Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-12

OF the Amerl-
American Team can method
Had Learned Tricks. to the fact
that every man on the team had made
careful study Of the English "on-
side" methods and had mastered the
home teams tricks and then added a
few Of his own. OF the stable of TWEEN
ty-nine horses sent over only seven
teen were used. and only two of these
were Americanbred ponies. This fact
does not reflect upon the American
bred horse, however. Had the grounds
been dry more American horses would
have been used, but it has been found
that on heavy field the English ponies
are more at home.
Polo is closely related to hockey. ex-
cept that the players are mounted, and
instead OF the hockey stick the rider
carries a mallet or polo-stick which is
from f1fty-two to fifty-six inches long.
The white willow ball is three and one
eighth inches in diameter and should
weigh not more than five ounces. The
object Of the game is to drive the ball
between the goal posts which are set
upright. twenty-four feet apart at
each end Of the turf field. which is 900
feet long and $50 feet wide. The riders
are permitted to interfere with each
other. Just as in foot ball, and the ball
has to be struck only with the mallets
inches long, made Of ash or sycamore,
and are attached to flexible Malacca
canes. The skill Of the pony is to be
reckoned with on account Of the fact
that he is made to whirl at the sharp
est angles. must be able to come to a
halt from a full gallop in the short
est possible distance and should be so
trained as to receive the riders direc-
tons by means of slight pressure of
the leg instead Of through the bit and
bride. The thoroughly trained polo
pony seems to sense the desired di-
rection by instinct and horse and rider
seem to move and think as one, like
the centaurs Of mythology.
The best American-bred ponies come
from the ranges Of Texas and Wyoming.
Ability to resist
Best Polo Ponies hard usage.
Come From Texas. rence and nim-
bleness are the primary essentials. Big
horses are not to be desired. as they are
not SO easily swerved and do not permit
the rider to have the same free use of
his mallet. Rules provide that the polo
pony shall not be taller than fourteen
hands, two inches. in the American
game. however, the question of the
height Of the horse is never contested.
In England 1t is ad1udged a most i'm
portant factor. and the horses are always
carefully measured.
This fact has given rise to a peculiar
bit Of trickery on the other side. It not
infrequently happens that a splendidly
trained polo pony is slightly more than
the requisite height, so the owner nea-
sures the animal habitually with pin
prick. or an electric buzz at the end
of the gauge SO that. from habit. when
any measure is applied to the animal
his withers shrink and thus he meets tie
requirements. Another ruse to bring an
diversified pony down to-. the required
standard IL to walk him forty-eight hours
before the time set for measuring in.
By this mode OF procedure there is a
general compression OF the carriages,
Just as . man IL found to be shorter
after he has stood up all day than when
he gets up In the morning.
Well-trained polo ponies range In price
from $3.50 to more than 5000. and the
devotee Of the game must have q stable
Of from four to eight horses, as the
best ponies cannot be used for more than
ten or fifteen minutes at . time and