PONIES 99 



on either side as the circumstances of the moment 

 require. 



The pony for No. 3 will get most of the bumps, especially 

 in a hustling game, and as, too, it will probably be ridden 

 by the heaviest rider, it must be well up to weight and have 

 plenty of substance. And yet it needs pace and a lengthy 

 stride if it is to hold its own, though at the same time it 

 must be very steady and clever. Probably no better No. 3 

 pony ever existed than the one-time celebrated Fritz, a 

 portrait of whom and his then owner, the late Mr. John 

 Watson, appeared in Baily's Magazine. Fritz was 

 originally bought out of a Connemara drove by the writer, 

 and beyond the fact that he was said to be by Kinsman, dam 

 by Tom Steele, nothing further was known about him. He 

 was a most powerfully built pony, and really was a weight- 

 carrying hunter on very short legs, and being blessed with a 

 placid and generous temper he became a celebrated polo 

 pony under the tuition of Mr. Watson. He had one pecu- 

 liarity — he stood much higher at the croup than at the 

 withers, and whereas he only just passed the standard in 

 front he could not nearly have done so behind, and yet he 

 was not an uncomfortable pony to ride, having great length. 

 His pace was such that he won two flat races at Baldoyle 

 the same afternoon, ridden by the writer. 



No. 4 needs to be a compactly built pony, for he must be 

 able to jump off quickly to save a goal. He needs pace, 

 too, for he must be able to race after the ball while the 

 other players ride off their opponents. An active, quick 

 pony is needed here, one that can turn sharply as well as 

 gallop. 



One thing is essential to all polo ponies : they must not 

 pull or they are useless, and they must be docile and 

 generous in their work. When the right pony has been 

 found, and the skill to train it is not wanting, its value 

 represents almost a small fortune. This very season 

 Swallow has been sold for 650 gs. ; and so also have those 

 splendid ponies of Mr. Buckmaster, Play Actor, Jack, 

 and Lottery. Whilst the average of i*557 15s. made by 

 Mr. Buckmaster' s stud, and of £443 2s. 6d. made by the 



