What is polo on horseback?

Question

Im doing a report on horses and since polo is a horse game I've decided to include it. The only problem is that I dont know much about it. Could ya help me?

Answer 1

I think I can help you out some- my sister is a polo player and keeps a string of polo horses. Polo is one of the world's oldest horse sports- there are records of its existance which date clear back to the time of the ancient Persians, which was about 2,600 BC. It was actually believed to have been invented by the Persians, in fact, and it was first played by the soldiers of that army, who played it for fun when they were not fighting. They called it "pulu" then- the name polo didn't come along until much much later.

Polo is a game which is played on a wide open area called a polo field, although there is another version of the game which can be played in an arena, called arena polo. The field has a goal post at either end, much like a football or soccer field does. The game is played by two teams made up of five riders and their horses. There are four regular players and a goal tender on each team, and each rider plays a specific position and in a particular part of the field. The game is divided into periods called chukkers, which are seven minutes long- and there are normally 3 of them in every game. The object of the game is for each team to score as many goals as possible by hitting the ball under the goalposts. There is a short five minute break at the end of each chukker to allow riders to change horses- no rider ever rides any of his or her horses for more than one or two chukkers at a time, because it is just too hard on the animals. That's why anyone who plays polo regularly, like my sister does, must keep more than one horse. Polo is a rough, high contact sport, and injuries are common to both horse and rider. This is one of the reasons why all polo horses wear leg bandages ( ever heard the term "polo wraps?"- that's what these bandages are called ) and have their tails braided or tied in a knot. Polo ponies or horses also have their manes roached, or shaved off, for safety reasons, because otherwise there is a risk that the rider's reins and mallet ( which is what he or she hits the ball with) can get caught in the mane, which in turn can lead to serious if not fatal accidents. Riders wear knee and shin guards, special boots, and a helmet with a face guard to protect them against being hit by a flying ball. Some riders also wear body protectors, especially these days- these are flexible plastic guards which are designed to protect and stabilize the rider's spine in the event of a fall at high speeds. Also, almost every rider I have ever seen normally will wear gloves at some point, because this helps them grip the reins and reduces slippage. Polo riders ride and steer the horse with their left hands only- the right hand is used to hold the mallet, and the horses are taught to neck rein and steer with only one hand.

Polo matches are played in a series of either 6 or 12 games depending on where the match is and who the teams and players are. In order to win the match, each team must win as many individual games as they can. This is a sport that is open to all ages of riders, and it's not at all uncommon to see adults and kids as young as 7 competing together on the same team. ( Normally, when this happens, the adults WILL YIELD the right of way to a young player when required- to do otherwise is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and a breech of etiquette, and teams can sometimes be fouled for such conduct.) All polo matches and games have at least 2 referees on the field at all times during competition, who are there to enforce the rules, just like an umpire in baseball or referees in other sports. The referees are dressed in black and white jerseys, just like in other sports, and they ride a horse which has a holder for spare balls attached to its saddle. Each team also has a captain- usually the most experienced player in the group, or the one with the highest goal status per game.

Polo is very much an international sport- it is played in numerous countries across the globe, and many of the nations hold international tournaments. At one time, polo was included in the Olympic Games as well- and it may eventually be brought back if it gets popular enough and enough nations and teams participate in it. I for one would LOVE to see that happen- this is a great sport for families and kids.

I hope this answers some of your question, at least a little bit.