SYRIANS. 



199 



auction. He is one of the few foreign ponies I have 

 known to be equally good whether the ground is hard 

 or soft, and to be able to stay. I have seen him play 

 for fifty minutes out of an hour in a tight match, and I 

 have ridden him on more than one occasion for thirty 

 minutes on end. Although he is not exceptionally 



Photo bi,i] 



Fig. 84. — Syrian pony "Peter. 



[M. H. HAYES. 



speedy, he goes quite fast enough for his rider to be 

 able to hold his own, even now in ordinary games 

 and in second-class matches. His chief merit, how^- 

 ever, is that he knows the game thoroughly, that 

 he can play it perfectly by himself, and that he always 

 does his best, no matter who is on his back. 



Although Syrian ponies as a rule are not able to 

 carry a heavy weight, say fourteen stone, fast and well 

 at polo through heavy ground, with strength to hustle 



