202 BREEDS OF POLO PONIES. [Chap. VIII. 



2. Inability to go through deep ground, stay, or 

 carry weight. 



3. The possession of at least one, if not several, 

 vices, such as refusing to face a scrimmage or a back- 

 hander, refusing to hustle, looking round and trying to 

 savage other ponies instead of doing their best in the 

 game, and being sluggish. 



4. Want of courage, and tendency to become jady if 

 hurt by ball or stick. 



5. Softheartedness, which is often shown by their 

 doing well enough in ordinary games ; but cutting it 

 when forced to go faster than they like, and against 

 better ponies than themselves. 



6. Lastly and worst of all faults : their liability 

 to cross their legs, or be knocked over by heavy 

 English ponies. 



Their merits are : — 



1. Soundness, and ability to stand with impunity the 

 ill effects of galloping on hard ground. 



2. Handiness, quickness in learning the game, and 

 the possession of good mouths. 



3. Cheapness. 



4. Facility for being played by weak or indifferent 

 horsemen. 



The Barb is essentially a pony for an unambitious 

 player, and does well enough for ordinary club games, 

 or in places like Malta and Gibraltar, where they are 

 not called upon to meet animals of good class, or 

 heavier ponies than themselves. 



Barb blood, for instance. Lord Harrington's Awfully 

 Jolly, has nicked with our English mares. I think, 

 however, that equally satisfactory results could be 

 obtained by a cross with a high-caste Arab. 



