Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-16
POLO NOT POOR MANS GAME
String of Dozen Ponies Will Cost Two
Thousand Dollars a Month.
CONTEST TRAPPNGs ARE COSTLY


NEW YORK, April l5.-There are sew
eral polo ponies now in the international
practice games at Lakewood that have
cost 5000. but they are all imported ones
and bought from English OF Irish players
who taught them hardness to supplement
the blue blood in the pedgrees. Some OF
the American ponies have cost from $500
to 5000, but a fair average Of first cost
for the $50 head now quartered about Lake
wood stable room, of course. being at
premium, would be $500. one could not
be bought unless for a decided advance
on whatever the first cost may have been.
AS with old kline, a polo pony is improved
through seasoning.
The strings Of individual players at Lake
wood range from four to six to H. P.
Wbitney's lot OF forty, or what may be
termed the Point Judith ponies Of J, b.
Thomas and L. e. Stoddard. which num-
Der twenty. There are ponies coming and
going all the while. some being sent away
for a rest after a strenuous fortnight and
new ones coming along to be tried out for
the International team or the Point
Judith's lot. F. II. Prince, who was cap
tain of the Perroquets last SIMMER has
hurried from Cannes and winter polo to
have his ponies in France. and they in
clude the mare Patience that s. A. Watts
OF Ireland refused TO sell to II. p Whitney
before the birmingham games. Patience
was played against the Americans in the
second game by F. NJ Freake.
Two new ponies to arrive are loans by
request from S. H. velie of the Kansas
City Polo club. They are Ivan and Amb-
vels, famous throughout the middle west,
r. j. Collier used the two when at Kansas
City last fall. and he suggested them to
the Polo association committee on mounts.
Horses Well Cared For.
There is a head man for each string and
a stable boy for each pony. to take up the
question of what polo costs player after
he has bought his ponies. Each pony has
stable and light and heavy walking
blanket. a halter and the necessary sur
singles and straps. Each, too, must have
its own bit and riding bride and an extra
set of reins in case of accidents. The rid
ing saddle is fitted to each pony and there
after sacred to its use, and there are a
couple of dozen lighter saddles about used
by the boys at exercise that are worn
over a pad and not fitted so carefully.
In the harness room of the stable the
saddle, bride and outdoor blankets of each
pony hang on separate pegs.
Some sets OF leading reins and a couple
of dumb jockeys for special training must
also be provided. besides plenty of web
bling for hook bandages, pure soap, em-
brocations for rubbings sponges, brushes
currycombs and all the usual stable odds
and ends. Each pony is brought to the
ground on a playing day saddled and
bridled. Extra riggings are brought along
for emergencies. There must. of course,
be sweet hay, oats and soft food pro-
vided and arrangements to prepare q hot
mash when needed
Outfit Expensive.
AS to the personal outfit of a player, the
boots are made 10 measure OF fine calf
! skin and each pair has a tree. The cost
will be from $40 to $50 each pair. and about
! six pairs are always in use. Spurs with
rowels are prohibited except in special
Instances, and with the cost of whip,
need not be considered except as an Incl
dental. Players must wear a safety he'll
met-they cost 81 each--or a REINFORCED
polo cap or hat costing about the same,
Polo breeches cost about s25 or more and
a player will have half a dozen pairs at
least always on hand. A belt of belts must
also be in each outfit. Gloves are the
only item that costs less now than for
merly, az few now play in them except
on wet days. Once a pair of gauntled
white undressed kid gloves was the proper
thing The silk shirts should be in the
teams colors, and they are usually in
expensive furnishing. In cold weather they
are worn over an undershirt, but as Amer
lean polo is mainly in the warm months.
usually the silks suffice and the sleeves
are rolled up. Outer wraps are worn be-
tween periods, and the polo coat is SO
fashionable now for many purposes it need
not be estimated on.
In general way II will cost a player
who keeps from six to a dozen ponies in
training and does the game credit about
1900 month the year round. In this es-
innate must be counted travelling charges
between tournaments. also stable rentals
and the maxim must not be forgotten thai
ponies eat and need care as much wher
out as when in the game