Adam,

It occurred to me there are at least two US Army units that would have the manuals I mentioned.

Some Air Cavalry squadrons (helicopter units) have members who are trained in the use of horses and old fashioned cavalry techniques. They normally use the skills to put on 1870's type cavalry displays for the public, but they are not all show, and at certain times when horse soldiers are required, they train troops to properly use a horse. That is how the British SAS and US Army Special Forces guys in Afghanistan learned how to use a horse in combat so quickly.

The cavalry units I know of that have retained these skills are based at Ft. Bliss (El Paso, Texas) and Ft. Riley (Kansas).

There is also a unit that has retained all the old horse drawn artillery skills. I think that one is based in Oklahoma, either at Ft. Sill or Ft. Lawton.

It should be possible to contact the units via the public relations officer at those bases.

Richard.