BREAKING THE^PONY.i, 125 



will find that although he may not ride in artistic riding 

 school fashion, his pony will become a more handy and 

 more comfortable mount, which, after all, is the object 

 required. 



BREAKING THE PONY TO STICK AND BALL. 



For this purpose we should employ as large a piece of 

 open ground as possible (for choice, a common in 

 England, or a 7naidan in India) ; for if the work is 

 given in a small field or paddock, the pony will be very 

 apt to get so sick of it that he will show temper, and 

 constantly try to bore away in the direction of the gate. 

 If more than one field be available, we should, if 

 possible, never take him to the same field two days 

 running. If our only practice field be close to the 

 stable, we should always take the animal to and from 

 it by a circuitous route, so that he may not associate in 

 his mind the pleasurable idea of home with the 

 stoppage of work. I feel certain that the bad habit 

 displayed by many polo ponies, of bearing away to- 

 wards the spot at which they are accustomed to stand 

 during the intervals between the periods of play, has 

 generally been acquired in the early stages of their 

 education by their having been allowed to go straight 

 to their stables after practice. Every pony should be 

 thoroughly broken to the stick before he is tried with 

 a ball. We may begin with a stick, when riding 

 along the roads or anywhere else, and waving it about 

 in every direction, so as to convince the pony that it 

 will not hurt him. 



When he is perfectly quiet with the stick, we may 

 commence hitting the ball about at a walk. If the 

 pony shows signs of nervousness, it may be necessary 



