148 POLO PONY GEAR. [Chap. VI. 



cause an excitable one to pull. They are usually an 

 assistance to a weak horseman. 



BANDAGES AND BOOTS. 



We can afford protection to the legs of our ponies 

 from blows of stick or ball by means of bandages or 

 boots. There are two objections to the use of the 

 former : first, they require special care in putting on, 

 so that they will neither become undone during play 

 nor hurt the legs by being too tight ; and, secondly, 

 they cannot be arranged so as to effectively protect the 

 fetlocks without incurring the risk of their working 

 loose. If a bandage on a fore leg becomes undone, 

 it will remain attached to the leg by the tapes, and 

 there will then be great risk of the pony putting 

 a hind foot on it, and thus tripping himself up. To 

 obviate this danger, in the event of our electing to 

 employ a bandage for work, we should begin applying 

 it by leaving the end loose, either at the knee or 

 fetlock (according as we wish to commence from above 

 or from below), and after having taken two or three 

 turns, we should take hold of the loose end, lay it over 

 the portion of the bandage which has been already 

 applied, and then continue the turns until the bandage 

 is ready to be tied on. If a bandage is put on too 

 tightly, it is very apt to hurt the back tendons, and 

 give the pony a big leg. Boots, made of thin felt, 

 are in every way preferable to bandages. They can 

 be put on quickly and easily by any stable lad ; and, 

 if they are properly made, they will protect the fet- 

 locks without interfering with the action of these 

 joints, and without lessening the closeness of their 



