RACING 205 



undue tax on the pony's powers and temper. 

 Yet as men will race polo ponies, a few words 

 here on the best way to prepare them will not 

 be out of place. 



First, then, the pony should not be played 

 for a month before the races come off He 

 should have plenty of steady, slow work, rather 

 more corn, and the first week a couple of 

 gallops of a quarter of a mile at about three- 

 quarter speed — twelve annas I should say in 

 India — if the race is for half a mile. The 

 second week, if the pony is doing well, I should 

 increase his food and again gallop him twice, 

 only increasing the distance to three furlongs. 

 The third week the distance should be the 

 same, but the pace should increase, though 

 not to his best. On the Saturday I should 

 send him the whole distance at nearly full 

 speed with another pony to bring him along ; 

 there should be, however, no racino- and the 

 other pony should be pulled back some yards 

 from home so that the one in training may 

 finish alone. The day but one before the race 

 I should give two short spins, and a pipe- 

 opener of a quarter of a mile on the morning 

 of the race. In the race get a good start 

 and watch your chance of taking a pull so 

 as to have something to finish with. Whip 

 and spurs will be useless, but if the pre- 



