THE TIOnSE ON WTITCII TO ITUNT 25 



for the keen interest with which many an old horse 

 watches houiids and instinctively turns with them ; 

 or, lastly, for the eager appreciation of a game of 

 polo shown by a good polo pony ? ' They hate it, 

 and only play for fear of being licked if they don't,' 

 is the reply. No, my ' end of the century ' friends, I 

 think you are wrong there. Unless the spirit of 

 emulation stirred your pony almost as much as it 

 does you, how can he, do you suppose, respond to 

 your every wish, almost before you know it your- 

 self, as he must do, to be a good polo pony in a 

 modern fast game ? Personally, I have owed too 

 much to the courage and intelligence of the noble 

 animal ever to libel him by subscribing to this doc- 

 trine. Do so, and you will lose one of the most 

 subtle pleasures in riding, and deservedly, for you 

 will thereby lose that close sympathy with your 

 horse, which, for the time, makes you and him one 

 being — you will lose a part of yourself. 



Eacing men, who will hardly be accused of use- 

 less sentiment in their relations with horse-flesh, 

 recognise the truth of what I have been urging, as 

 is shown by the fancy prices paid, for fashionably 

 bred yearlings, for their blood alone — that is, in a 

 great measure, for the qualities of courage and 

 endurance which they may reasonably be expected 

 to inherit. Htonehenge says : ' It is admitted on 

 the Turf that high breeding is of more consequence 



