New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-08
Yankee Mounts Seem Better
Because Bred from
Animals of Pure
Strain.

Made" ponies, which means at least
three seasons in the game after being
broken to polo, are deemed the strongest
factor in a teams favor. and II this is
true the Americans have the better
mounts. Fourteen Of the ponies In r. +.
Whtney's string are veterans, used In
the last or the preceding international
matches in which he served IS captain
of the Polo Association team. The Brit
ish team has no lack Of ponies. and twen-
ty of them are birmingham veterans,
which means that they have passed with
success through the most exacting test,
barring an International match, that a
pony may undergo.
TWenty-one of the picked thirty ponies
In Lord Wimborne's lot are British born,
and Ireland claims eighteen of the bunch.
One is a Californian, and three hail from
the Argentine Republic, one Of which,
Twenty was here with Captain
Lloyds outfit. Two are Australians. two
from India, and one was picked up In
Spain during the teams sojourn at Mad
rid. AS the best Of seventy ponies taken
to Spain last winter, Lord Wimborne's
mounts must be regarded with respect
and they are as hard as nails in condi-
ton. To the casual glance they seem TO
have both hardness and speed.
Nine Of the best thirty among the
American ponies have been brought from
Ireland, four are English. and the bal
ance were bred in America. except The
showiest pony in the lot, Carry the News,
which was bred in Hawaii 1t is on rec
ord that the British ponies Whitney took
back for his team TO use at birmingham
in 1909 had improved in looks and speed
in this country. The trainers there were
amazed at the better showing OF their old
ponies, and since then they have adopted
many OF the methods Of conditioning and
shoeing learned from Lawrence Fftzpat-
rick, Whitney's polo pony trainer. Flange
shoes, 10 prevent slipping, and rubbing
down with a stimulating lotion after a
game, In the way racehorses are treated
while cooling out after a race, are two OF
Fitzpatrick ideas taken up abroad.
Polo ponies receive tougher treatment
than either racers or trottcrs. They are
hit by balls and mallets, jostled and cut
by the other ponies. and every hard
game is apt 10 bring n harvest Of sore
mouths, strained tendons and wrenched
shoulders or legs, and the trainer must
be ready for all emergencies, besides
keeping the pony up 10 its work in point
OF condition. Quarterboots are relied on
by Fitzpatrick 10 guard the ponies from
being cut down In the practice games,
and when taken off for a big match the
speed is improved as much as a change
from bar shoes to racing plates. His
latest cure for strains and soreness is
to apply pads TO the affected parts, kept
at a uniform heat by wires from mild
electric battery, which bakes out the pain
and IS based OIL the similar treatment of
physicians for lumbago, rheumatism and
other ailments.
James Faulkner. Lord Wimborne's polo
trainer. is as up-to-date in methods as
the American trainers. and he knows the
traits and needs of every pony In his
string He has great faith in the nour-
ishing qualities of the English hay, oats
and chaM he brought over with the
ponies. Fitzpatrick did not take Ameri-
can fodder over in 1909, and he has
theory that nature grows in each land
the sort Of hay and oats best for the live
stock there.
A critical estimate Of Lord Wimborne's
ponies is that they lack hot blood and
that IN getting away from the thorough
bred ne has lessened the quality OF his
mounts. Wherever bred, the best polo
ponies to-day are thoroughbreds In whole
or part. and there are seemingly more OF
this stamp In the Whitney than In the