Beginner's Guide to Polo

What is Polo all About?

Polo was invented 2,500 years ago as a cavalry training exercise - not as a spectator sport - and remarkably little has changed over the years with the traditional game.
The tradition of wearing white pants dates back to the nineteenth century when Indian royals played in the heat, hence the preference for fabrics that were light in colour and weight.
Divot-stomping at half-time is not just for show. It is actually a very important crowd activity, as it does genuinely restore the field for the players and horses.
A polo handicap works the opposite way to a golf handicap. The players are rated on a scale from minus 2 to 10. Minus 2 indicates a novice player, while a player rated at 10 goals has the highest handicap possible. It is not (nor has it ever been) an estimate of the number of goals a player might score in a game, but rather of the player's worth to his or her team. There are only a handful of 10 goal polo players in the world.
The reason they are called polo ponies as opposed to horses is a reference to their agility rather than their size. The ponies need to be highly responsive and able to turn on a dime.
Polo can only be played using the right hand. This is because the rules of the game revolve around the same principle as driving along a highway. Namely, when a ball is hit it creates an invisible line that players advancing from opposing sides cannot cross. If one advancing player were to approach using their left hand and the other with their right hand, a head-on collision would occur.
“Throw-in”, as simple as it sounds, is a term used to start a play. One of two umpires or even a guest of honour at the match tosses the polo ball in between two teams of four players.
Although most of us are familiar with equine polo, few may be aware of the other less mainstream codes of polo that exist across the world. Other than Urban, Arena, Snow and Beach Polo, other variations of the sport that combine man and beast include Donkey, Camel, Yak & Elephant polo. Further mechanical variations include bicycle and Segway polo.
Celebrities and VIPs who play or have played polo include Will Rogers, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Walt Disney as well as President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In fact, the latter coined the famous phrase “Polo is a passport to the world”. Celebrity polo players of the modern era include Princes William and Harry, Sylvester Stallone, Tommy Lee Jones, Ashton Kutcher, Jodie Kidd and Brad Pitt.
The polo t-shirt we know today was invented in the 1920s by Lewis Lacey. Nobody expected it to become a fashion trend, but it quickly took off!

Match Format

A match consists of 6-8 chukkas, each lasting seven minutes plus up to 30 seconds of overtime. A horn is blown at the end of 7 minutes to signal to the players that 30 seconds remain in the chukka. During the 30 seconds, play continues until a team scores, the ball goes out of play or a player commits a foul. During the breaks players are able to switch ponies.

The Field

Play takes place on a field of about 300 yards (275 metres) long by 160 yards (150 metres) wide. In theory, that is about the same size as six soccer pitches. The goal posts, which collapse on severe impact, are set eight yards apart.

Teams

There are 4 players on a team with each player assigned a distinctly different role according to their position. The Number 1 player is essentially a goal striker whose primary role is to score goals. The Number 2 player is also a forward, but plays harder, especially on defence. Number 3 is the pivotal player between offence and defence who tries to turn all plays to offence. He is usually the highest rated player on the team. The Number 4 player (or back), is essentially the most defensive player whose primary responsibility is to protect the goal area.

Handicaps

All players are rated on a scale of -2 to 10 (the higher the better). Although the word ‘goal’ is often used after the rating, it bears no relation to the number of goals a player scores in a match, but to their overall playing ability. A player’s horsemanship, range of strokes, speed of play, team and game sense are the factors considered in determining their handicap. The team handicap is the sum of its players’ handicaps. the team with the lower handicap is awarded the difference in goals at the start of the game. For example, a 26-goal team would give two goals start to a 24-goal team.

Scoring

Any time the ball crosses, at any height, the line between the goal posts, it is considered a goal regardless of who knocks it through, including the pony. After each goal, the teams change ends (i.e. switch the halves they defend). This allows both teams equal opportunities to score in case the field or weather is working to one direction’s advantage (equalise wind and turf conditions). The game is continuous and can only be stopped if a foul is called, an injury occurs to either a polo pony or rider, or if a player’s tack is broken.

Polo 101

Helmet

Hard surface, lined and strapped. The helmet protects the player from swinging mallets and balls travelling at speeds of nearly 100 mph.

Riding Glove

Protects the player’s hands and creates better grip on the mallet.

Clipped Mane

A closely clipped mane eliminates interference between the pony’s mane and the mallet shaft.

Bridle

Series of leather strappings and bit that give the player steering and stopping control.

Breastplate

Stops the saddle from slipping backwards.

Polo Martingale

Stops the pony from raising its head.

Mallets & Stick Head

Typically made of bamboo or plastic composite. Mallet shaft is flexible and can make a complete arc under the pony’s neck or tail when swung hard. The stick head is made of hardwood and angled to allow a full swing flush to the ground.

Bandages

Protective wrapping and safety boots protect the pony’s legs against contact with the ball.

Riding Boots

Always coloured brown in polo. Attached to the knee pads for extra protection.

Plaited Tails

Causes less obstruction to the mallet while executing backhand and tails shots.

Saddle & Blanket

Different from jumping saddles which have extra pads. Special polo saddles balance the weight of the rider.