Goliath didn't lose because he was unlucky or because he was foolish. He lost because the apparent underdog was actually in a vastly superior position all along. His expedition was so large that scott's ship was overloaded with men, fuel, motorise, sledges and ponies. And it nearly sank before reaching antarctica. Conditions on ship were miserable. The crew their meals from a table directly underneath where the ponies were being stabled. One man ventured up to an ice floe photographs and killer whales, and nearly ended uper their lunch. Scott decided it would be better for the ponies to travel at night when the cold temperatures might mean firmer conditions under their hoofs.