TIME LINE (any errors are mine alone) Imogen Mary Collier Born 6th July 1873 A 'Polo Pony,' to quote Captain E.D. Miller in his book, Modern Polo, (Second Edition 1902), “ … will have a spare leg for every emergency.” In 1869 when the 10th Hussars first brought the game to England there were six players on each side. The game changed and the pony developed, and by 1873 the number of players was reduced to five on each side. In June, a sub-committee was appointed to examine the purchase of, " Hurlingham House and estate" and establish whether Polo should be played there in 1874. Elizabeth Thompson (who later became Lady Elizabeth Butler), had her first oil painting accepted by the Royal Academy, entitled 'Missing,' an imaginary scene from the Franco-Prussian War. Strangely the original painting seems to be, 'missing', as only a photograph is known to exist. Anatomy of the Horse – an English Edition, translated by G. Fleming of a Treatise by Chauveau and Arlony, appeared. (Treatise – a formal piece of writing dealing with a subject in depth.) 1874 Earlier Taxes payable for all horses, mares and geldings were ended in the Budget of 1874 by, “The Remission of Horse Duties,” In May, at the Royal Academy's annual exhibition, item 142, 'Calling the Roll after an engagement,' by Elizabeth Thompson, (later Elizabeth Butler, now thought of as a, 'battle artist') was causing a sensation. It portrayed the, 'Grenadier Guards, after an engagement,' (during the Crimean War of 1854-56), this painting was purchased by Queen Victoria. 6th June - the first Polo Match was played at Hurlingham, in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and a large gathering of people. 'Mr Charles Trelawny,' (a notable Master of Fox Hounds), relinquished 'Dartmoor Hounds', to be succeeded by Captain Monro then Admiral Parker-Delamore. 1875 1st May – the first 'Rules of Polo,' had been drawn up and published by the Hurlingham Club Committee. Many alterations were made as the years went by. By 1875 the Ebor Handicap was a great 'betting race.' it was won by Lily Agnes, (the daughter of Polly Agnes) and dam of Ormonde, 'Triple Crown' winner of 1886. First run in 1843 its name was a shortened form of Eboracum, the Roman name for York, and it's first winner a horse called Pagan. In France, the Saumur School included jumping in its Haute Ecole display. Elizabeth Thompson (later Elizabeth Butler), exhibited at the Royal Academy, a painting of, 'The 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment at Quatre Bras,' on the 16th June 1815. It was her ambition to show what an 'English Square,' (battle formation), looked like during a prolonged period of action. Great care was taken over the preparation for this painting gathering all possible information to assure authenticity. 1876 The first polo pavilion was built at Hurlingham and later enlarged, (stabling for ponies and general facilities were often criticized) and the annual match for the, 'Champion Cup,' was inaugurated. 'Show jumping,' was first officially recorded in England at the five day Agricultural Show at Islington, points were awarded for style by a Master of Fox Hounds. The 'grey squirrel,' was loose in the park at Henbury, in Cheshire, (having come from Europe), and already its appearance seems to have reduced the population of the native 'red squirrel.' After the, 'Battle of the Little Bighorn' (Custer's last stand), the only living thing left was Comanche, a cavalry horse belonging to Captain Myles Keogh, he was badly wounded but survived another seventeen years, being allowed to wander about the forts where he was posted, his only duties were ceremonial. He died in 1893 and his stuffed body was put on display at the University of Kansas. 1877 'The Suffolk Stud Book Association,' later to become the 'Suffolk Horse Society,' was founded. Also known as the 'Suffolk Punch,' the horse is always chestnut in colour and said to date as far back as 1506. The Society's first volume of the, 'Stud Book,' was published in 1880. 'The Clydesdale Horse Society of Great Britain and Ireland,' was formed, (publishing its first Stud Book in 1878), a native of the former county of Lanarkshire, this splendid, 'draught horse,' was known for the, 'wearing qualities,' of it's feet and the acceptance of, 'white,' in it's colouring. Anna Sewell wrote 'Black Beauty,' 100,000 copies sold before a new edition in 1894 The New Forest Act or Commons Charter was passed. By virtue of The New Forest Act the Verderers were given power to make bye-laws on various matters including complete control of all stallions turned out on The Forest. (Verderers' were people appointed to protect the , 'rights and privileges' of the Commoners.) 1878 'The Horse in Motion,' was published by Edward Muybridge who had started his photographic experiments in 1872. The leg movements of a 'galloping horse,' was a much debated topic at the time, (the conventional, 'gallop of the past,' with all legs stretched out and off the ground is familiar from paintings), and later Edward Muybridge helped to bring to life the fluid motion of, 'the trotter,' in the series of still photographs forerunners of the motion picture. The Inter-regimental and County Cup Tournaments, (polo) were started at Hurlingham. The annual match between Oxford and Cambridge was also inaugurated. In honour of The Prince and Princess of Wales an astonishing crowd of 2,000 – 3,000 riders turned out to a, 'Meet', of Lord Portman's Hounds at Crichel, Dorset. Alfred James Munnings was born at Mendham, Suffolk and Lionel Dalhousie Robertson Edwards was born at Clifton, both were later to become well known painters of horses. 1879 The whole of the Mulgrave estate of about thirteen acres was leased by the Hurlingham Club from Lord Ranelagh as a residence for the ,'polo manager', and accommodation for visiting Polo Players. Jockeys in Britain had to be licensed from 1879 on. Elizabeth Butler lost, 'election to the Royal Academy,' by two votes. By the autumn she had already begun work on, 'Scotland For Ever !,' another well known painting. The ancient Tarpan, (either the Forest or Steppe of North East Europe), was small mouse coloured with an, 'eel stripe,' down its back and upright mane. The Tarpans were hunted almost to extinction and later a few were kept in reserves such as that of Count Zamoyski in Poland. It is said that the last, 'free living' Tarpan died in 1879 having escaped from a reserve. 1880 Hunting started in New Zealand about this time when 'harriers,' were brought out by some prominent landowners. Harriers were hounds used originally for hunting hares. From 1880 onwards at Hurlingham, Polo Pony races, and pony and hack shows became annual events with the Club giving the prizes. It was still possible to buy a good sound young horse, (too slow for flat racing), for anything between £50 and £300. as yet there was no foreign market worth mentioning and flat racing was in its infancy. In the country from 1880 onwards, ladies frequently rode out alone when they were particularly good horsewomen but would not ride to hounds unaccompanied or unattended. 1881 The Great Snow Storm, began on 8th January and did not break until 26th January 1881. The army reorganised the regiments. The numerical titles were dropped and County Titles introduced, (two regiments of Foot, combined to form the First and Second battalions of County Regiments) After 1881 The Devonshire regiment came into being. A 'New Section,' of The General Stud Book, was introduced for the inclusion of Arabs. Original Arab Horses were imported by Mr. Blunt, a great advocate of the best Arabian blood lines. A Russian explorer (Przewalski), discovered unknown wild Mongolian horses in the Tachin Schara Nuru Mountains at the edge of the Gobi desert. These horses are the only truly wild horses still alive, however it is probable they may only be found in Zoo's and Park's today. 1882 Lord Manners, riding his own horse, 'Seaman,' won The Grand National. Fred Archer a leading jockey, won the St. Leger on, 'Dutch Oven,' at 40-1 in the same year. The number of polo players in a game was reduced to, 'four players,' on each side. 'Coaching,' was beginning to speed up with the introduction of a lighter build of horse imported from Spain. The Spanish Jennet, (or Ginete famous in earlier days for its looks and obedience), was imported in numbers. Travelling by coach was often an indifferent experience and luggage often went missing. It was noted that in 1882 a 'Turkish Sultan', with over three hundred horses in his stables had only four pure bred Arabians. 1883 Prince Batthyany, a very well known sportsman, died on 25th April, and the sale of his extensive blood stock was held in July, by Tattersalls at Newmarket. The Duke of Portland bought St. Simon who as a two year old astonished the public, he was never beaten in a race. Lord Arthur Cecil believed the way to improve Mountain and Moorland ponies was to introduce blood of similar breeds. He began to bring stallions into the New Forest from the Isle of Rhum, the Fells of Cumberland, from Dartmoor and Exmoor and later The Mountains of Wales – however over time little change seems to have taken place. Since 1790 when The Compte de Sivran took to the streets of Paris on a wooden horse fitted with two small wheels, cycling had been developing apace. In 1883 The Bicycle Touring Club became, The Cyclists touring Club.