The regiment furnished a draft of twelve men and horses, in February, 1760, to complete the Third and Fourth Horse to forty-nine men per troop, previous to their embarkation for Germany; and another draft of twenty-two men was ordered in the spring of 1762. During the latter year the regiment was directed to recruit in Ireland, the cavalry corps having, previously to this period, usually procured recruits from England. In a few years afterwards the ranks of the First Irish Horse were composed almost exclusively of Irishmen.
Lieut.-General Brown died in the summer of this year, and was succeeded in the Colonelcy of the regiment by Colonel James Johnston, from the Lieut-Colonelcy of the Royal Horse Guards, by commission dated the 3rd of August, 1762.
1763
At this period commotions and tumults prevailed in various parts of Ireland to a most alarming extent; and in the beginning of 1763 the troops were employed in assisting the high sheriffs and magistrates in dispersing and securing bands of rioters known by the name of levellers. The head-quarters of the First Horse were at Carlow, and detachments were furnished to assist the civil power. In May, 1763, the regiment proceded to Dublin; in July it was ordered to march to the county of Monaghan to form escorts for the judges in their circuits; and subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts (commanding the regiment at Monaghan) was directed to furnish such detachments as Charles Coote, Esq., justice of the peace, should require to suppress riots, the county of Cavan being in a very disturbed state.
A treaty of peace having been concluded with France, the two regiments of horse returned from Germany, and the establishment of this regiment was reduced to twenty private men per troop.
1764
The regiment was again employed on Dublin duty in 1764,[14] and while there, orders were received for all the regiments of horse and dragoons, excepting the light dragoons, to be mounted on long-tailed horses; all the English horse and dragoons were originally mounted on long-tailed horses, but the fashion of the short dock was introduced about the close of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth centuries.[15] The regiment was also directed to discontinue the white lace on the button-holes of the waistcoat.
1765
1766
The regiment having been relieved from Dublin duty, its head-quarters were established in January, 1765, at Tullamore, from whence it marched in July to Birr, Maryborough, and Mount Mellick. In December of this year a ration of forage was fixed at 28 lbs. of hay, 7 lbs. of oats, and 6 lbs. of straw. During the following year the establishment of the regiment was reduced to 19 private men per troop.
1767