Polo. 165 



are so quick and handy that the ball is always in play. 

 Besides this, on an animal of that size, the player has 

 far more command over the ball than on a bigger one. 

 The question of height has little to say to the ability 

 •of carrying weight, even up to fifteen stone, for I have 

 .seen 12,2 ponies in Tirhoot, and 11 banders in Cachar, 

 as capable of carrying that burden as any 14-hand polo 

 pony in England. I do not for a moment deny, as I 

 saw proved once at Allahabad, that, in a match, big 

 ponies against small ones, the former, owing to their 

 superior weight, would win ; but I maintain that, with 

 the latter, the play is far better, and that the chance of 

 accidents is reduced to a minimum. I speak without 

 any bias, as I hardly ever played polo, for I had neither 

 time nor ponies suitable to it while in India. I had, 

 however, admirable opportunities of witnessing this 

 grand game at Cachar, Calcutta, Tirhoot, and Allah- 

 abad, At many places in India, men are forced to play 

 with ponies 13.2 high and under, as smaller ones of the 

 requisite speed and power are only to be procured in 

 ■certain districts. 



Though there is keen rivalry in matters of sport 

 between the planters of Tirhoot and Chumparun, it 

 would be impossible for me to say which district bears 



