It is the duty of Number 3 to help his back when the latter is being hard pressed and be ready to exchange places with him when the back gets an opportunity to make a run with the ball.

Number 4 is the real back, for all the others are in front of him and consequently his is the most important position. He must have a shifty pony well trained to riding work. He has to defend the goal, and therefore must be an expert "backhander," that is, quick to send back the ball to the opposing rank when it comes in the direction of his goal. It is the place of the back to knock in when the ball goes over the end line. When he is sure of the half-back player on his side he may go up into the game and make a leading attack himself, but it is nearly always well for him to avoid meeting the ball, for if he misses, the goal is left defenceless.

On the whole, pony polo is an intricate game, and while it is not the sport of kings, it is only adapted to the people of leisure with whom time and money are not an object.

HOCKEY

To play hockey a level field is required about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. The space is marked out in whitewash lines and small flags are placed at each corner. The long lines are called side lines, and the shorter ones goal lines. Across the center, 50 yards from either goal, is the center line. This divides the ground in half. These halves are again equally divided by 25-yard lines. Five yards inside each line is marked a dotted line, parallel with the side line, and which is called the five-yard line.

In the middle of each goal line and 4 yards apart are placed the goal posts, which are uprights 7 feet high, with a horizontal bar from one to the other. Fifteen yards in front of each goal is drawn a line 4 yards long, parallel to the goal line; the ends of this line are brought round in curves to meet the goal line and the space thus inclosed is called the "striking circle."

The stick and balls are the main requisites of hockey. The sticks are made of hickory. The better kind have ash blades and cane handles, such handles giving a spring which sends a clean drive without giving a jar to the hands. The balls used are about the size and weight of the average baseball.

Nowadays it is customary to have nets behind the goal posts, so that it may be definitely determined if there is any dispute whether the ball went clean through between the goal posts or past the outside of either.

Hockey requires 22 players, 11 on each side, consisting of 5 forwards, 3 half-backs, 2 full-backs and a goal-keeper. The center forward stands in the middle of the ground. On her right about 10 yards distant stands the inside right; the right wing stands between the 5-yard line and the side line; the inside left and the left wing stand on the left of the center forward. The half-backs stand 15 yards behind the forward. The center half takes her place directly in line with the center forward; the right half covers the two right forwards, while the left half covers the two left forwards. Behind, on the 25-yard line, stand the fullbacks, right and left; the goalkeeper stands between the goal posts about a foot in front of the goal line.

The two center forwards start the game by "bullying off" the ball in the center of the field; the ball is placed on the center line while the two forwards stand with a foot on either side of the line facing each other and standing square to the side line; then the center halves and left and inside forwards on the blowing of the whistle for the "bully," close up in order to keep watch, each one ready to take the ball should it come in her direction. When one of the center forwards gets the ball she tries to pass it out to either of her own inside players, who endeavors to "dribble" it up the field until she is encountered by an opposition player, at which juncture, by a quick stroke she passes it out to the wing player. It is in this manner, by keeping a straight course and assisted by their halfbacks that the forwards by passing and "dribbling" get the ball into the "striking circle," and when they get it that length it is not a difficult matter to score a goal.