The New York herald., 1922-12-03
WHEN Is A PONY
NO LONGER A PONY?
Interesting Question Raised
by Rules Of Devon Horse
Show Association.

When is pony not a pony7" has
become an interesting question by the
action OF the Devon Horse Show IN bar
ring from competition as hackney ponies
all yearlings that are above 1871 hands
high. The limit OF height for ponies OF,
mature age is i4.2 hands. and the theory
OF the Devon people is that colts taller
than 1871 hands as yearlings are sure
to exceed 14.2 hands at maturity. Mrs.
Dorothy Dillon Page OF Far Hills. ". j..
whose yearling was barred at this years
show, maintains that when colts are
from registered pony stres. and dams
they should be eligible to pony classes
SO long as they do not exceed pony
height. Her view IS that no one can
safely decide in advance how much or
how little a pony is going to grow.
And this view has force when It Is re-
membered than polo pony breeders often
use sires and dams 1873 hands high.
They control the height Of their foals
by turning them out 10 rustic for them
selves after the youngsters have been
given good start by feeding them
until they are year old. Z. Q. Nc
Witty, a successful California breeder,
says he can raise 10 hand horses from
16 hand parents with uniformity by this
method and without sacrificing constitu
tion or vigor IN the slightest degree.
The scarcity OF fresh show horses is
leading exhibitors to keep some OF the
old favorites going after the bloom of
youth has departed. 1t IS a pity to see
old champions like Driftwood Blaze. The
.,io
fiddle where once they were supreme, as
in the recent National Horse Show in
New York. All have earned retirement.
1t Is thirteen years since Lord Seaton
made his first appearance at American
horse shows. and he was then OF ma
ture age. The Whip came over from
England In 1913 and has now made ten
campaigns, while Driftwood Blaze has
been going seven years with almost un-
exampled success. There were some
other champions at the ArTnory that
must soon meet the fate OF the pitcher
that goes often to the fountain il their
owners do not heed the premonitory
symptoms everybody could see.
Robert X. Cassatt has donated a
silver trophy to the American Hackney
Horse Society, of which his father, A.
j. Cassatt was the first president to-
be offered next season for registered
hackneys shown under saddle. The
elder Cassatt was a stanch advocate
OF the hackney as a riding horse and
the prize will be known as the A. J.
Cassatt Memorial Trophy. 1t Will prob
ably be In competition at the National
Horse Show. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel
has offered a special prize of 500 in
plate for similar competition at the
June 2 and 1t looks as IL the old fash
Toned cobs, once 80 popular in England
might have busy season under saddle
in 1923.
Tho Horse Show Blue Book for 1992
will credit the good gray hunter, Silver
Crest, with nearly sixty first prizes won
this year in the stable of Miss Becky
Lanler. The total ia said to be the
largest on record for n hunter or
jumper. William Lenahan's Algomah'
having held the record since 1912 with
forty-three firsts won in that year
Unlike some OF the most successful
horse show hunters Silver Crest is as
good In the field az he is In the ring.
His owner. Frederic McElhone of Up
perville, Va, from whom his racing
qualities are leased by Miss Lanier has
ridden him nine seasons to hounds. 1t
is eleven years since he made his first
appearance in the show ring at Virginia
horse shows.
st. Louis has q new horse show as
sociation, which held it's first exhibition
in the Coliseum last week. August A.
Busch. Jr.. Is president, Max Orthwein.
vice president. and Capt f. N. Frakes
secretary. Mr.. Busch and his father
are breeding hackneys and hunters on
the historic farm where Gen. U. s Grant
civil war and afterward raised trotting
horses.
With the notable exception Of George
Crouch local exhibitors OF saddle horses
were not very successful at the National
Horse Show OF 1922. His horses won
three blues, two reds. three yellows and
one white, but with the exception of
Miss Janet MacKay's Cherokee Princess
first In the ladies' class. and Miss
Michele Newborgs Mine Sweeper. third
in the class for thoroughbreds. the
awards fall TO disclose another owner
from this city whose horses were IN the
ribbons.
William II. Wanamakor, Jr owner OF
Kitty Melbourne, wants It clearly under
stood that however much Irvington
Bounce III. may have improved between
the opening and tho close OF the recent
National Horse Show she, did not beat
his mare In harness. In quoting one of
the judges in last Sundays New York
HERALD this seemed 10 Mr.. Wanamaker
10 be implied. whereas. he says. the two
bantam hackneys never met In harness
during the week at the armory.