Except on account of imperative military reasons, Cavalry should not leave camp for an hour or more after daylight. If grazing is depended upon, this is especially necessary, since horses as a rule graze more freely in the early morning when rested. Ample time should be allowed after reville for grooming and feeding and thereafter for the men to breakfast. All stable duties should be done quietly and without hurry or confusion under the immediate supervision of troop and squadron commanders. In each troop a man is detailed to walk the picket line while grain is being fed, to look out for the horses generally and to take off the feed or the nose bag of a horse as soon as he has finished feeding. The signals for striking tents (=the general=), for policing, saddling, and beginning the march should be ordered personally by the commanding officer and only when the duties pertaining to the previous signal are completed. =979.= =The march, its length and rate=: The average daily march of a Cavalry column of the size of a squadron, or larger, is about 25 miles when horses are in condition; when starting on long-distance marches the rate per day for the first few days should be less than 20 miles and gradually increased. These rules may necessarily be modified, even when horses are not in fit condition, by reason of emergencies, character of roads or weather, proximity of water, grazing, etc., but, with these exceptions, the question of the =length= of the daily march is one of good judgment and experience on the part of the commander. The =gait= and =pace= of the daily march are influenced by both the time the horse is to carry the load and the distance to be covered. The quicker a march can be completed without forcing the less the fatigue to both horse and man. Where the footing is good, the road level, and other considerations do not hamper the column, after the first or a subsequent halt, may advance first by leading dismounted, then mount and walk, then trot, a short gallop (exceptional), then the trot, followed by the walk to the next halt. No gait is to be maintained continuously long enough to weary either horse or man, neither must it be changed too frequently in long columns; but whatever pace or gait is taken it should conform to the standards (par. 279). The officer setting the pace should occasionally drop back to observe its effect on the column, and veterinarians, if present, should be habitually utilized for this purpose. The walk, if the footing is good, should be at the rate of 4 miles per hour, exclusive of halts; the trot at 8 miles per hour, so as to facilitate posting; the gallop, a very exceptional gait even for small commands, should be not faster than the maneuvering gallop (par. 236), and its practicability will depend upon the training and condition of the horses, since on long marches, unless accustomed to this gait with packed saddles, the horses will soon break down.