To mount, proceed as without the rifle. When seated in the saddle, grasp the rifle at the bolt with the left hand, barrel to the front, place the butt of the rifle in the bucket, steadying the latter with the left foot if necessary and take the position of the trooper mounted.
To dismount: At the preparatory command, seize the rifle at the bolt with the left hand, give it a quick, forcible pull, lifting the butt from the bucket, and let the rifle hang from the belt.
(For troops armed with equipment corresponding to the McClellan saddle.)
254. At stand to horse, the rifle is held on the left side of the trooper in a position corresponding to order arms (par. 93), as modified by substituting the word left for right wherever the latter occurs.
In leading out, and on all occasions when the trooper leads his horse for short distances, the rifle is carried at the left trail (par. 108) unless otherwise prescribed.
255. In mounting, the rifle is inserted in the scabbard after the trooper steps back opposite the girth and before he takes the reins in his right hand (par. 191).
On dismounting, each trooper, after placing the bights of the reins on the horse's neck, and before stepping forward to take the position of stand to horse (par. 192), takes the rifle from the scabbard and assumes the left trail. A modification of this provision applies when the trooper dismounts for inspection. The rifle is never carried on the saddle when the trooper is dismounted, except as specially authorized at inspections, with the equipment corresponding to the McClellan saddle (par. 262).
256. Inspection of arms and equipment, mounted.—It is assumed that the troopers before being formally inspected mounted and under arms, will have advanced in elementary collective instruction to a point when they can be formed and aligned: as a mounted squad (par. 350). Should this not be the case, the instructor will place the troopers in line with intervals in advance of the inspection. References to the guide and to alignment will then be disregarded and the command front will be omitted.
The inspection is described below upon the assumption that all arms are inspected. The inspection of pistols is explained for both the mounted and dismounted execution. The necessary modification in case the inspection of any weapon be omitted is indicated in par. 266.
257. When arms are inspected mounted they are always inspected in the order: Saber, pistol. When inspected dismounted they are always inspected in the order: Rifle, pistol. Sabers are not inspected dismounted, nor are rifles inspected mounted. Pistols may be inspected either mounted or dismounted.