CHOOSING A POLO PONY. 



91 



in 



annovino- 



not be worth training, although I might be wrong 

 a few exceptional cases. Nothing is more 

 than to take a lot of trouble with a 

 pony, and then find out that he is too slow for polo. 

 Most of the failures which I have had with polo ponies, 

 have been due to the fact of my not following out the 

 rule which I here lay down. I have never found a 

 pony too slow for polo if its pedigree was all right. 



Fig. 40. — Four-year-old Weight Carrier. 



The nearer thorough-bred, the better ; but a pony by 

 a thorough-bred out of a dam by a thorough-bred will 

 be quite good enough. Breeders in Ireland are very 

 particular about pedigrees ; so it will not be difficult, 

 if one buys straight from them, to verify the accuracy 

 of the breeding. 



The great test by which to judge if a raw pony is 

 likely to do well at polo, is the manner in which he 

 moves when ridden. If he goes strong and well, 



