Section A - General Rules and Regulations
1. The authenticity, style, and type of horse equipment used will be the decision of each Company Commander and his Unit. The condition and serviceability of such equipment will be under the jurisdiction of the Mounted Safety Officer, who will be known as the "Chief of Mounts", or his designee.

2. Each Company Commander, or senior Company member, will perform an equipment safety check on each mounted member of his Unit prior to 10:00 AM, Sunday morning, on Ft. Tejon CWP weekends.

3. The Company Commander, or senior Company member, will perform the same inspection prior to any activity at which his Unit will participate mounted. (i.e. parades, back countries, displays, etc.)

4. The purpose of the inspection will be to insure that each horse is properly saddled and that all tack is in serviceable condition and properly adjusted, and that both horse and rider are ready and capable of safely participating in the planned activity.

5. Unserviceable or questionable equipment will be repaired or replaced before the person is allowed to take part in the event.

6. The Mounted Safety officer will confer with the Unit Commander(s) concerning any problems and will conduct inspections and spot checks as he feels appropriate.

7. Any disagreement will be settled by the CWP Director, however, the Safety Officer's decision will stand until the situation has been corrected or his decision over-turned by the CWP Director.
8. Each mounted cavalryman and his horse will be considered a team. Both, together, must take and pass a mounted safety course before taking part in any FTHA CWP event. The mounted safety course must be taken each year at a minimum, and the rider certified on his membership card by the Chief of Mounts.

9. There will be no rental horses allowed at FTHA sponsored events. With written approval from the FTHA Board of Directors, rental horses may be used at backcountries, encampments, and re-enactments.

10. Mounted Units will leave/not take the field (at Ft. Tejon) once the dismounted troops have been deployed. A single mounted courier may be used behind the lines.

11. Mounted troops will maintain a minimum safety distance of thirty (30) feet from the spectators/safety ropes/other Units.

12. Any member who owns more than one horse may loan their extra horse(s) to another member, however, both the horse and rider must pass the mounted safety course together.

13. An FTHA CWP Mounted Safety Card will be maintained by the Chief of Mounts for each horse and rider, as a team. Any change in the composition of that team will require a new test and card, showing the make-up of the new team.

14. Mounted safety infractions will be noted on the back of the Mounted Safety Card. Three (3) infractions, within one (1) year of issue date, will cause the team to be denied access to further events until their training has been reviewed with the rider, Company Commander, Chief of Mounts and the CWP Director.

15. Any serious safety infraction will require the immediate removal of the mounted team from the event.

16. A serious mounted safety infraction may be noted by anyone, mounted or on foot, and a "Cease Fire" called if necessary.

17. Anyone found drinking alcohol after 10:00 PM on Saturday night of a Ft. Tejon weekend will not be allowed on the field mounted on Sunday. Anyone found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol on Sunday morning will be refused access to the event.
 
Section B - Inspections
1. Safety inspections will be looking for, but not limited to, the following:
a) Worn or damaged leather
b) Dryrot, cracked or split leather
c) New leather which has not been properly oiled before use
d) Old leather which has not been kept properly oiled
e) Worn cinches
f) Particular attention will be given to stirrup, girth, and quarter straps
g) Although not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that every man use a sursingle when mounted at any event.
h) Bridles and halters in good serviceable condition
i) A lead strap or rope attached to the halter and the free end tied around the horse's neck or to the left front saddle ring

2. Horses
a) Each horse will be inspected for soundness or obvious sickness and
injury. Horses with open cuts, bad feet (including overdue trimming or
shoeing), saddle sores or infections may be removed from the picket line
and denied use in the event. Whenever possible, these problems will be
corrected and the horse returned to service.
b) Horses will be kept on Company (or larger) picket lines when not in use.
The Company(s) will provide a picket line guard(s) during the hours of
darkness or when necessary to keep the public from entering the picket
line during the daytime. Any horse that cannot get along with the rest
of the herd will be removed from the picket line and his owner will be
responsible for his security at an alternate site.
c) Only geldings and mares will be used
d) To prepare any horse for the unusual situations that are found at a
typical FM function, it is suggested that each rider/unit train
their horse(s) using "Cooke's Cavalry Tactics", ca. 1862, Article VII.
 
Section C - Cavalry Weapons
The mounted troops are bound by the same rules and safety standards in regard to weapon safety as the rest of the FTHA CWP. The following rules are in addition to the current FTHA CWP safety rules. These rules are in effect when mounted.

1. Pistol
a) The pistol will be drawn only upon command of the Unit Commander.
b) When fired to the front while mounted, the muzzle will be elevated above the horse's head so as not to cause harm to the horse or his hearing.
c) Pistols may be fired to the flanks and rear in a more realistic/aimed manner; so long as safe distances still prevail. The horse covers distance much faster than a person on foot. Therefore, great care must be exercised to insure that an action started at a safe distance still exists before weapons are fired.
d) Once the pistol is drawn, from the holster, it will be held in the raised/ready position, muzzle up and right hand at shoulder level, until just before firing.
e) The hammer will not be cocked until the pistol is brought to bear and fixed. Pistols may not be re-loaded while mounted.

2. Carbine
a) The carbine will be kept on the saddle and not attached to the carbine
sling while mounted during battles. Mounted troops may use a device of
their choosing to secure the carbine to the saddle, but all methods
must be approved by the Chief of Mounts. Several suggestions are:
1) The use of a carbine boot that supports the carbine completely.
2) A metal snap link or hook that would connect the carbine slide
ring with the saddle, and used in conjunction with the carbine
thimble,
NOTE: Tie down affairs using leather thongs or cords will not be
acceptable.
3) These boots or link/hooks should be removed for living history
displays and demonstrations. At these times, the carbine may be
attached to the carbine sling.
b) Once drawn from the thimble or boot, the carbine will be kept pointing muzzle up, with the butt resting on the right leg, until ready to fire. The same precautions exist as were noted with the pistol.
c) When re-loading, the carbine will be held in the left hand at the fore stock, muzzle pointing slightly forward and downward.
d) The hammer will be placed in the half-cock position during loading and until ready to fire.
e) Should the carbine be returned to the boot/thimble while loaded, the primer will be removed before the carbine is returned.

3. Sabre
a) The sabre may be worn on the field while mounted and during battles.
b) The sabre may not be withdrawn from the scabbard for any reason during battles. To do so will require an immediate "Cease Fire" to be called and the offending party removed from the field.
c) The sabre may be used for public displays and pre-planned programs. These programs must be pre-planned, well rehearsed by the actual performers, and reviewed and approved by the Chief of Mounts and the CWP Director.
d) Cuts, slashes, parries, etc., may be shown using a combination of mounted and foot assistants, as long as both the demonstrator and assistant are stationary.
e) If for any reason the horse becomes jumpy or hard to handle, the demonstration will be stopped until a substitute is brought in, or the program will proceed to the next event.