Ride Like a Trooper

Ride Like a Trooper is the first in a series of books and manuals that presents the accumulated knowledge base developed by the horse mounted cavalries of the world, at the beginning of the 20th century. It was during the first forty years of the 20th century that the highest levels of horsemanship of the world was found in the cavalry.

This formulation is not surprising or unexpected since it was the military that most needed all the expertise that was available concerning the art and science of horsemanship.

Obviously victory or defeat on the battlefield, indeed the lives of the mounted trooper were dependent upon the skills and training of horse and trooper. The Italian Cavalry School at Tor di Quinto, the French Cavalry School at Saumur and the U. S. Cavalry School at Fort Riley became the focus points of knowledge with regards to horsemanship and effective riding.

Ride Like a Trooper is based upon the first of the manuals adopted by the United States Army, translated from the “Notes on Equitation and Horse Training” which were the answers to the examination questions at the School of Application for Cavalry at Saumur, France. It was adopted by the US Army and the Mounted Service School on 16 July, 1910.