3i8 POLO 



with good backs and on short legs. When taken up and 

 well fed, however, there seems no limit to the work they can 

 do and the pace they can go in harness. Their small size 

 arises probably from starvation and want of shelter as colts 

 and the general disregard of proper crossing exhibited by their 

 owners. That a strong vein of Arab blood existed amongst 

 them at one time is undoubted, but it has been much neglected. 

 Mares are half starved, and the grazing of the Forest contains 

 but little nutritive element. The question has, however, been 

 taken up of late by the Verderers, and some good pony stallions, 

 inter alia., one Arab sent by Her Majesty, imported into the 

 district ; but it will take many a generation before the breed 

 becomes fit for polo, if ever it does. 1 



Many good ponies come from Connemara, in Ireland, where 

 the breed is celebrated. They have a strong dash of blood in 

 them, and those crossed with English thoroughbred sires have 

 produced some of the very best polo ponies known. 



Considered briefly, I think it may be taken that the best 

 cross for an all-round polo pony is between an Arab or Barb 

 sire and a good English polo pony mare. Given the sire, it 

 is not a matter of much difficulty to obtain a mare. Any one 

 who has been often at Hurlingham must have observed that 

 mares preponderate amongst the ponies played, the reason being 

 that mares generally do not grow up so much in their withers, 

 and so are easier to get under the standard of measurement, 

 and amongst thoroughbreds are smaller, and so are more 

 suitable for polo than racing. Every season, owing to accidents 

 and breaking down, many of these mares become of no use to 

 their owners, except to breed from, and as most men have 

 neither the taste nor opportunity to do this, they can be bought 

 very reasonably, and so for no very great outlay a mare can be 

 secured and the services of a sire obtained, the result being 

 what will probably turn out a good polo pony. 



1 The question of pony-breeding in the New Forest has now been taken up 

 again. Her Majesty has sent down another stallion, and every effort is being 

 made to encourage the breeding of a better stamp of animal. 



