Polo

Polo is an exciting game played on horseback, making it one of the oldest team sports in the world. Players ride horses at high speeds and use wooden mallets to hit a ball into the other team's goal. The team with the most goals wins.

The game can be played outdoors on a large grass field or indoors in a smaller arena. Outdoor polo matches last about one and a half to two hours and are split into short periods called chukkas, where players can switch horses.

Polo began thousands of years ago in Persia and central Asia and later developed into its modern form in India. Known as “The Sport of Kings,” it is enjoyed by people all over the world and was even an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1936. Today, polo is played professionally in many countries and watched by many fans.

History

Origins and etymology

The name polo comes from a word in the Balti language that means "ball." It is related to a similar word in Standard Tibetan. The game started in a place called the greater Iran region.

Middle Ages and Early Modern era

Polo was useful for training horse soldiers. It was played from Constantinople to Japan, Arabia, India, and Tibet during the Middle Ages. The game continued to be popular in many places, including Baghdad, Persia, and China.

Modern era

India and Britain

In India, polo was known by names like polo or pulu, which referred to the wooden ball. A polo club was started in Silchar, India, in 1859. The game spread to England in the 1860s, and British soldiers helped bring polo to many parts of the world.

Ireland

Polo began in Ireland in 1870 with the first official game played in County Meath.

Argentina

Polo became very popular in Argentina. It was started by Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and English immigrants. The first formal game in Argentina was organized in 1875.

United States

The first polo match in the United States was organized in New York City in 1876. Polo grew into a fast-paced sport in the early 20th century, especially under the leadership of Harry Payne Whitney.

Contemporary polo

Polo is played professionally in many countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Iran, India, New Zealand, Mexico, Pakistan, Jamaica, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is now an active sport in 77 countries. The World Polo Championship is held every three years.

Polo is special because amateur players often hire and play alongside top professionals.

Argentina

Argentina is often called the capital of polo. The country produces many of the best horses and players. Major polo tournaments often feature players and horses from Argentina.

The three big tournaments in Argentina are the Hurlingham Polo Open, Tortugas Polo Open, and Palermo Polo Open. The polo season usually runs from October to December.

High season vs. Low season

The Argentina Polo School in Mar del Plata follows the region's climate and tourism. The high season, from November to March, is warm and busy with tournaments. The low season, from May to September, is quieter for rest and maintenance.

East and Southeast Asia

Polo has been played in Malaysia and Singapore since the late 19th century. It was introduced during British colonial times. The sport has grown in popularity in cities like Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta. China now has clubs in Beijing and Shanghai.

West Asia

Polo is not very common in West Asia, but there are clubs in Iran, the UAE, Bahrain, and Jordan.

India

The world's oldest polo club is the Calcutta Polo Club in Kolkata, founded in the 19th century. A new version of polo, the World Champions Polo League, started in Jaipur in 2016. It has shorter matches and a smaller field.

Ireland

Polo has grown in Ireland with seven clubs. Training programs make it more accessible.

Pakistan

The Shandur Polo Festival in Chitral District is an international event. The polo ground at Shandur Pass is the highest in the world. Pakistan has many polo clubs and championships.

United Kingdom

The Hurlingham Polo Association is the governing body in the United Kingdom, formed in 1875.

United States

The United States Polo Association (USPA) governs polo in the U.S. The U.S. also has a separate women's polo organization.

Rest of the Americas

Polo is popular in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

Rules

The rules of polo focus on keeping both players and horses safe. Umpires watch the games, and they blow a whistle when something wrong happens. Penalties are given for breaking the rules. In polo, an important idea is the "line of the ball." This is an imaginary line that shows where the ball is going. It helps players know how to approach the ball safely. The player who hits the ball usually has the right to go first, and others need to stay on their side of this line.

Players can defend by pushing opponents away or taking the ball. They can also block a swing with their mallet in a move called "hooking." All rules make sure that horses and players stay safe during the fast-paced game.

Outdoor polo is played by two teams of four riders each. Teams can have all men, all women, or a mix. Each player has a special number and role. All players must use their right hand to hit the ball, which helps prevent collisions.

Polo is played with a small ball made of strong plastic these days. It is about 3 to 3 and a half inches wide and weighs between 3 and a half to 4 and a half ounces. Players use mallets with long handles and a wooden head to hit the ball. The mallet’s weight and length can change depending on the player and the horse’s height.

The outdoor polo field is huge—about 300 by 160 yards, which is bigger than many other sports fields. The grass is kept very short to make it safe and smooth for riding. Goals are two posts set eight yards apart at each end of the field. After each part of the game, called a chukka, players switch horses. A full game lasts about one and a half to two hours, with several chukkas and short breaks in between. The goal is to hit the ball between the posts, no matter how high it goes.

Polo ponies

See also: Argentine polo (horse breed)

The horses used in polo are called "polo ponies," though they are really full-sized horses. They stand between 14.2 and 16 hands high and weigh between 900 and 1,100 pounds. These horses are chosen for their speed, stamina, and ability to turn quickly. They must stay calm and responsive, even when things get fast and exciting. Many of these horses are Thoroughbreds or have Thoroughbred blood. They are trained to respond to the rider’s signals with one hand on the reins.

Training for polo ponies starts when they are about 3 years old and lasts for several months to a couple of years. Most horses are fully grown by age 5 and are best when they are 6 or 7 years old. With good care, they can keep playing polo until they are 18 to 20 years old. Each player usually has more than one horse so they can switch to a fresh one when needed, especially during longer matches.

Saddle

Polo saddles are designed for close contact and are similar to jumping saddles. They have a flat seat and no knee support, allowing the rider to lean forward. A breastplate is added for safety, and a standing martingale is required. The stirrups are heavier and wider for extra safety when the rider stands in them. The legs of the pony are wrapped for protection, and the mane and tail are often trimmed so they don’t get in the way. Polo is ridden with double reins for better control, and special bits are used to help the horse respond accurately.

Indoor or arena polo

Arena polo is a version of the game played indoors or in a semi-outdoor space, with rules similar to outdoor polo. Each team has three riders, and the game is less demanding for players. It takes place in an enclosed area, usually made of compacted sand or fine dirt, measuring 300 by 150 feet, though it can be as small as 150 by 75 feet.

The ball used in arena polo is air-inflated and a bit larger than the ball used in outdoor polo. Players use standard mallets, but there is an option for slightly larger-headed arena mallets. The game offers more maneuvering because of the limited space.

Variants

These variants are different from regular polo because they have different rules, teams, and ways of playing.

A modern version called snow polo is played on compacted snow or a frozen lake. Each team usually has three players, and they use a bright-colored plastic ball. Snow polo is not the same as ice polo, an old sport from the late 1890s in the US that is now gone.

Other fun versions include beach polo, played on sand with three riders, and Cowboy polo, played in the western United States with five riders using special saddles and a rubber ball. Water polo looks like polo but is more like handball. Sagol kāngjei might be an early form of polo.

Some games related to polo but quite different include Horseball, a mix of polo, rugby, and basketball; Pato, an old game from Argentina played without mallets; and Polocrosse, a mix of polo and lacrosse from Australia.

Polo isn’t just for horses! You can also play it on camels, elephants, or yaks. There are even versions using cars, canoes, bicycles, motorcycles, Segways, and even electric unicycles.

There’s also a fun version called hobby horse polo, invented in Germany in 1998. Players use toy hobby horses instead of real ones, and the rules are a bit silly—like using bar stools as goals and drinking "penalty sherries" for rule breaks.

Popular culture

The sport of polo inspired a popular novel called Polo written by Jilly Cooper in 1991.