158 POLO PONY MANAGEMENT. [Chap. VII. 



will not have time to eat it while the stable is being 

 roughly cleaned and the bedding swept to one side, 

 before they are taken out to exercise. Even if they 

 are allowed to finish it, they cannot usually digest it 

 properly while being worked, as we may see by their 

 tendency to scour at this time under such circum- 

 stances. Too much water in the early morning will 

 also increase their liability to diarrhoea during exercise 

 given shortly afterwards. 



6.30 a.m. : Exercise till 9 a.m. or 9.30 a.m. on 

 ordinary days, and till 7.30 a.m. on days after playing 

 polo. When they come in from exercise, they should 

 first of all get as much water as they will drink, 

 and then have a feed [lyi lbs.) of corn, and 4 or 

 5 lbs. of good old hay. When the groom has given 

 this, he should go and have his breakfast, and leave 

 the ponies in peace to feed. After he returns from 

 breakfast, the ponies should be well dressed, and the 

 stable put right. 



1 2 noon : A full supply of water, a feed of oats ; 

 but no hay. The groom can now clean his saddlery, 

 and hang it up ready to put on before i p.m., at 

 which hour he will go to dinner. He can have his 

 ponies ready on the polo ground at 3 o'clock, even if 

 he has to go four miles to it. If the distance is much 

 further than this, he must clean his saddles and bridles 

 overnight, and finish his dinner earlier. On non-polo 

 days, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., the man should give 

 his ponies a second good dressing, and exercise any of 

 them which have not had sufificient work in the 

 morning, or clean his saddlery. 



At 6 p.m. • Full allowance of water, a feed of oats, 

 and about 8 lbs. of hay. 



