down, grasps the reins, the forefinger separating them, about 6 inches from the bit. The bights of the reins rest on the neck near the pommel of the saddle.

=188.= =To lead out=: The troopers being at =stand to horse=, to leave the stable or picket line, the instructor commands: =LEAD OUT=.

Each trooper, holding his right hand well up and firm, leads his horse, without looking at him, to the place designated by the instructor.

=189.= Upon entering the riding hall or inclosure the instructor disposes the troopers upon a line at intervals of 3 yards, the troopers at =stand to horse=, the horses correctly disposed and perpendicular to the line of troopers.

A horse is correctly disposed when he stands squarely on all four feet, having his head, neck, and body in line.

=190.= =Stirrups=: The stirrups are properly adjusted when, the trooper being properly seated with the feet removed from the stirrups and the legs falling naturally, the tread of the stirrups is about 1 inch above the top of the heel of the shoe.

The stirrups should bear only the weight of the lower leg; about one-third of the foot should be inserted in the stirrup, so that the ball of the foot rests on the tread, the heel lower than the toe.

The flat of the stirrup strap should rest against the leg of the mounted trooper. To accomplish this the trooper's toe should be so inserted in the stirrup as to place the front branch of the latter on the outside. By the front branch of the stirrup is meant the forward branch as the stirrup hangs before the trooper mounts.

Placing too much weight on the stirrup disturbs the seat and contracts the leg, hindering it's freedom of action.

If the toe is not inserted far enough the trooper risks losing his stirrup; if inserted too far suppleness is diminished.

The heel is carried naturally lower than the toe if the ankle joint is not rigid.

For the extended gallop, in the charge, for the use of weapons, and for leaping obstacles the foot is inserted fully in the stirrup.

=191.= =To mount=: Being at =stand to horse=, =MOUNT=.

(_a_) Face to the right, drop the right rein, grasp the left rein in the right hand, take two steps to the right, sliding the hand along the left rein, make a half face to the left When opposite the girth; with the aid of the left hand take both reins in the right, forefinger between the reins, the right hand on the pommel, the reins coming into the hand on the side of the forefinger, and held so as to feel lightly the horse's mouth, the bight falling on the off side. Place the left foot in the stirrup, a.s.sisted by the left hand if necessary, and bring the left knee against the saddle; grasp a lock of the mane with the left hand, lock coming out between the thumb and forefinger.

(_b_) Spring from the right foot, keeping the hands firmly in place, the left knee bent and pressed against the saddle, bring the right foot by the side of the left, body inclining slightly forward; pa.s.s the right leg, knee bent, over the croup without touching it, sit down lightly-in the saddle; let go of the mane; insert the right foot in the stirrup, a.s.sisted by the right hand if necessary; take a rein in each hand, the rein coming into the hand under the little finger and pa.s.sing out over the second joint of the forefinger, the thumbs closed on the reins, the bight of the reins falling to the right.

The reins should be so held that the trooper feels lightly the horse's mouth, the fingers closed until the nails lightly touch the palms of the hands; the reins well up in the crotch of the fingers; the backs of the hands vertical and in prolongation of the forearm; the wrists flexible; the elbows near the body and low, so that the forearms will be in prolongation of the reins; the hands about 9 inches apart.

The instructor takes care that the recruit in adjusting the reins provokes no movement of the horse and deranges in no manner the position of the horse's head.

The instructor cautions the trooper to avoid touching the horse with the left toe in mounting; this fault begets nearly all the resistance of horses to standing quietly while being mounted.

The modifications incident to mounting and dismounting a horse equipped with the double snaffle or bit and bridoon are indicated in pars. 271, 303, and 307. The troopers are also trained to mount on the right side.

=192.= =To dismount=: Being halted, =DISMOUNT=.

(_a_) Seize the reins with the right hand in front of and near the left, forefinger between the reins, the reins entering the hand from the side of the forefinger; drop the reins with the left hand; place the right hand on the pommel; grasp a lock of the mane with the left hand, the lock coming out between the thumb and forefinger; take the right foot out of the stirrup.

(_b_) Rise upon the left stirrup, pa.s.s the right leg, knee bent, over the croup without touching the horse, and bring the right foot by the side of the left, the left knee against the saddle, the upper part of the body inclined slightly forward; descend lightly to the ground and take the position of =stand to horse=.

The troopers are also trained to dismount on the right side.

=193.= Commanding officers may authorize the following alternative method of mounting and dismounting by officers and enlisted men on all occasions except those when it is required that mounting and dismounting be executed in unison at the corresponding command (par.

354). Instruction, in the methods authorized in this paragraph is optional.

Being at =stand= to horse, at the command =MOUNT=, face to the right, drop the right rein, take a step to the right to be opposite the shoulder of the horse; at the same time seize the bights of the reins in the right hand and pull them taut enough to give a gentle, even bearing on the horse's mouth; grasp the reins with the left hand, with the little finger between them, and the bight coming out between the thumb and forefinger, which also hold a lock of the mane. Place the left foot in the stirrup, a.s.sisted by the right hand if necessary, and bring the left knee against the saddle.

Place the right hand upon the cantle, rise by an effort of the right leg, aided by the arms, the left knee bent and pressed against the saddle, the upper part of the body inclined slightly forward to keep the saddle from turning; bring the right foot by the side of the left; change the right hand to the pommel, pa.s.s the right leg, knee bent, over the croup without touching it, and sit down lightly in the saddle. Put the right foot in the stirrup, a.s.sisted by the right hand if necessary.

At the command =DISMOUNT=, pa.s.s the right rein into the left hand and grasp with this hand a lock of the mane, place the right hand on the pommel, and remove the right foot from the stirrup; pa.s.s the right leg, knee bent, over the croup without touching the horse and bring the right foot by the side of the left, the left knee against the saddle, the upper part of the body inclined slightly forward, right hand on the cantle. Descend lightly to the ground and take the position of stand to horse.

=194.= =To take the reins in one hand and to separate them=: At the command =IN LEFT HAND TAKE REINS=, place the left hand opposite the middle of the body, pa.s.s the right rein into the left hand, separating it from the left rein by the little finger; let the right hand fall by the side.

=195.= At the command =IN BOTH HANDS TAKE REINS=, grasp the right rein with the right hand and replace the hands 9 inches apart.

The reins are taken in the right hand and again separated in a similar manner.

=196.= To adjust the reins the trooper brings the wrists together and grasps with one hand, above and near the opposite thumb, the rein that he desires to shorten.

=197.= The instructor causes the reins to be dropped and retaken by the commands =DROP REINS= and =REINS=.

At the first command, the trooper drops the reins behind the pommel and lets the hands fall by the side.

The reins are dropped as an exceptional measure, and always with precaution against accident.

=198.= =Position of the trooper, or attention (mounted)=: The position described below should be considered a standard toward which all troopers should gradually approximate.

The b.u.t.tocks bearing equally upon and well forward in the middle of the saddle.

The thighs turned without constraint upon their flat side, clasping the horse evenly and stretched only by their own weight and that of the lower legs.

The knees bent and flexible.

The lower legs falling naturally, the calves in contact with the horse without pressure, the toes dropping naturally when the trooper is without stirrups.