474 



Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



of these developed into really good polo ponies. In almost every case, 

 however, the best modern ponies were sired by Thoroughbred stallions. 

 English ponies used for polo have always carried more or less Thor- 

 oughbred inheritance; they are bred in the purple, trained two years, 

 and carefully stabled and fed. In 1909 the American team which went 

 to Hurlingham to compete for the world's championship was enabled 

 to win largely because of the excellence of their ponies. These ponies 

 were English-bred, and were reported to have cost high prices ranging 

 up to J$5,000. In championship contests, four to six ponies are used 

 by each player and some players maintain a big string of ponies from 

 which to make selections for games. 



'^*^. 



Fig. 181. — Polo pony of excellent type. Owned by L. Waterbury and ridden 

 by him when a member of the American team which won the International Cup 

 from England. 



What constitutes a good polo pony? — The polo pony must combine 

 speed with weight-carrying ability. He must be wiry, agile, and under 

 proper training must acquire ability to quickly start, stop, and wheel. 

 He must have a light mouth. He must be intelligent and learn to 

 like the game and follow the ball. The disposition must be such as 

 insures a level head, doggedness, docility, courage, and quickness. A 

 pony that pulls hard or becomes wild in a fast scrimmage, or swerves 

 off the ball, is useless in first-class polo. 



The game calls for lots of endurance and wearing quality, hence 

 the conformation of middle, hindquarters, feet, and legs largely deter- 



