102 THE HORSE 



New Forest breeds ; but that for weight-carrying ponies, 

 especially suitable for No. 3, the mares should rather be 

 sought in the North Yorkshire and Westmorland mountains, 

 in the vicinity of the training stables ; or else in the West 

 of Ireland, where in Connemara, and Mayo, some of the 

 original famous ponies may yet be found. 



A few words as to measuring polo ponies may perhaps 

 be considered not out of season, since the writer has had 

 much to do with this, having at one time officially 

 measured the ponies for the All Ireland Polo Race 

 Meetings; and, in the capacity of Purchasing Officer, during 

 the South African War, measured nearly thirteen thousand 

 horses. To be perfectly accurate in measuring an animal 

 when standing still, the measuring-stick should have a spirit- 

 level in the extended arm ; and there should be also a little 

 extension of the arm to the back of the stick, from which a 

 little plumb-line should depend, thus showing when the 

 stick is absolutely perpendicular. The animal must stand 

 upon a hard, smooth, level surface, and to obtain the true 

 height the stick must be placed at the rear of the elbow, so 

 that its arm rests exactly on the top of the withers. The 

 horse's head should be pulled down a little till the ears are 

 on a level with the withers, which gives a sharp definition 

 to them ; but the head must be kept in a straight line, 

 neither inclined to the right or to the left, which would 

 otherwise tend to reduce the height. The animal should be 

 measured immediately it comes to a standstill, for if allowed 

 to remain standing for some moments it will begin to sink 

 on its pasterns, and some horses will drop more than an inch 

 in a very brief space of time. If this should be noticed the 

 animal should be backed a step or two, and then brought up 

 again, when a quick operator should be able to measure the 

 exact height. To induce a horse to sink down many plans 

 are resorted to, such as galloping it for some time ; keeping 

 it standing many hours in a stall ; or keeping it standing 

 with a very heavy weight on its back ; the object of all such 

 manoeuvres being to thoroughly tire it, and so induce it 

 to sink down the moment it is brought to a standstill, 

 though such designs should not meet with success if the 



