by Brevet Maj. Gen. Gibbs
Major 7th Cavalry
Leavenworth: Daily Conservative Book and Job Printing House,
13 & 15 Shawnee St. 1868
Cavalry Manual
Showing the Manner of Bridling, Unbridling, Saddling, and Unsaddling a Horse; and the Manner of Folding the Saddle Blanket.
The saddle being on the ground, four paces in front of the horse, pommel to the front, stirrups crossed, blanket on the saddle, bridle on the blanket.
The squad, for instruction, is supposed to consist of not more than eight troopers, who are in fatigue dress, without arms; two horses are brought out and placed in position, opposite and in read of the saddles. A trooper is placed on each side of the horse, in position of “stand to horse,” holding the horse by the halter strap, in the right and left hand, respectively; the trooper on the right side of the horse holds him whilst the other executes the manual…
Manner of Bridling
Take the bridle with the right hand, pass it into the left hand, which grasps it, (palm up,) at centre of crown piece, (brow-band toward the body,) the rein resting in the bend of the left arm; standing on the left side of the horse, place the right hand on his mane, near the head, so as to bring it down; raise the bridle with the left hand, in front of the horse’s head; seize the crown piece with the right hand, and the mouth piece with the first two fingers of the left hand, pressing the curb back with the little finger, the thumb on the inside of the curb strap, so as to place the bit in the horse’s mouth; then raise the bridle with the right hand, place the right ear, then the left, under the crown piece (between the crown piece and the brow band); adjust the foretop and buckle the throat strap, passing it under the throat strap of the halter; pass the rein over the horse’s head, the centre of it resting half way between the head and withers of the horse; slide the right hand along the left rein, and take the position of “stand to horse.”
To Fold The Blanket
Seize the blanket by both corners, bring the hands together so that the fold will come between the U. and S., placing both corners in the left hand, take hold of the folded corner with the right hand, slide the left hand down two-thirds of the folded edge of the blanket, bring the right hand in to the left and seize the corner with the left hand, take the double fold with the right hand, turn the left corner in and seize it with the right hand, raise the blanket with both hands and place it under the chin, seize it with both hands halfway between the corners, let the part under the chin fall forward, throw the outside of the blanket on the horse’s back by placing the left hand on the withers and carrying the right hand smartly on the loins, draw the blanket back once or twice so as to smooth the hair, being careful to raise the blanket in bringing it forward settle the blanket on the horse’s back well forward, the edges on the left side.
Manner Of Saddling
Take the saddle at the pommel with the left hand, at the cantle with the right hand and place it gently on the horse’s back, keeping the right saddle-flap well off the horse’s body with the right hand, bringing it from the direction of the croup in order not to freighten (sic) him, step to the right side of the horse by the read and let down the girth and right stirrup, see that there are no straps under either of them, pass by the head of the horse to the left side, seize the pommel with the right hand, raise the saddle and run the left hand between the withers and the blanket, raise it up a little so that it will not compress the withers of the horse, seize the girth strap with the right hand, reach under the horse and seize the girth with the left hand, pass the end of the strap through the ring from under-neath, through the upper ring from the inside, seize the end of the strap with the left hand, turn the right side to the horse, place the right hand on the strap near the upper ring and press well down, [retain the end of the strap with the left hand, and pass the right hand between the strap and the side of the horse (to smooth down the hair and wrinkles of the skin,) re-seize the strap with the right hand.] pass the end of the strap in the buckle with the left hand and buckle tight, let down the left stirrup, face to the left and stand to horse.
[blue insert is a handwritten notation with the following written to side of page: “That amendment, or something equivalent, should be made – A. B.” (very likely Albert Barnitz)]
Manner Of Unsaddling
Place the right foot in the rear of the left, the hollow of the right foot three inches from and opposite the left heel, drop the right rein, make a face and a half to the right, turning on both heels, slide the right hand along the left rein, make two equal steps, stepping off the right foot, then with the left, face to the left, turning on the toe of the left foot, throw the left stirrup over the saddle, unbuckle the girth, throw the cinche (sic) strap over, step to the right side of the horse passing round his croup, throw the right stirrup and girth over, pass to the left side of the horse by his head, seize the saddle by the pommel with the left hand, at the cantle with the right, raise the saddle from the horse’s back, carry it in the direction of the croup, face to the right about, and place it four paces in front of the hrose, the flaps turned under, seize the blanket at the withers with the left hand, at the loins with the right, draw it over the horse’s back from front to rear, let the blanket fall together, the wet side in, place it on the saddle the large fold on the pommel.
Manner Of Unbridling
Standing on the left side of the hrose, seize the rein with the right hand, pass it over the horse’s head and let it rest in the bend of the left arm, unbuckle the throat strap, seize the head-stall with the right hand, the bit with the left, take off the bridle from the horse’s head, beginning with the right ear; being careful to let the bit gently out of the horse’s mouth, place the crown piece in the palm of the left hand, take the rein with the right hand, pass it over the left, raise the rein to the length of the head-stall with the right hand, make two or three turns around the bridle, with the reins below the brow band, and pass them between the front and the top of the head-stall, so that the bridle may be hung up; the bridle will be placed on the saddle when it is not hung up.
– from copy of original located with document 43-G AGO General’s Office, Record Group 94, National Archives, Washington D.C. as reproduced in “Boots & Saddles At The Little Bighorn”, James S. Hutchins, copyright 1976, The Old Army Press.