Training the High-school Gaits 181 



ages the pony to be constantly returning after missed 

 balls. 



Now that the pony will follow the ball, you are 

 ready to teach him to mix with other polo ponies. 

 To do this use a pony that knows the game and begin 

 at the walk. The green pony is ridden alongside 

 the trained pony, with the head turned away so that 

 the shoulder will be turned in toward him. The 

 green pony should be encouraged to brush up against 

 the other by pressure from the rider's outside leg 

 (p. 157). This training must be continued on both 

 sides. When the pony understands it at the walk, 

 it must be repeated at the trot and at the canter. 

 Next procure two well-trained ponies and accustom 

 the green pony to being squeezed and bumped, at 

 first gently, but increasing the roughness from day 

 to day. The green pony should be made familiar 

 with all of the movements likely to be met before he 

 enters the practice game. 



High-school gaits. — The high-school horse is re- 

 quired to do a great variety of fancy movements, 

 such as the Spanish walk, the Spanish trot and simi- 

 lar gaits. To illustrate the method of teaching such 

 movements, we will consider the Spanish walk. This 

 walk is characterized by the peculiar manner in 

 which the forelegs are extended during the step. 

 The foreleg is raised without bending the knee and 

 extended straight out in front of the body as nearly 

 parallel with the ground as possible, and held there 



