324 POLO 



Ally Sloper, by Awfully Jolly, who had never played polo, won 

 at Folkestone against several well-known polo ponies. 



With regard to bits opinions vary, but I may quote Lord 

 Harrington's views on the subject, for few ponies are better 

 broken than his. He says : ' Personally I am in favour of 

 breaking ponies in severe bits and using easier ones afterwards. 

 All Eastern horses are broken in severe bits, and I have never 

 ridden horses with such good mouths.' 



There is much truth in this argument, and no doubt it will 

 commend itself to many ; 'but this matter is of course one of 

 taste, and the breaker of the pony must adapt himself to cir- 

 cumstances and judge for himself. 



Training should be done gradually, and a pony should 

 never, if he is to turn out well, be brought too hurriedly into a 

 game. Some men knock a ball about for a bit on a pony and 

 then take and play him in a game. This is a fatal mistake ; 

 like everything else, the education of a polo pony must be 

 graduated he must be led on step by step, and not crammed 

 or rushed through. A pony may be looked upon as a baby, 

 .and must be taught on the same principle, viz. by slowly giving 

 him confidence. He cannot be hurried, or he will never become 

 trustworthy. 



It will be as well to get him thoroughly accustomed to the 

 stick before a ball is hit off his back. Some ponies shy away 

 when they catch sight of a stick, particularly if they have at any 

 time been whipped or ill-used. When your pony has become 

 thoroughly accustomed to the stick, and takes no notice of its 

 being moved up and down by the side of his head or whirled 

 round, you may then take a ball ; and here it is a good plan, if 

 the pony si at all nervous, to begin by hitting a hollow india- 

 Tubber ball, as, being noiseless, it will be less likely to upset his 

 equanimity. Hit it first at a walk, then at a trot and a canter. 

 Do this for several days before galloping at it. When your 

 pony understands this part of the performance it will be a good 

 plan to canter him about with other ponies, so that he may 

 learn not to become excited when galloping among them in 



