THE POLO PONY 
HE polo pony plays a very important part in the 
X game of polo. This game, in its various forms, is 
more than 2000 years old. It originated in Persia and 
spread to Turkey and China, and was common in India 
in the 16th century. In England, polo was first played 
in 1869, and it was introduced to this country in 1876. 
Polo has always been a game of skill. It has become 
a game of speed as well. At first most any kind of 
pony was used to follow the ball around. As the game 
developed, however, polo players found that they 
needed mounts of greater speed and stamina. 
Up until 1915, the height of these ponies was lim¬ 
ited to 14.2 hands. This meant that they actually were 
ponies, as 14.2 hands is the height which distinguishes 
a pony from a horse. At present no limit is placed on the 
size of the horses used in the game. The average polo 
mount of today stands 15.1 hands and weighs about 
1000 pounds, so he is really a small horse and not a pony. 
To be good polo mounts, these horses should be per¬ 
fectly trained. They must be easily handled, must 
obey instantly the will of the rider, who controls the 
horse with his legs, his weight, and with the reins. Polo 
