New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-11
Polo Ponies That Fight to Win Titles

! feet and the chestnut mstook the white
feathers for the white ball. When the bird
! disentangled himself and flew out the
! chestnut pointed after him and took out In
I hot pursuit in spite Of all his rider could
do 10 induce him to see the error he was
making.
He caught the bird all right, concluded
! the yarn spinner and furthermore. he
| knocked it down with his hoof, thinking alb
the time that he was keeping the other side
| from landing "A goal. But. on account or
! his mistake the other side drove the real
ball through the opposite goal posts and
won the game. | never see horse 80 cut
up over anything when he found out what
fool he had made OF himself. He moped
in his stall and wouldn't eat hardly any
thing for weeks | caught him eating green
paint off fence one day, and couio
swear that lie was trying To commit SUI
eide He still gets respondent every now
and then and see by the look In MS eyes
that he's still worrying over that Dopoie.
But. believe me. 1t is something for morse
for a polo pony even-to be able TO say
that he has overtaken and knocked down
a hedgewhiffet for that Is the fastest anu
craftiest bird In the entire nation OK Iexas'
Take it or leave it-t"as thus tnat no
told it to me.
With all It's virtues undeniable, polo -
not A game for the poor man. Unless your
fortune runs up into the seven-ngure marx
II would he better for you to take UP some
comparatively inexpensive fad like yacht.
ing or automoblins.
II has been estimated that II took moro
than half a million dollars to put on the
international tournament al Meadow Brook.
In the first place. II required at least ss'"V
,o rot the English team and its horses TO
this side OF the water. Some OF the Eng
lishmen had TO leave their regiments IN
India TO take part In the match. Inc roio
Association spent between $4,000 and $""V
in erecting the grandstand and preparing
the field at Meadow Brook or course.
good heavy bunch Of it came back IN the
form Of gate receipts.
The ponies brought here for the match
required and received the best or care ana
the test OF food. for while the player Is
only as good as his pony, the pony is only
ns good as his condition. At least No."O
WAS spent on the ponies during the three
and a half months preparation for the big
match.
Harry PAYNE Whitney has invested
connie # TAT fortunes in his polo fad. His
polo stables at Wheatiey Hills, Long ISL
ana. are nearly goo feet long. with row OF
stalls on either side There is an electric
light in every stall and each horse mas
man 70 care for him exclusively. This ne
cessitates a pretty good sized army OK
erooms. llacksmths. veterinarians ard sta
bile boys. These men are all fitted out In
sort OF uniform consisting OF blue SHIRTS.
tan riding brooches. tan puttees and Shoes
al a cost Of about 5000. Each pony has his
own made-to-order bride. saddle, blankets.
etc.-and there are about 1890 big round
dollars In that item. Then come the har-
ness makers and their assistants To make
the expense more appalling. The men draw
MI the way from sil to $50 week 80 that
there is a hefty budget of running expenses
always at work trying to break Mr.. Whit
ney.
After seeing "A game no one can deny that
polo is great sport-but II will never be
the pastime OF the masses.
+. S. TIsDALE.