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HOW TO TRAIN HIM TO THE BALL. 



As soon as the pony is familiar with the Polo- 

 stick the trainer should take a ball and hold it to 

 the pony's nose so that he may smell it, but the 

 rider must be careful to avoid forcing it unduly 

 upon him at first. He may appear shy a little, and 

 may snort and run backward, but if patience is 

 exercised and the pony patted and spoken to en- 

 couragingly, he will soon smell it all over, and if 

 dropped on the ground in front of him he will often 

 attempt to seize it with his teeth. This is an excel- 

 lent subsidiary action, because in doing so the ball 

 will generally roll a little away from him, and if left 

 to himself his curiosity will frequently persuade him 

 to follow it up. This may be continued until he is 

 quite at home with it, when the rider should begin 

 to push the ball gently about, and induce the pony, 

 if possible, to follow it partially of his own accord, 

 which can be materially accelerated by inclining the 

 ball always in a favourable direction. The force 

 should be increased as the pony becomes familiar 

 with the work. The trainer should get someone to 

 stand well back from the pony and throw the ball 

 towards him. This should be done very gradually 

 at first, because if done too hurriedly he may shy off 

 broadside -wise, and will naturally regard the ball 

 with greater misgivings. As soon as the pony realises 

 that it will do him no harm, the speed of the ball 

 may be increased, and the distance from which it 



