Andy Bull might have mentioned that horse tennis was popular in the United States early in the last century, although I reckon the horses were the ones needing helmets – a forehand smash by the rider might not have been welcomed by the horse itself (Some sports just cry wolf but octopus wrestling really did run out of suckers, Sport, 10 October)
Inevitably, YouTube has modern-day examples, with horse-riders playing tennis over a low net just for fun, and being extremely careful to use polo-style swipes, therefore avoiding the horse’s head; and a tennis player taking on a horse-riding opponent. That particular example ends with a ball girl running on to the court to scoop up horse dung. Perhaps this is why it’s not a regular sport today.
Dave Hulme
Stockport, Greater Manchester
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