72 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF POLO. [Chap. II. 



stroke under one's pony's neck, especially with a 

 whippy stick. If this occurs, a foul should always be 

 given against the striker. 



5. Blows from a ball. — This cause of danger is 

 not nearly so fruitful of accident as the other four, 

 although the ball occasionally inflicts unpleasant blows. 

 A player can obtain great protection from the New 

 Polo Cap, which was invented by Mr. Gerald Hardy, 

 and can be obtained from Mr. Walter Barnard, of 97, 

 Jermyn Street, who has patented it. It should be 

 used by every polo player. The Indian helmet is 

 even better than the polo cap, as it affords more 

 protection if a man falls on his head. As regards 

 blows, the cap serves its purpose perfectly. 



CRUELTY IN POLO PLAYING. 



From time to time, ignorant people have talked a 

 great deal of nonsense about the cruelty to ponies at 

 polo. In well managed stables, there is no descrip- 

 tion of horse w^hich has such a good time as a polo 

 pony. He gets just enough work to keep him fit ; 

 he is fed on the best ; if in tip-top condition, he is 

 seldom much distressed by the severest of matches ; 

 and he probably has six months' rest out of tw'elve. 

 If my readers will compare his lot with that of a hunter 

 which has to go through long hours of exposure, 

 hunger and fatigue, with a heavy weight on his back, 

 from early morning to late in the evening, in every 

 description of bleak weather, they will I think admit 

 that the pony has the best of it. I am certain that 

 many ponies like the game ; in fact I have had 

 several which always gave me the impression that 

 they enjoyed it as much as I did. 



