The New York herald., 1921-07-03
TRAINING OF PONIES
FOR POLO DIFFICULT
Unremitting Patience Needed
to Fit Them for Entry
to Tournaments.
Special Correspondence to THE New YORK
HnRAIn.

Special Correspondence to THE NEW YORK
HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London, June 22.
Does the ordinary individual realize
what making a polo pony means and
why the first class tournament pony
fetches nowadays from $1,000 to $4,000?
asks a writer in the Daily Mol. He
then proceeds to answer his own ques-
ton as follows:
Very probably not, for the average
man has perhaps a hazy idea that
polo pony has to be taught stick and
ball" and thinks that once this Is ac-
complished pony Is fit to play.
Stick and BALI is an infinitestimal
part of a pony's education. and might
almost be compared with the learning
Of mensd in n classical career.
The pony's first lesson is mouth
ing" and in this stage more poniec are
ruined than made. for the really expert
horseman who can give his time to this
consummate art Is very rare.
hard mouthed, pulling pony is the
devil; a light mouthed, easy pony a
JOY. The latter is the outcome of many
months patient schooling from an ex-
pert horseman with hands," good jud9-
ment, and, above all, n perfect temper,
for one bad tempered jab In the pupils
mouth from an impatient rider will undo
the laborious work of month.
mi hw
Coincident with mouthing is the les
son of the leg" that most misunder-
stood and misapplied term. Putting
on the leg is not a vigorous dig with
the heel or spur. as even some OF our
apparently think. but distinct pressure
to be perfect, 1t should be invisible
of the leg muscles and knee.
This the pony must be taught to
recognize and obey. Under this pres
sure. he must start stop passage,
change legs. bend and turn
With the lessons of mounting and leg
we'll learned, pony may be said to be
well on the way to being COLLECTED
and balanced" a state which ia the
alpha and omega of a polo pony's edu-
cation, and IL the trainer has brought
raw pony TO this pitch inside twelve
months he has done more than well.
The pony whici Is played unframed
Is not only a menace to his own ,idee.
but also to the other unfortunates play
ing. Tor crossed legs may mean spill,
and one spill may mean others.
Yet one still sees ponies at our most
famous grounds failing to change on a
turn. generally with novices up. turning
on their forehand. hanging on the bit
all faults due TO lack OF training.
Perfectly Trained.
Then, by contrast. look at the ter-
fectly trained pony, balanced and col
lected. almost, as II were, playing with
his bit, answering the leg long before
the rein. flinging himself round without
giving his rider a moments discomfort
and enabling him to concentrate all his
energies on hitting the ball. which is
the A. b and g of polo.
Riding or there must be no
flinching here. but determination lust
as great on the part OF the pony as on
that OF the man to push his opponent
off the line. Some ponies delight in Il
6oing in without any effort on the part
Of the rider and revelling in n good
hard tussle.
To this the pony must be educated
Just as the footballer is taught in his
youth how TO tackle, so must the pony
be taught 70 ride off" First. at the
walk, up and down the school or pad
dock. shoulder to shoulder with an old
hand, give and take. The younRstcr
may be allowed to have the best Of
things at this stage to give him heart
and encouragement; then he progresses
by easy stages to the canter and finally
to the gallop
Those of US who play know the toy
of going in" on pony who goes in"
on his own and Is Rlutton for the lob
and realize what different PROPOSE
tion' Is the pony which needs riding
hard to get there and much leg TO keep
him at it.
So the pony progresses from school 10
stick and ball, from stick and ball %
slow chukker. from slow to fast, from
fast 20 tournament. from tournament 10
international. when we shall see him
satin coated, muscled up. hard, keen Of
eye. eager impatient. waiting his turn
in the game.