MODERN POLO 



CHAPTER I. 



FIRST STEPS AT POLO. 



Development of modern polo — How to become a polo player — How to hit the 

 ball — Forward strokes — Back-handers — Riding at polo. 



DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN POLO. 



As my theme is Polo of to-day, I shall not discuss 

 the ancient history of the game beyond saying that 

 it appears to have been played in Persia 600 B.C., 

 and that the loth Hussars had the honour of intro- 

 ducing it into England at Aldershot in 1871. It 

 has made enormous progress among us as a popular 

 sport, and has undergone many changes for the 

 better, I venture to think, since the first regular 

 match was played in that year, on Hounslow Heath, 

 between the loth Hussars and the 9th Lancers. 

 On that occasion there were on each side eight 

 players, who rode very small ponies. 



The Morning Post in July 1871 gave the following- 

 account of that match : — 



