Code-1178. Mounted men are to be selected for their superior,general intelligence,and predilection for horses and the mounted service;and they are not to be dismounted without authority from the Inspector General; they are not to be over twenty-six years of age,or five feet nine and a half inches in height,and are not to exceed eleven stone in weight,as the description of horses purchased for the Force will not admit of heavy riders. Mounted men should be weighed every three years,when a report should be made,and if they are found too heavy they are liable to be dismounted.
Code-1179. There are three Head Constables on the strength of the mounted Force-who are stationed,one at Depot,one at Belfast,and one at Cork.
Code-1180. Duties.-Mounted men should be very careful of their horses,and take pride in their high condition and fitness for active service;they must examine their shoeing every night and morning,so as to insure their being always fit for duty,and see that they are shod at least once every month; they are to pay similar attention to the state of their saddles,least they should gall or injure their horses'backs and they are to keep their accoutrements and general equipments in such order as will enable them to turn out for duty or inspection at a moments notice, and in a creditable manner.
Code-1181. Stable Hours,-They are to go stables at six thirty o'clock in the morning,and six o'clock in the evening;they are to give the midday feed at one o'clock p,m.,throughout the year;and are to give their horses two hours gentle exercise every day (weather permitting) when they are not required for duty; and the horses(especially the young ones)should,if possible, be bedded down every day after the midday feed,to afford them an opportunity of lying down,if inclined, until the evening stable hour.On sunday evenings the time spent in the stables need not exceed half an hour (i.e.,from six to half past six) for watering,feeding,and bedding down;no grooming is then required.
Code-1182. Excercise.- When there are two or more mounted men at a station,they should (unless prevented by duty) go out on exercise together, and not singly; they are not to take byroads or fields for such purpose,but are to use the roads of most frequent resort.
Code-1183. Rate of Travelling.-Mounted men on command with despatches or on other duty are not to ride at a quicker rate then six miles and a half per hour,except when specially ordered to exceed that rate, and are to carry an extra shoe in the shoe case with nails, as also a feed of corn in their nosebags, whenever there is a probability of their being absent from quarters during stable hours.
Code-1184. Order.-Whenever the horse is exercised, the saddle,bit,and bridoon are to be used,and the man is to wear his spurs. On all other occasions of duty,man and horse will be fully equipped according to regulation.
Code-1185. All mounted men,sent from counties to the Depot,ether for instruction,or with a horse for inspection,should join it in marching order,unless,in the latter case,the horse, from sickness or other cause,may be considered unequal to the weight required to be carried.
Code-1186. Certificate of due care of horse.-County Inspectors will require from each mounted man a monthly certificate that his horse had received daily the regulated allowance of 10 lbs, of oates,12 lbs,of hay,and 8 lbs,of straw,and that he had been shod during the month,and in cases of horses employed on transport duty that they have received the special allowance as approved.
