3. The gun and carriage are to be hauled whenever practicable country for hauling occurs, on a long march, to ease the animals, and especially if their backs get sore, and also in action if the ground will admit of it.
4. If the draught animals are led, the pack-saddles can be left on the animals loosely cinched.
5. If a driver rides one draught animal, its pack-saddle can be placed on the other animal, or both saddles can be placed on gun and carriage.
6. Pressure should fall on back, not on spine and not on sides.
Mules differ in shape; the same mule is not always symmetrical, and the condition varies; therefore, when saddles fit do not change them without good reason.
Fold saddle-blanket in four folds and place it carefully on the animal; then place the saddle on the blanket and in the middle of the animal's back, so as to interfere as little as possible with his free action, and cinch tightly with saddle-cincha. They should be drawn tighter than with riding-saddles, but only tight enough to keep the saddle securely in its place. With a young mule tighten gradually and gently.
Ammunition-mules scarcely need such tight girthing as saddle-mules.
The dock of the crupper must be kept soft, smooth, and pliable.
7. See that everything fits properly before loading. Place the hand under the blanket to make sure that pressure does not fall on the withers. On the least sign of a rub on the ribs take measures to relieve the pressure from that point, changing the load if possible. In cases of this sort, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.