TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



435 



wiry, agile, and under proper training must acquire ability to 

 quickly start, stop, and wheel. He must have a light mouth. 

 He must be intelligent and learn to like the game and follow 

 the ball. The disposition must be such as insures a level head, 

 doggedness, docility, courage, and quickness. Much depends 

 on the rider; there is danger of the pony becoming a puller if the 

 rider is deficient, and some ponies become ball-and-mallet shy 

 by being struck accidentally on the head and legs. A pony 

 that pulls hard or becomes wild in a fast scrimmage, or swerves 

 off the ball, is useless in first-class polo. 



Fig. 141. Polo Pony of Excellent Type. 



Owned by Mr. L. Waterbury and ridden by him when a member of the 

 American team which won the International Cup from England. 



The game calls for lots of endurance and wearing quality, 

 hence the conformation of middle, hindquarters, feet, and legs 

 largely determines a pony's adaptability for the game. The 

 object of breeders is to produce a pony 14-2 hands high, able to 

 carry from 168 to 200 pounds for ten minutes in a fast game. 



The polo pony should be built like a weight-carrying hunter. 

 His head should be well set on, wide between the jaws, with 

 plenty of room at the throttle. He should have a big, clear, 

 sound, prominent eye; small, pricked ears, indicative of alert- 



