Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-12
urges POLOFOR
Army OFFICERS

The chairman OF the Polo Associa-
ton, H. l.. Herbert, is firm believer
in the polo pony. and considers that
the United States government would
do well to cultivate the breeding of
these mounts for use in the regular
army. n speaking Of the subject a
few days ago he called attention to the
fact that the polo pony is now a Farg-
er animal than formerly, the standard
of eligibility having been raised about
five inches in the last three or four
decades. According to Mr.. Herbert, a
number Of the army offit ers are in IA
yor Of the polo pony for a light cav
airy mount In discussing the sub
ject. he says: .. Il
Certain facts demonstrate the I'M
portant value of men and mounts ex-
perienced in nolo in the military al
fairs of every ccpntry there the sport
is practised As long ago as Ntne war
In the Soudan, Lieut.. de Montmorency
was awarded tie Victoria Cross for
galIantry at the battle of Omdurman.
After his charger had been incapaci-
tate1 by wounds. he went into action
mounted on HIS polo pcny--they were
ponies in those days--and owing to
the extraordinary quickness and alert
ness Of the pony be was enabled to
lift wounded brother officer, Lieut..
Grenfell, across the pony amid heavy
fighting, and carry him to the rear for
treatment.
This occurrence gave ise to dis
cussion in British military circles
wbsther it wosld not be well to give
all cavalry horses as far as possible a.
polo training, or sailing that, to mount
some Of the cavalry on stout ponies.
The January number Of the English
POLO Monthly reports Gen. Sir Doug
las Haig, now ecmmander-in-chief or
the British forces in France, as very:
keen believer in thu value OF pole,
training for the cavalIyman. In his.
report on ope-aiioHs at Salisbury
Plain some years back he attributed
81 eat importance to young officers be
ing encouraged to hunt and play polo.
and urged that they should be helped
to do so in every way possible. He
said: These pursuits have real value
as training for war, and 1t is partic.
ularly desirable that officers with
private means should be encouraged to
spend their money in this way.
Another example of the polo-liay.
ing soldier is Col Theodore Roosevelt,
who was active in polo for some years
--about 1892 to 1894. He used to
ride from Oyster Bay to the Meadow
Brook Club, is miles, mount fresh
ponies and play holly contested games
for an hour or more with the dash and
determination which he has displayed
in all his under takings. After this
strenuous polo he would ride the Is
miles home in time to dine, and think
lightly of such vigorous exercise.
When governor OF New York state, in
reply to letter f. ON me, he expressed
the opinion that body of light cav~
airy could be mounted on stout AZ
ponies with advantage -.
The polo mount now eligible under
the revised rules of tine Polo Associ-
alton is five inches Ligher than the
pony used when first played the
game. Polo mounts are no, longer
ponies, but horses of sufficient size,
and hardness to be the ideal
mount for the officers OF the army.
as they have so soften proved them
selves to be. e.A a#,s ...:. =
Col. (now BrIgadier GeneraD
Charles G. Tre@t in 1908, with the
army of Cuban pacification stationed
1T Havana, established polo in Cuba,
where 1t is now fiourishing. His belief
N the combined polo and military |
mount is verified by the fact that
when his son embarked to join Gen.
Parshing's forces in Mexico he took
with him as his permanent mount a
Isl Texas-bred horse, which had been
zen. Treats favoritc polo horse
Il have been Informed that the Pinto |
pony, ridden by Lieut. Meyers, It'll
Cavalry, in Mexico recently in his |
lash across country over all sorts OF
natural obstacles to carry the inform |
alton of the presence of bandit de-
from, one Of cur cavalry col |
INNS to another, was a polo mount,
,aIanfod for ito efficiency The ride