three hundred Mussulman troops from the northern parts of Persia (each
of whom would perform forty such feats as I have mentioned) take more
than an hour to form a very bad parade line, in single rank. When one of
them was the least too far forward, or had an interval between him and
the dressing hand, however small, as he could neither make his horse
rein back, nor pass sideways, he was obliged to ride out to the front,
turn round to the rear, and ride into the rank afresh, and so in
succession every man beyond him. This was an affair of seat; the Eastern
horseman's leg does not come low enough to give his horse what are
called _sides_.

On _sides_ depend reining back and passing; on reining back and passing
depend _closing_ and _dressing_, and consequently the power of acting in
line. On _sides_ also depends the _central_ wheel of threes _on their
own ground_. This is an invaluable attribute to cavalry, regular or
irregular. On the plain, the central wheel of threes affords the only
true principle of correcting intervals between squadrons, regiments, or
brigades, whether in line or in line of columns. Threes also supply the
most perfect principle of retiring in line in the presence of an enemy,
with the power of instantly showing front, provided that (according to
regulation) leaders are appointed to the rear, the same as to the front.
In the defile, for advanced or rear-guard movements, threes alone afford
the power to occupy the entire width of a lane, road, street, or defile,
with the perfect facility of constant and instant alternation of
retiring and advancing. Without some _central_ wheel, columns or
divisions occupying the width of a road or street, _can not retire_; or
when retiring, cannot show front to the enemy. With reining back and
passing (and they are easily acquired) irregular cavalry might move with
the precision of regular cavalry.

I should say, that the most perfect seat for the manege should be
shortened for the soldier to give him power with his weapons; that the
military rider should take up his stirrups when he goes hunting; the
hunter the same when he rides a race; and for tours de force, I consider
the short stirrup-leather and the broad stirrup-iron of the East
indispensable--they give, in fact, the strength of the standing instead
of the sitting posture. The Cossack retains this standing posture even
at a trot; few Eastern horsemen allow that pace at all, but make their
horses walk, amble