Learning the proper strategy for this play is not difficult and has a high payout — it can set the tone for the chukker or even the game. Blowing through your opponents’ defense, or conversely, presenting a solid and consistent defense of your own during the knock-in can be a major psychological victory for your team, which can continue to pay dividends throughout the entire game.
Here you have the opportunity to watch a pro perform the four foundational swings of polo as many times as you like, in slow motion, from the comfort of your computer desk! These videos cover the offside forehand, offside backhand, nearside forehand, and nearside backhand.
This is really cool. The Ellerstina polo team (winners of the 2008 Argentine Open) mounted a high-definition camera on one of their player’s helmets. I’ve heard the player with the camera is supposed to be Facundo Pieres but I don’t know.
A brief 6-minute video on the history of polo and international polo competition such as the Olympics and the Pan American Games. The video includes a high-level overview of some of the international governing bodies of the sport, why they were created, and some of the innovations they’ve implemented to keep the game we all love going.
Christian demonstrates how to execute a nearside shot without crossing over the line of the ball, a common foul.
Everyone falls eventually — as polo players know all too well! After Prince Harry’s much publicized, if minor, fall this past Sunday in the Hamptons I thought I would take the opportunity to point out Tom Goodspeed’s excellent article on knowing when and how to make an “emergency dismount” from a moving horse as safely as possible.
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The open goal allows us to focus on hitting straight. We are not forced to hit hard due to someone rushing out, trying to defend. So don’t hurry yourself. You are only allowed one approach, so start back a ways so you can get a good line to the ball. Some canter, some walk.
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Here you have the opportunity to watch a pro perform the four foundational swings of polo as many times as you like, in slow motion, from the comfort of your computer desk! These videos cover the offside forehand, offside backhand, nearside forehand, and nearside backhand.
continue readingHere you have the opportunity to watch a pro perform the four foundational swings of polo as many times as you like, in slow motion, from the comfort of your computer desk! These videos cover the offside forehand, offside backhand, nearside forehand, and nearside backhand.
continue reading
If your horse were to take off unexpectedly and you are not able to stop them, circling is a great way of gaining leverage and therefore re-establishing control by turning them into smaller and smaller circles until they stop.
Everyone falls eventually — as polo players know all too well! After Prince Harry’s much publicized, if minor, fall this past Sunday in the Hamptons I thought I would take the opportunity to point out Tom Goodspeed’s excellent article on knowing when and how to make an “emergency dismount” from a moving horse as safely as possible.
The open goal allows us to focus on hitting straight. We are not forced to hit hard due to someone rushing out, trying to defend. So don’t hurry yourself. You are only allowed one approach, so start back a ways so you can get a good line to the ball. Some canter, some walk.
Being able to adjust a horse a few inches or a few feet from one side to the other is what allows the better riders to adjust to a bouncing outdoor ball, to win more ride-offs, and to get their horse closer to the boards in the arena than you seem to be able to do. Not to mention getting a better balanced frame on your horse while moving around the field.
Polo resumes play with a throw-in after every out of bounds and some whistles where no foul is the determination. Some infractions of procedure also are resolved with a throw-in, so it is rather obvious that throw-ins are a key factor in the play of the game. At the very least, it is a necessary evil.
Learning the proper strategy for this play is not difficult and has a high payout — it can set the tone for the chukker or even the game. Blowing through your opponents’ defense, or conversely, presenting a solid and consistent defense of your own during the knock-in can be a major psychological victory for your team, which can continue to pay dividends throughout the entire game.
Here you have the opportunity to watch a pro perform the four foundational swings of polo as many times as you like, in slow motion, from the comfort of your computer desk! These videos cover the offside forehand, offside backhand, nearside forehand, and nearside backhand.
Reining may seem like pretty simple stuff initially…but there is a lot more to it. The beginner rider starts out pretty much all hand, while more advanced riding is all about the combination of seat, legs, eyes, voice, hands, and position. Hands or reining is only a piece of the puzzle, but certainly an important one.
Probably the key to a great polo seat. The old hunt/polo seat saw a much longer stirrup and a straight leg that resulted in what they call a deep seat. The riders were usually more to the rear of the saddle. Those polo players of yesteryear even used to turn their mallet a quarter revolution clockwise in their hands to make up for the fact that they weren’t getting up in a hitting position and turning their shoulders as we do now, well, at least some of us, ahem.
This is really cool. The Ellerstina polo team (winners of the 2008 Argentine Open) mounted a high-definition camera on one of their player’s helmets. I’ve heard the player with the camera is supposed to be Facundo Pieres but I don’t know.
Maltese Cat: Dale, I require your advice on the feeding of the horses during this training phase. Coul...
Caleb: Thanks Charly. I'll definitely write more articles like this one -- kind of a blend of wha...
Charly: Thanks for this article, it is really useful to have it spelled out nice and clearly. Look... Caleb: Unfortunately it looks like universalsports has taken down this video. If anyone knows of ... Maltese Cat: Thank you, Polo Gringo. The link to YouTube works.By the way, Polo Gringo has their o...
