352 Among Men and Horses. 



and at the Royal Institution, and settled down at Melton 

 Mowbray. 



On a recent trip to Rugby in search of a smart pony 

 for a friend, I had the good fortune to meet Mr E. D. 

 Miller, whom I knew in India when he was in the I7th 

 Lancers. He and his brother keep a large stable of polo 

 ponies for sale at Spring Hill and break them in their 

 riding-school and polo ground. They generally have about 

 fifty ponies of the highest class. I may mention that the 

 ideal pony is a dwarf-hunter and as well bred as possible. 

 Practically speaking these animals are to be found only 

 in Ireland. Mr Miller played in the winning team at Meerut 

 for the Cavalry Cup in 1888 and 1889, and also at the 

 Calcutta Tournament in the same years. Finding on the 

 return of the I7th Lancers that 'soldiering' was not as 

 pleasant at home as in India, he joined his brother, who 

 in 1891 had started the Spring Hill business. They began 

 by trying a little dealing in hunters ; but soon gave it up 

 in favour of polo ponies. Their great success has been 

 due to careful selection and thorough good breaking. Two 

 years ago they started a polo club and had last year a polo 

 tournament in which eight teams competed, among them 

 being those of the I4th Hussars, Inniskilling Dragoons, and 

 county teams. Since the 3ist of last March, they have 

 been playing three days a week. Their busiest months 

 for play are April, July, August and September, when 

 the London season is not on and people are not playing 

 at Hurlingham. Rugby is so centrally placed that they 

 get players from all parts. Lord Shrewsbury and Cap- 

 tain Daly come from Stafford ; Lord Harrington and Mr 

 Gerald Hardy, from Derby ; Captain Renton, from Liver- 

 pool ; Mr Nichalls (i/th Lancers), from Preston ; Mr Burnaby, 

 from Leicester ; Mr Cartland, from Birmingham ; and many 

 others from different places. They have consequently made 

 Rugby the great Midland centre for polo. 



Thanks to the kindness of Mr Scarth Dixon, the author 



