PONIES 101 



test of the merit of the race-horse, so may the polo-ground 

 be looked upon as the test of the polo pony, and if polo- 

 bred stallions can continue to beget animals of the standard 

 of Marquis, assuredly nothing better can be desired. It 

 may be long ere the services of thoroughbred stallions can 

 be dispensed with, for there can, in all probability, be no 

 great number of polo sires, since many animals are prevented 

 from continuing their species through the early application 

 of the surgeon's knife. Sufticient has already been accom- 

 plished, however, to prove that polo-bred stallions can be 

 depended upon to reproduce their like, but it should be 

 looked upon as an axiom that the sires must be themselves 

 tested on the polo ground, as race-horses are on the race- 

 course, or softness, and other undesirable qualities, are 

 eventually bound to creep in. 



Marquis is by Sir John Barker's celebrated sire Sandiway, 

 and his dam, Lady Polo, by Sir Walter Gilbey's famous 

 Rosewater, who was by Sir Joseph Hawley's great race- 

 horse, Rosicrucian. As Sandiway was also by Eosewater, 

 the inbreeding of Marquis was very close, and if care is not 

 taken to guard against continued alliances of this de- 

 scription, the eventual result will assuredly be a delicate, 

 irritable race, such as our thoroughbred horses have so 

 largely become. The dam of Sandiway was Cuddington, 

 whose dam was a AVelsh pony, while Lady Polo (dam of 

 Marquis) had Exmoor blood in her veins, so these outside 

 strains may have had some effect in preventing any de- 

 terioration in Marquis himself. 



Amongst other polo-bred stallions should be mentioned 

 the winner of the polo-bred class at Islington, 1910, White 

 Wings by White Mask, by Whitehall, by Hermit, whose 

 dam was First Flight, a winner of hurdle-races, while 

 his grandam. Oh My, won over i;2,000 in jumping prizes. 

 White Wings is the property of the Keynsham Stud, and 

 should beget polo ponies of the right stamp, if as good as his 

 breeding warrants. 



In conclusion, it may be suggested that foundation mares 

 for breeding fast-galloping ponies of lighter description may 

 be found amongst the Exmoor, Dartmoor, Welsh, and 



