Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-30
international Polo
Trophy Match Will
Depend on Ponies
Patriots Hopes High that American
Horses Are Best in the
Speedy Game.

NEW YORK April ss-The chances to
win. the International Polo trophy, the
games for which will be played over the
Meadow Brook field on May 81, June and
between picked teams OF American and
English polists, depends large upon the
ponies OF course skill with the mallet
fine horsemanship and the ability to grasp
an opportunity will have much to do with
the result But the pony IL the thing.
And the American players own the best
ponies in the world.
There are many polo ponies, and the
idea prevails that the polo pony that
possesses the greatest speed is the best
pany But he Is not. first class pony
must be fast but unless ne can catch his
stride quickly, stop suddenly, spin around
like top, back and shift and twist at the
command Of his rider his speed is OF little
service.
In order to come under the category OF
good ponies a pony must be under com
plete control He must respond immed-
lately too the demands of his rider He
must start after the ball like flash, fol-
low 1t up but never go beyond 1t. And
then when the scrimmages come the pony
must be steady on his feet and robust
enough to push and shove his opponent
out of the way.
Fast ponies that are not subject to per
feet control are worse than useless. If,
as poloists say, they do not know the
| game" they are a handicap. Nearly all
the ponies now used in polo games are
half for three-quarter bred. In some cases
they are stunted thoroughbreds. Many q
fast pony, obstinate and excited by the
struggly for the ball, has spoiled the re-
suit of the game for his masters side by
boiling off the field carrying his struggling
and unwilling rider far beyond the scene
of the contest.
All the essential points of first class
pony is attained only after years Of train
ing and careful riding. A pony is at his
best when he is about or years OF age
BY that time he will be we'll developed
and should have learned the lessons about
the game taught him by his trainer Years
Of campaigning tend to round cut a clever
fast pony into the best kind of horse fol
the polo field.
Knowing as they do the value of sea
soned. well educated, fast, courageous and
sturdy ponies, 1t is not to be wondered
| at that the American and English pole
I players have fairly scraped the world ovel
to obtain mounts. Fortunes have been
paid for the best During the last three
years Harry Payne Whitney has spent
100000 for them. The loyal Britishers last
year by public subscription collected $4,000
all OF which was expended buying ponies
In this search for ponies the American
players got the jump on their English ad
versarles and, in the vernacular Of thu
eastside, beat them, too" Since 1908
Whitney has been preparing for these
polo contests Like a good general, hi
command was planned a long time ahea'
Of his attack. He quietly gathered to
gether many fine ponies bred in Ireland
; England, America and the Argentine Re
: public, practiced with them for more thai
! a year. and then went over to Hurlinghar
! In 1909 and won the cup. which had beel
in the English poloists' possession To-
twenty-three years.
Since that notable triumph Whitney ha
added many new ponies to his string, AM
, long before the English poloists began {
hunt for new mounts he had bought man
OF the best. The Englishmen had to tax
the horses Whitney left.