44 MODERN PIG-STICKING 



All over Central India, and in any cramped 

 country, a pony is as good as a horse. In the 

 Nagpur Hunt ponies more than hold their own ; 

 while Captain Medlicott's brilliant pony, Result, by 

 twice winning the Guzerat Cup, has conclusively 

 proved the value of the smaller animal there. 



In any country, given a jinking pig and cover 

 that is not too heavy, a pony is as good as a horse, 

 and can turn inside him. It has to be remembered, 

 too, that the modern pony is in size practically a 

 small horse : very different to the old 13.3. 



The only pony I ever owned was an Arab, 13.3, 

 Punch. I had him fifteen years. We killed a 

 good many pig together, and fell in nearly every 

 run. I was too heavy for him. He was a dear, 

 hot, gay little fellow, and I shot him with a very 

 sore heart. 



Even the best ponies, however, to my mind, are 

 out of place in a galloping country : they cannot 

 go the pace. I say this with full recollection of 

 those beautiful ponies, " Fireplant," who, with 

 Mr. Vernon, 60th Rifles, won the Kadir Cup; 

 " Solace " (Mr. Wells, 15th Hussars), " Jo Hukm " 

 (Major Maxwell, 2nd Lancers), and " Mosenstein " 

 (Mr. MichoUs, 17th Lancers). Ponies such as these 

 are almost a match for any horse ; but even they 

 suffered from being ponies. 



Colonel Tilney of the 17th Lancers was riding 

 Fireplant one year in a heat against myself and 

 others. We rode a quick, straight-running hog 

 over thickish country. We were all travelling : I 

 happened to be on a fast horse, and I remember 

 wondering how Fireplant could keep up. He came 

 down and gave Tilney an awkward fall. I have 

 always thought that this fall was due to the fact 



