INDIAN POLO RULES. 235 



horsemen. I am perfectly convinced, and am by 

 no means alone in my opinion, that these are the 

 most fruitful causes of accidents wherever polo is 

 played. But I do not believe that an accident has 

 ever been due to the fact of a pony being an inch 

 or so too big, unless, perhaps, the pony collided 

 with some weak little animal which was greatly over- 

 weighted. 



Strict limitation of height, not to exceed 13.3, made 

 the game much more expensive, as it reduced the 

 choice of ponies. There was a very large number of 

 animals which were just over the height, and which, 

 otherwise, would have been suitable for polo. I know 

 nothing more maddening than to take a great deal of 

 time and trouble to make a nice pony perfect at polo, 

 and then to find that it has, in the meantime, grown 

 half an inch too big. The smaller size of the ponies 

 handicapped a heavy-weight in India. In England, it 

 is rather an advantage at polo to be heavy, provided 

 the man can afford to pay for the best of ponies. 

 Some of our very best players ride well over 14 stone 

 on ponies which are able to carry them with the 

 greatest ease ; and can gallop even with the light- 

 weights. It was different in India ; for small ponies 

 cannot gallop or stop quickly with a welter-weight in 

 the saddle. 



With the limit now raised to 14,1, these objections no 

 longer exist, and the game will, I think, be safer and 

 better for men of all weights. I believe that the raising 

 of the height was chiefly due to the good influence of 

 the Inspector-General of Cavalry in India, General 

 Locke Elliot. He knew that 14. i animals would 

 be of far more use than smaller ones, for military 



