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The carbine was a short (about 39" long) compact firearm designed to be carried, and sometimes fired, from horseback.  Besides being compact, the carbine also had to be lightweight, to reduce the burden carried by the horse. Carbines used by the Federal cavalry were usually single-shot, rifled breechloaders (the cartridge was inserted through the back of the barrel). 

Model 1855 Colt Revolving Carbine

One Federal cavalry regiment, the 1st Missouri Cavalry, carried the Model 1855 Colt Revolving Carbine at Pea Ridge.  This weapon was basically Samuel Colt's famous revolver, with the barrel lengthened and a shoulder stock added.  It was made in both a rifle and a carbine version.  It fired five rounds, but had the unfortunate tendency to occasionally discharge all of the chambers at once.

Cylinders of Model 1855 Colt Revolving Carbine

The Colt revolving carbine was loaded in the same manner as the Colt revolver. The cartridge was loaded in the front of the cylinder (powder first, then the ball) and then compressed with the plunger beneath the barrel. This was repeated until all five cylinders were loaded. Percussion caps were then placed on the vent nipples. The weapon was then ready to fire.

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NPS photo

Many Confederate cavalrymen preferred to use a double-barreled shotgun instead of a carbine or rifle. They would charge at the enemy, fire both barrels at the enemy and then ride away to reload. The shotgun's firepower was devastating at close range. 

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The Sharps Cavalry Carbine. One of the best cavalry arms of the war. This .52 caliber paper cartridge weapon had a dropping breech-block that allowed it to be loaded from the rear. This eliminated the need to ram down the load and made its use on horseback more convenient and faster.

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Starr Percussion Saddle ring carbine

This was a mounted trooper's weapon during the Civil War. The Starr carbines are similar in appearance and mechanics to the Sharps.  In fact, the Starrs surpassed the Sharps in government trials.

Dave Taylor of Civil War Antiques is offering this weapon for sale!

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One of the rarest and earliest of the three Civil War Sharps carbines.  
It is a brass trim 1859 Sharp with Civil War style breech lock milling and barrel markings 
of New Model 1859. The earlier variations of the carbine have an earlier form of breech lock. 
(milled slightly differently than the standard Civil War production guns, and barrel markings 
of Model 1859 or on the very earliest guns, no model designation at all - just the Sharps factory legend in front of the rear sight. This gun is considered by most to be a southern gun, as most 
                            were shipped to Georgia and other southern states in the months preceding the war.

Dave Taylor of Civil War Antiques is offering this weapon for sale!

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Italian M-1891 Carcano Cavalry Carbine from the Italian-African Campaigns

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Pattern 1816 French Light Cavalry Carbine  This was a significant departure from the usually design of a carbine.  In place of having to return the ramrod after firing each time, many a time dropping it in the heat of battle,  this model was designed without a place for a ramrod.   Instead the dashing hussar hung the ramrod with ease from his person, thus reportedly increasing the light cavalryman's rate of fire.

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Navy Arms 1874 Sharps Cavalry Carbine, .45-70

Until the adoption of the “Trapdoor” Springfield, the Sharps and Spencer carbines were the issue weapons of the Frontier Cavalry during the Indian Wars of the 1870s. Thousands of Sharps Carbines were distributed to the “Blue Coats” throughout the West. They saw action in skirmishes with “Captain Jack” during the Modoc War and played a major role at the Battle of the Little Big Horn with Custer’s 7th Cavalry. The carbine was also popular with Indian Warriors, like the great Apache war chief Geronimo.

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The short muzzle-loading cavalry musketoon: a common variety used by the Confederacy during the Civil War. It usually came in .52. caliber, but many .58 caliber long arms were cut down to this size.

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http://www.horsesoldier.com/catalog/c0012.html vintage weapons - many for sale!

Mauser Model 1871 Cavalry Carbine