POLO IN ENGLAND 257 



Colonel Buncombe, Mr. Miller, &c., and a host of others, 

 and polo grew and flourished apace, each year seeing it be- 

 come more popular, while the numerous country clubs thai: 

 sprang into existence often showed very creditable form. 



Since those early days, however, marvellous changes have 

 taken place in the method of playing. Teams which often 

 consisted of eight a side have been reduced to four, the slow 

 game has given way to one played at racing pace, hard hitting 

 has been substituted for dribbling, different forms of balls and 

 sticks have been introduced, and skill both in hitting and play 

 has so advanced that it is now quite a scientific game. Of 

 course the number of players being reduced to four a side has 

 contributed in no slight degree to the present style of play, but 

 more may perhaps be ascribed to the hard and accurate hitting 

 introduced by the Messrs. Peat, who first came into notice in 

 1877, and who a couple of years later began to assume the 

 prominent position in the polo world that they have held ever 

 since. To them also belongs the honour, conjointly with 

 Mr. John Watson, of having introduced the back-hand stroke. 

 Then, too, the way in which ponies are trained has developed 

 into an art, for a good pony will not only turn, twist, and dodge 

 at its rider's will, but will follow the ball of its own accord, 

 turning as if by instinct directly a back-hander is hit. By 

 degrees cups began to be played for, and trouble was taken in 

 forming and laying out good polo grounds. At Hurlingham 

 and Ranelagh ranges of stabling capable of holding nearly one 

 hundred ponies were erected, Royalty patronised the sport with 

 its presence, and Saturday after Saturday crowds flocked down 

 to Hurlingham and Ranelagh to witness the game. 



In Ireland polo had taken root in congenial soil in the year 

 1872. Fostered and encouraged by such rare sportsmen as 

 Mr. Horace Rochfort, Mr. Robert Watson, and others, the 

 game rapidly advanced to a prominent position, while the 

 ' horseyness ' of the game and the ' scrimmage ' so dear to the 

 Milesian mind caused it to be extremely popular amongst 

 the masses, who came 'in their thousands' to look on in the 



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