STORY OF P OLO
POLO 101
AN INSIDER’S GUIDE
TO THE SPORT OF KINGS
Fast and furious, polo is an intricate game where man and beast work as one to emerge
victorious. For a novice spectator, it’s an assault on the senses, and the rules, terminology
and sheer speed at which the game is played can be daunting. So for maximum enjoyment,
here’s the basic lowdown on one of the oldest team sports in the world.
The game
A match consists of six
to eight periods of play,
otherwise known as chukkas,
each lasting seven minutes
plus up to 30 seconds of
overtime. During the 30
seconds, play continues until
a team scores, the ball goes
out of play or a player commits
a foul. There is a three-minute
interval between each chukka,
with a longer 15-minute break
at half-time, which gives the
players and the ponies
a chance to recoup
and strategise.
The key to understanding
the game of polo is to
appreciate the importance of
the line of ball (LOB). The LOB,
namely the imaginary line
along which the ball travels,
represents a right of way for
the player nearest to that line.
All strategic plays are based
on the LOB and players always
approach the ball along this
line, either in the direction it is
travelling or directly against it.
The player who last struck the
ball is considered to have right
of way and no other player
may cross the LOB in front of
that player. This ensures fair
and flowing play and, most of
all, the safety of the players
and their ponies.
A player can hook an
opponent’s mallet, steal the
ball, bump or attempt to ‘ride
off’ the player with the ball
(push him off the LOB). All of
this has to be attempted with
the ball on the right-hand side
of the players as the rules of
polo restrict players to only
playing right-handed.
The ponies
Polo horses are referred
to as ponies or mounts.
Speed, stamina, agility and
temperament are all key traits
for polo ponies and many are
Thoroughreds or Thoroughbred
crosses. Each player has several
ponies that he will switch out
regularly during breaks, as a
pony runs the equivalent of
two to three kilometres during
a single chukka. A pony may
not play two successive periods
and must rest for an entire
period of play before being
used again.
Their manes are shaved
and tails are either braided
or wrapped because the hair
could become tangled around
reins or mallets. Considering
the pony does most of the work
on the field, it’s only fitting that
the best performing one gets
a special award at the end of
the game.
Scoring
Here it’s fairly simple. Any
time the ball crosses the line
between the goal posts, at
any height, it’s considered