212 BREEDS OF POLO PONIES. [Chap. VIII. 



a tiny little 12.2 animal which Captain McLaren 

 brought home and played during several seasons. 

 Several years ago, he used to play him in good 

 games and matches, and it was simply marvellous how 

 well this pony used to carry him. This little wonder 

 was so clever that it could play the game without a bit 

 in his mouth. Another animal of the same nationality 

 was the mare Nettle, which Captain Tilney, 17th 

 Lancers, imported in 1891, and which had played polo 

 in India, though too big for tournaments. She was 

 very narrow and leggy ; but though perfect in a slow 

 game on hard ground, was not fast enough for good 

 company, and was no use in heavy ground with any 

 w^eight on her back. The third was the chestnut mare 

 Namouna (Fig. 91), which the late Lieut. -Colonel 

 le Gallais brought home early in 1893, ^^^ which he 

 played at Hurlingham for two seasons. She was a 

 handsome light-weight, and was not unlike a very 

 slight, well-bred English pony, but narrower. 



In India I have known a few country-breds just as 

 good as Arabs. Indeed, two of the best polo ponies I 

 have ever seen in India were the country-breds, Joe 

 and Marguerite, the property of Captain Renton. This 

 breed are much more difficult to train than Arabs, 

 being frequently tricky, nervous, bad-tempered, or 

 pullers. Their vices are, I think, chiefly due to the 

 cruel treatment which they receive from the natives 

 before they come into English hands. 



In 1889 I owned a couple of exceptionally good 

 country-bred ponies, named New Guinea and Pole 

 Star. I believe that nowadays it is very difficult 

 to get a country-bred which can compete with a good 

 Arab at polo. 



