THE-:- HORSE 



will make a fine polo pony or not, unless he 

 has actually been taken and played on the 

 polo field. 



To go polo pony hunting through the cattle 

 ranches is very interesting. The polo pony 

 buyer is confronted with a number of animals ; 

 anything from a Shetland pony to a shire 

 horse. If he is not personally acquainted with 

 the owners, he will do well to be ready for 

 any kind of a ride, since a bucking horse or 

 two may be among those shown. This is a 

 kind of Western humor that is irrepressible. 



A horse that shows breeding, has saddle 

 marks, a hackamore nose, and a sleepy look 

 in its eye, is likely to prove interesting to the 

 polo man. Such a horse having been saddled, 

 the buyer mounts and works him in circles, 

 figure eights, and races him up and down, 

 taking note of the horse's staying qualities, 

 the resiliency of mouth, and how he handles 

 his hind legs when suddenly brought to a stop 

 from a fast gallop. The buyer watches the 

 faces of the horse owners and continues this 

 exercise as long as they seem willing to have 

 it progress, because to get any idea of the 

 value a horse may have for polo, he must be 

 worked fast up and down for quite a long time. 

 Such a horse, that will continue to respond 

 quickly to every demand of his rider will prob- 

 ably make a good polo pony. 



A good polo pony will always stake race 



54 



