There is no need to go further through the weary iteration of “Join your right hand to your carbine,” “Poise your carbine,” “Join your left hand to your carbine,” whereby the recruit learned the difference between his right hand and his left. Suffice it that the manual and firing exercise contain the only detailed instruction for the original Light Dragoon that is now discoverable. “Setting-up” drill there was apparently none, sword exercise there was none, riding-school, as we now understand it, there was none, though there was a riding-master. A “ride” appears to have comprised at most twelve men, who moved in a circle round the riding-master and received his teaching as best they could. But it must not be inferred on that account that the men could not ride; on the contrary the Light Dragoons seem to have particularly excelled in horsemanship. Passaging, reining back, and other movements which call for careful training of man and horse, were far more extensively used for purposes of manœuvre than at present. Moreover, every man was taught to fire from on horseback, even at the gallop; and as the Light Dragoons received an extra allowance of ammunition for ball practice, it is reasonable to conclude that they spent a good deal of their time at the butts, both mounted and dismounted. As to the ordinary routine life of the cavalry barrack, it is only possible to obtain a slight glimpse thereof from scattered notices. Each troop was divided into three squads with a corporal and a sergeant at the head of each. Each squad formed a mess; and it is laid down as the duty of the sergeants and corporals to see that the men “boil the pot every day and feed wholesome and clean.” The barrack-rooms and billets must have been pretty well filled, for every scrap of a man’s equipment, including his saddle and saddle-furniture, was hung up therein according to the position of his bed. As every bed contained at least two men, there must have been some tight packing. It is a relief to find that the men could obtain a clean pair of sheets every thirty days, provided that they returned the foul pair and paid three halfpence for the washing. The fixed hours laid down in the standing orders of the Light Dragoons of 14th May 1760 are as follows:-- The drum beat for-- _Réveille_ from Ladyday to Michaelmas 5.30 A.M. Rest of year 6.30 Morning stables „ „ 8 A.M. „ 9.0 Evening stables „ „ 4 P.M. „ 3.0 “Rack up” „ „ 8 P.M. Tattoo[1] „ „ 9 P.M. „ 8.0 If there was an order for a mounted parade the drum beat-- 1st drum--“To horse.” The men turned out, under the eye of the quartermaster and fell in before the stable door in rank entire. Officers then inspected their troops; and each troop was told off in three divisions. 2nd drum--“Preparative.” By the Adjutant’s order.