The reins should be so held that the trooper feels lightly the horse's mouth, the fingers closed until the nails lightly touch the palms of the hands; the reins well up in the crotch of the fingers; the backs of the hands vertical and in prolongation of the forearm; the wrists flexible; the elbows near the body and low, so that the forearms will be in prolongation of the reins; the hands about 9 inches apart. The instructor takes care that the recruit in adjusting the reins provokes no movement of the horse and deranges in no manner the position of the horse's head. The instructor cautions the trooper to avoid touching the horse with the left toe in mounting; this fault begets nearly all the resistance of horses to standing quietly while being mounted. The modifications incident to mounting and dismounting a horse equipped with the double snaffle or bit and bridoon are indicated in pars. 271, 303, and 307. The troopers are also trained to mount on the right side. =192.= =To dismount=: Being halted, =DISMOUNT=. (_a_) Seize the reins with the right hand in front of and near the left, forefinger between the reins, the reins entering the hand from the side of the forefinger; drop the reins with the left hand; place the right hand on the pommel; grasp a lock of the mane with the left hand, the lock coming out between the thumb and forefinger; take the right foot out of the stirrup. (_b_) Rise upon the left stirrup, pass the right leg, knee bent, over the croup without touching the horse, and bring the right foot by the side of the left, the left knee against the saddle, the upper part of the body inclined slightly forward; descend lightly to the ground and take the position of =stand to horse=. The troopers are also trained to dismount on the right side. =193.= Commanding officers may authorize the following alternative method of mounting and dismounting by officers and enlisted men on all occasions except those when it is required that mounting and dismounting be executed in unison at the corresponding command (par. 354). Instruction, in the methods authorized in this paragraph is optional. Being at =stand= to horse, at the command =MOUNT=, face to the right, drop the right rein, take a step to the right to be opposite the shoulder of the horse; at the same time seize the bights of the reins in the right hand and pull them taut enough to give a gentle, even bearing on the horse's mouth; grasp the reins with the left hand, with the little finger between them, and the bight coming out between the thumb and forefinger, which also hold a lock of the mane. Place the left foot in the stirrup, assisted by the right hand if necessary, and bring the left knee against the saddle.