lo FIRST STEPS AT POLO. [Chap. I. 



with both. Every description of stroke, forward or 

 back, stationary or in movement, on either side of 

 the pony, can be successfully practised with this 

 contrivance. I would extend the recommendation 

 of its use to any player (even a first-class one) who 

 wanted to get his eye in, or to bring the muscles 

 of his right arm into proper trim. Practice on it 

 is particularly useful ; because a man can hit the ball 

 as often in twenty minutes on a wooden horse as 

 he would do in a couple of hours if he had to ride 

 a pony after the ball. The best plan is to have 

 several dozens of old polo balls lying about the 

 ground ; to get a couple of boys to bowl and retrieve 

 them ; and to put up goals at different angles, so 

 that each stroke may be practised for accurate 

 direction. 



HOW TO HIT THE BALL. 



In learning, we should start at a walk, and when 

 able to hit perfectly at that pace, we should proceed 

 to the slow canter, and end with the fast gallop. 

 We should hit always with a straight arm, with a 

 good swing, either for a forward or for a back-handed 

 stroke, and in a true direction, though not always 

 as hard as we can. Accuracy is the great object 

 to attain ; for pace will give strength. Consequently, 

 when going fast, we should refrain from hitting too 

 hard, in attempting to do which we are apt to raise 

 our elbow and miss the ball. It is always well to 

 have several balls to practise with, so that we shall 

 not have to pull our ponies about more than we 

 want, by having to turn round every time we miss 

 a ball. 



