I/O BREEDS OF POLO PONIES. [Chap. VIII. 



years, so I think the superiority of the EngHsh pony 

 Is fairly established. 



Any of the old breeds of ponies belonging to these 

 Islands, whether Shetland, Welsh, New Forest, Ex- 

 moor, or Dartmoor, are perfectly useless for polo by 

 reason of their small size and want of pace. I 

 would extend the same remark to all common-bred 

 ponies of larger size, especially those of Hackney 

 blood. The great love of blood entertained by 

 breeders in Ireland makes that country the best in 

 the world for finding ponies suitable for polo ; 

 although I have known but few that have been 

 specially bred for the game In that country. As a 

 rule, an Irish breeder tries to get a hunter, or failing 

 that, a smart trapper ; for his countrymen love to 

 drive a bit of blood. From the Irish animals which 

 are too small for hunters, we get the large majority 

 of our polo ponies. Fortunately, for many genera- 

 tions back In Ireland there have been few sires 

 which were not practically, If not actually, thorough- 

 bred. Even the large majority of the so-called 

 half-bred sires, had the letters " h.b." after their 

 respective names, only because they or one or 

 more of their ancestors, though thoroughbred, were 

 not entered in the stud book, in order to get the 

 7 lbs. allowance at racing, when that rule was In 

 force. Although several Hackney stallions have been 

 introduced Into Ireland, there Is not much danger of 

 their contaminating the hunter class ; for the Irish 

 breeders know their business, and are very conserva- 

 tive In their Ideas as regards the value of good blood. 

 Up to the present, the majority of attempts at breed- 

 ing ponies within narrow limits of height have failed, 



