SECOND LESSON. 

99.—The instructor may unite for this lesson 8 troopers, hut not more; they are placed on the same line 3 paces apart; they are without spurs; the horses are saddled and in the snaffle.

Two corporals, or instructed troopers, are designated to be conductors; they are placed on the right and on the left of the troopers.

The instruction is divided into several stages, commencing alternately by the right and by the left. 

MARCH TO THE LEFT HAND. 

100. —The instructor commands: 

1. To the right (or to the left.)   2. MARCH. 

At these commands the troopers conform to what is prescribed in order to execute a turn to the right from a halt, No 91; then lowering the wrists and closing the legs, march straight forward, and follow the conductor.

At the extremity of the riding-house the conductor turns to the right; the troopers follow, having between them the distance of 4 feet from head to croup.

101.—The trooper “marches to the right hand, when he has the right side towards the interior of the riding-house. He marches to the left hand when it is the left side.

The instructor follows the troopers, keeping on the inside of the track.

He observes that their seat is not deranged, and warns them to conform with suppleness to all the motions of the horse.

Passing from one trooper to another, he occupies himself successively with all the details of the position of each, so as to instruct without confusing them. 

 

TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND TO THE LEFT, IN MARCHING. 

102.—The troopers follow the conductor, and make, on arriving at the angles of the riding-house, a turn to the right (or to the left) in marching. To turn to the right or left in marching, the trooper opens the rein to the side toward, which the turn Is made, and closes both legs, the outer one most.

 

TO HALT, AND TO STEP OFF. 

103.—The troopers marching in column on one of the long sides, the instructor commands 

1. Squad.   2. HALT. 

The troopers stop as prescribed, No. 90.

104.—To recommence the march, the instructor commands: 

1.   Forward.    2.    MARCH. 

The troopers move forward as prescribed, No 90. The instructor causes the squad frequently to stop and to move off, to habituate the troopers in conducting their horses. He observes that they do not incline the body too much forward at the moment of stopping, and that they do not lean back at the moment of starting. When the troopers have stopped, he rectifies their position.

 

TO PASS FROM THE WALK TO THE TROT, AND FROM THE TROT TO THE WALK. 

105.—The troopers becoming habituated to the movement of the horse, the instructor causes them to pass to the trot.  When they are in column upon one of the long sides, he commands: 

1. Trot.   2. MARCH.

 At the command, trot, gather the horse without increasing his gait.

At the command, MARCH, lower a little the wrists, and  close the legs more or less, according to the sensibility of the horse. As soon as the horse obeys, replace the wrists and the legs by degrees.

106.— The instructor employs this gait at first cautiously, and at a moderate trot, that the men may not lose their position.

He makes them understand that it is in remaining well seated, and in relaxing, measurably, all the parts of the body, especially the thighs and legs, that they can acquire the necessary ease and solidity. He observes also that they do not bear too much upon the reins in this gait.

When he perceives that their position is deranged, he causes them to resume the walk, and even to stop.

107.—To pass from the trot to the walk, the instructor commands: 

1. Walk.    2. MARCH. 

At the command, walk, gather the horse without affecting his gait.

At the command, MARCH, elevate the wrists by degrees, and hold the legs near, in order to prevent the horse from stopping. As soon as the horse obeys, replace the wrist and the legs by degrees.

 

CHANGES OF HAND. 

108. —When the troopers have marched some time to the right hand, (or to the left hand,) to make them change hands, in the breadth of the riding-house, without stopping, the instructor commands: 

Right (or left)—TURN. 

At the command, TURN, the conductor turns to the right, and crosses the riding-house in its breadth, followed by the troopers. 

The conductor being at two paces from the opposite track, the instructor commands: 

1. Left (or right) —TURN. 

At the command. turn, the conductor turns to the left, and follows the track.

All the other troopers turn successively on the same ground. The instructor causes these changes of hand to be exe­cuted at a walk, and at a trot.

109.—The instructor occasionally orders the reins carried together in the left hand; when so held, the trooper, in order to turn to the right, carries the hand forward and to the right; to turn to the left, he carries the hand forward and to the left, the nails always downward. 

 

TO TURN TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT BY TROOPER, IN MARCHING. 

110.—The troopers marching in column, and having arrived about the middle of one of the long sides, the in­structor commands:

1. To the right (or to the left.)    2. MARCH.

At the command, to the right, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, each trooper executes a turn to the right in marching, and moves straight to the front.

The troopers being at two paces from the opposite track, the instructor commands: 

1. To the right (or to the left.)    2. MARCH.

At the command, MARCH, each trooper executes a turn to the right, following the same principles; and all return to the track.

The same movements are repeated to resume the order in which the troopers were originally.

 

TO TURN-ABOUT TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT BY TROOPER, IN MARCHING ON THE SAME LINE. 

111.—The troopers having made a turn to the right, as has just been explained, and having arrived near the opposite track, the instructor commands:

1, Right-about (or Left-about.)   2. MARCH.

At the command, right-about, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, each trooper executes a turn-about to the right in marching, following the principles pre­scribed, No. 102, and moves directly to the front

The instructor gives the command MARCH, at the moment the troopers are within 2 paces of the track; the troopers are then reformed in column upon the opposite track, by the movement of to the right (or to the left.) 

 

TO TURN-ABOUT TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT BY TROOPER, IN MARCHING IN COLUMN.  

112—The troopers marching in column, and the conductor having arrived near the end of one of the long sides of the riding-house, the instructor commands: 

1.  Right-about (or Left-about.)    2.   MARCH. 

At the command, right-about, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, each trooper executes a turn-about to the right in marching, and moves forward

On arriving at the opposite short side, the conductor turns to the left without command; the squad returns to the order in which it was originally, in executing the inverse movement.

113—The object of the turns to the right, to the left, right about, and left-about, in this lesson, is to habituate the troopers to turning in all directions their horses; the Instructor causes these movements to be executed at a walk only, he not only observes the squad generally, but watches and rectifies with the greatest care the means employed by each trooper in turning his horse.

In the instruction to the right hand, the turns to the right, and right-about, are executed and in the work to the left hand, those to the left, and left-about. When the troopers have become accustomed to these movements, the instruc­tor causes them to be executed in returning to the tracks, by turns to the right or to the left, without having regard to the change of hand.

114.—To rest the squad, the instructor causes the troopers to turn to the right, or to the left, when they are about the middle of one of the long sides of the riding-house, and gives the command, HALT, when they are out of the track.

The instruction Is re-commenced by a turn to the right or to the left.

To terminate the drill, the Instructor commands the troopers to dismount, and file off.

 

THIRD LESSON. 

115.—When the troopers begin to execute this lesson correctly, the instructor changes their horses each day of the instruction, to give them the habit of managing differ­ent horses.

During the rests, the instructor exercises the troopers in vaulting on and from their horses, without commands, and without using the stirrups.

To leap to the ground; the trooper, holding the reins of the snaffle as prescribed, No 82, seizes with the left hand a lock of the mane, the fingers well closed; places the right hand upon the pommel, raises himself upon the wrists, brings the right thigh to the side of the left, remains an instant in this position, and descends lightly to the ground. 

To leap on the horse: the trooper seizes the mane with the left hand, places the right hand upon the pommel of the saddle, springs up, raising himself upon the two wrists, remains an instant in this position, and places himself lightly in the saddle.

All the movements in this lemon are explained in detail by the right: they are executed by the left according to the same principles, but by inverse means

116.—From 12 to 16 troopers are united, and wear spurs.

The horses are saddled, and in the snaffle.

The troopers are placed with the horses at 1 foot from each other. Corporals or instructed troopers are placed one on the right, one in the middle of the rank; and it would be well to have one on each flank of the two divisions.

The instructor makes the troopers count off by fours, as prescribed, No. 197; he then orders them to mount.

 

OF THE SPUR. 

117——The instructor explains to the troopers the use and the effect of the spur

If the horse does not obey the legs, it is necessary to em­ploy the spur.

The spur is sometimes used to chastise when necessary, use it vigorously, and at the moment the horse commits the fault.

In order to use the spur, it is necessary to keep steady the body, the waist, and the wrists; to cling to the horse with the thighs, and the calves of the legs; turn the point of the feet a little out; lower a little the wrists; press the spurs close behind the girths, without moving the body replace then the wrists and the legs by degrees.

When the troopers employ the spur, the instructor ob­serves that they do not bear too upon much upon the reins, which would counteract the effect of the spur. He also observes that the troopers do not use the spur unnecessarily.

118.—To conduct the squad to the riding-house, the instructor commands: 

1. By file to the right, (or to the left)   2. MARCH. 

At the command, By file to the right, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, the trooper on the right executes a turn to the right, and moves forward; this movement Is executed by all the other troopers successively. 

 

TO MARCH TO THE RIGHT HAND, AND TO THE LEFT HAND. 

119.—On reaching the opposite side of the riding-house, the instructor commands, right—TURN. When the squad is making a turn from the long to a short side of the riding-house, the instructor halts the half of the squad in rear, with a corporal at its head, at the angle, and orders it to wove forward, when the leader of the first half of the squad reaches the diagonal angle.

The troopers preserve the distance of 4 feet from head to croup.

The conductors regulate the pace of their horses so as to arrive at the same time at the opposite angles of the riding. house, the conductor of the second division regulating him. self on him of the first.

The instructor observes that the position of the troopers becomes more and more regular; that they march at a free and even pace; that they keep their horses straight and look constantly before them In order to maintain them­selves in the direction of the conductors; that they pre­serve their distances, and recover them gradually when lost.

120.—The Instructor reminds the troopers of the principIes prescribed, No. 102, to turn to the right or to the left, and directs them to gather their horses a little before arriv­ing at each corner.

The horses should not enter the corners too far, neither should they commence to turn too soon. To pass a corner to the right, a turn to the right is executed; to pass a corner to the left, a turn to the left is executed in marching; the troopers should act as if there were no walls; and as the movement of each one should be independent of the trooper who has gone before, their hands and legs alone should de­termine the horse to go to the right or to the left.

 

TO PASS FROM THE WALK TO THE TROT, AND FROM THE TROT TO THE WALK. 

121.—The troopers marching in column upon the long sides, the instructor causes them to commence the trot.

Whenever the change is made from a slow gait to one more rapid, as from the walk to the trot, it is necessary to commence slowly, and increase it gradually to the degree prescribed.

The troopers marching In column at the trot upon the long sides, the instructor causes them to pass to the walk.

Whenever the change is made from a lively gait to one more slow, as from the trot to the walk, it is necessary to commence the last gait gradually.

The squad passes frequently from the walk to the trot, and from the trot to the walk, in order to accustom the troopers to the changes of gait.

 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION IN THE BREADTH OF THE RIDING-HOUSE. 

122.—The instructor causes the change of direction In the breadth of the riding-house, as prescribed for the changes of hand, No. 108. taking cure to give the com­mand in sufficient time to prevent the columns from meet­ing at the end of the change of direction.

 The change of direction ought to be executed so as neither to stop nor check the rear of the column; the troopers, and particularly the conductors, ought to turn without slackening the pace, aiding themselves not only with their bands, but also with their legs.

 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION OBLIQUELY BY TROOPER. 

123.—The squad changes direction in the length of the riding-house; and as soon as all the troopers have turned, and are in the same direction, the instructor commands:

1. Column.   2. HALT. 

The troopers stop at the same time, keeping their horses straight and at their distances.

The instructor causes the troopers to make an oblique turn to the right or to the left from a halt, as prescribed.— No. 95.

This movement being executed, the Instructor assures himself of the exactness of the directions and the intervals, and then commands: 

1. Squad,    2.     MARCH. 

The troopers march at the same gait, each in the direc­tion he has taken.

When they arrive at 1 foot from the track, the instructor commands:

 

FORWARD. 

At this command, make an oblique turn to the left in advancing, in order to follow the track.

The instructor causes these movements to be repeated without halting; for this purpose, alter having commenced the change of direction in the length of the riding-house, as soon as the two ranks are in column, he commands:

1. Right (or Left) oblique.   2. MARCH.    1. FORWARD. 

At the command, right oblique, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, execute an oblique turn to the right; having taken this direction, keep the legs equally near, and march straight forward at the same gait.

At the command, FORWARD, turn to the original direction on the track.

 

TO MARCH IN A CIRCLE. 

124.—When the conductors have passed about a third of the long sides, the instructor commands:

1. In circle to the right, (or left.)  2. MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, the conductors turn to ride on circles, touching the two tracks of the long sides; the troopers exactly following them.

Every horse should bend to the curve he is to pass over; the trooper keeps him in its direction by the inner rein, supporting him, at the same time, with the outer leg.

To resume the direct march, when the conductors are at the track, the instructor commands: 

FORWARD. 

125.—To reunite the troopers in order to conduct them to the quarters, the instructor causes them to close to the distance of 2 feet.

The column having arrived in the yard of the quarters, the instructor commands:

1. Left into line.  2. MARCH.  3. HALT.  

At the first command, MARCH, the first trooper turns to the left and moves straight forward.

At the command, HALT, the trooper stops.

All the other troopers execute a turn to the left succes­sively, when they are nearly opposite the place they are to occupy in the rank, and halt abreast of it.

To terminate the exercise, the instructor gives the com­mand to dismount, and to file off, as prescribed, No. 98.

 

FOURTH LESSON. 

TO TURN TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, BY TROOPER, IN MARCHING. 

126.—.The instructor causes this movement to be executed as prescribed, No. 110, at the commands: 1. To the right; 2. MARCH; observing that the troopers marching in two columns, the preparatory command ought to be given so as to command MARCH at the moment the conductors arrive opposite to the last trooper but one of the other column.

The troopers move straight forward, preserving their gait and their direction, so that each one may find before him the interval and the place he is to occupy in the column on the opposite track.

In passing into the intervals, the legs should be kept near, to prevent the horse slackening his gait.

The instructor attaches much less importance to the uni­formity of these movements than to the manner in which each trooper conducts his horse.

This is executed also at the trot. 

 

TO TURN ABOUT TO THE RIGHT, OR TO THE LEFT, THE TROOPERS MARCHING ON THE SAME LINE, (OR ABREAST.)

 

127.—The instructor causes these movements to be executed as prescribed, No. 111, the troopers of the two divisions passing by the intervals at the middle of the riding­ house. 

 

TO TURN ABOUT TO THE RIGHT, OR TO THE LEFT, THE TROOPERS MARCHING IN COLUMN. 

128. —The instructor causes these movements to be exe­cuted as prescribed, No. 112.

In each column, the last trooper, who becomes the head of the column, should pay attention not to slacken the gait in making his movement, in order not to retard the others.

This principle is equally applicable to the troopers who take the head of the columns in re-entering upon the tracks. 

 

TO PASS SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE HEAD TO THE REAR OF THE COLUMN. 

129. —To make the troopers masters of their horses, to force them to use both the reins and the legs also, to accustom the horses to leaving each other, the instructor requires the troopers to pass from the head to the rear of the column; each one, becoming in his turn conductor, regulates himself accordingly.

This movement is executed successively in the two col­umns, at a simple warning from the instructor, by two right about (or left about) turns.

The trooper designated to pass to the rear of the column gathers his horse and executes the movement in advancing so as not to retard those who are behind him. He holds the outer leg near, in order not to describe a semicircle of more than 6 paces; he marches then parallel to the column, and when he has re-entered upon the track by a second turn, he closes to the distance of 4 feet from the last trooper.

The trooper who follows and who becomes conductor should gather his horse and direct him with the outer rein and the inner leg, to prevent his following the horse which has left the column.

The instructor also requires the troopers to leave the column, without commencing at the head. In this case, he directs the troopers who follow the one designated to close to the prescribed distance; or if he thinks proper, in order to habituate the troopers to holding in their horses, he causes the place of the absent trooper to continue vacant.

When the troopers have been thus misplaced, the in­structor halts the squad, and directs each trooper to return to his place before passing to another movement.

 

BEING HALTED, TO COMMENCE THE MOVE AT A TROT.

 

130.—The troopers being in column upon the long sides, the instructor commands: 

1. Forward, trot.   2. MARCH. 

At the command, trot, gather the horse.

At the command, MARCH, lower the wrists and close the legs progressively; as soon as the horse obeys, replace the wrists and the legs by degrees.

 

MARCHING AT A TROT, TO HALT. 

131.—The troopers marching at a trot, and in column, upon the long sides, the instructor commands: 

1.    Column.  2.  HALT. 

At the command, column, gather the horse.

At the command, HALT, elevate the wrists by degrees, until the horse stops; and hold the legs always near, to keep him straight and to prevent his stepping back. The horse having obeyed, replace the wrists and the legs by degrees.

The instructor requires all the troopers to set off freely at the trot, at the command MARCH, and to stop all together without jostling, at the command HALT.

 

TO PASS FROM THE TROT TO THE TROT-OUT, AND FROM THE TROT-OUT TO THE TROT.

 

132.—The troopers marching at the trot, and in column upon the long sides, the instructor commands: 

Trot--OUT. 

At this command, lower a little the wrists and close the legs progressively as soon as the horse obeys, replace the wrists and the legs by degrees.

The gait being lengthened to a suitable degree, the instructor sees that the troopers keep their horses up to it.

He pays particular attention to the position of the troop­ers. He reminds them that it is in holding the body erect, having a light hand, the loins supple, an(l in allowing the thighs and legs to fall naturally, they can diminish the effect of the reactions of the horse, and conform more readily to all his motions.

To prevent the horses from overreaching, it is necessary to raise the wrists and close more or less the legs.

The lengthened gait is executed only during one or two turns towards each hand; in continuing it longer, the horses lose their steadiness, and the equality of their gaits Is destroyed

To pass from the trot-out to the trot, the instructor com­mands:

SLOW TROT. 

At this command, elevate the wrists by degrees and close the legs, to prevent the horse from taking the walk; as soon as the horse obeys, replace the wrists and the legs by degrees.

 

TO PASS FROM THE TROT TO THE GALLOP. 

133.—When the troopers have acquired some suppleness and confidence, and preserve at the trot an easy and regu­lar position, the instructor causes them to make a few turns at the gallop. He does not explain to them at first the mechanism of this gait, neither the means of assuring its regularity he only requires that each trooper accommo­dates himself to the motions of his horse without losing his seat.

Before commencing this exercise, and when the 2d division arrives upon one of the short sides of the riding-house, it is formed, by causing the troopers to FRONT and HALT, as prescribed, No. 125, paying attention to make them move forward 6 paces from the track.

The troopers of the 1st division continue to march, take between them the distance of 4 paces, pass to the trot, and commence successively the gallop, at the indication of the Instructor, as follows:

Riding to the right, on approaching the corner, lengthen the trot, and gather the horse; then feel both reins to the left, and close the right leg; throwing the weight to the left, and leaving the right shoulder entirely free.

The horse having taken the gallop, hold a light hand and the legs near, to keep him at this gait.

After one or two turns at the most, the troopers pass from the gallop to the trot, and from the trot to the walk. The instructor makes them change hand in the breadth of the riding-house, and recommence the same exercise to the left hand. The troopers of the first division are then formed as those of the second, upon the other short side.

The troopers of the 2d division go through with the same exercise. 

 

TO PASSAGE TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, THE HEAD TO THE WALL. 

134.—The two columns marching at the walk upon the long sides, the instructor causes to be executed the movement to the right, or to the left, as prescribed, No. 126; but he causes the troopers to halt when the horses reach the opposite track, their heads to the wall, and he commands:  

1. Right (or left) pass  2.   MARCH. 

At the command, right pass, bear the shoulders of the horse to the right, in opening a little the right reins.

This movement is only preparatory; it indicates to the trooper that the shoulders of his horse should always commence the march, and precede the movement of the haunches.

At the command, MARCH, open the right rein to incline the horse to the right, closing at the same time the left leg that the haunches may follow, without leaning the body to the left make use of the left rein and the right leg to support the horse and moderate his movement.

After some steps upon the side, the instructor halts the squad.

At the command, HALT, cause to cease insensibly the effect of the right rein and the left leg, employing the opposite rein and leg; straighten the horse and replace the wrists and legs by degrees.

To passage to the left, and to halt, employ the same principles and inverse means.

135—The instructor causes this movement to be executed In the commencement by each man separately, and then by all at the same time. He explains to each one the means to be employed

The trooper should hold his horse obliquely to the track, to render his movement more easy. He ought to commence this movement moderately, and look to the side towards which he passes, without inclining the body to the opposite side, which would derange his seat and constrain the movement of the horse.

The horse having obeyed the aids, the trooper should keep up the effect by gentle means.

If the horse steps too quickly to the side towards which the trooper posses, diminish the effect of the right rein and left leg.

If the horse moves forward against the wall, it is neces­sary to diminish the effect of the legs, and increase that of the hands, in yielding and checking the horse alternately.

If, on the contrary, he steps back, it is necessary to in­crease the effect of the legs and diminish that of the hands, inclining always the shoulders of the horse to the side towards which he passes for it is generally the constraint that he experiences when the movement of the shoulders does not precede that of the haunches, which causes him to back. 

 

TO PASSAGE TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, BEING IN COLUMN. 

136.—After having executed the passages, the head to the wall, the troopers having returned to the track, and marching to the right hand or to the left hand, the instructor orders a change of direction in the length of the riding-house; and when the two columns are by the side of each other, he halts them and causes them to execute passage to the right (or to the left.)

When the troopers have nearly arrived at the track, the Instructor halts them again.

The horses being quieted, he orders the passage to the left, and each trooper returns to the place he occupied before halting in the middle of the riding-house.

When the troopers have reached the track, the instructor may, if he thinks proper, cause them to march in column upon this same track, in order not to keep the hones too long at the movement of passing.

137.— When the troopers have passed the hand to the wall, the instructor causes them sometimes to rein back, and to cease reining hack, as prescribed, No 97.

138.—-During the last days of this lesson, the instructor requires, from time to time, the reins to be held in the left hand, so that the troopers, conducting their horses with this hand alone, may be somewhat prepared for the exercises in the curb bridle. He observes that each trooper keeps himself square upon the horse.

139.—To terminate the lesson, and return to quarters, the Instructor conforms to what is prescribed, No. 125.

140.—The troopers being proficient in the third and fourth lessons, they are repeated without stirrups; these being crossed, altar mounting, in front of the saddle.