Hitting the Near Side Shot Without Fouling

By Christian Moon

Nachi Heguy scoops the ball from his nearside, while Mariano Aguerre waits for an opportunity to defend. Photo By Polo Players' Edition

When hitting on the near side we see far too often the player cross the line after his shot which more often than not constitutes a foul. Hitting on the near side without angle or under the horses tail is easier if the horse is allowed to cross the line as you hit, and if this is how you hit the near side back hander then you will undoubtedly cross after your shot or run into your opponent as you hit which in the case of a weak rider can often cause a fall. In fact I have seen weak players end up on the saddle of their opponent after incorrectly attempting this shot.

So how do we get this shot executed without any fear of crossing?

There are two reasons a player might cross. First he might throw his weight into the shot and thereby unbalance his horse causing it to “fall” across the line in order to “catch” the weight of the rider. The other reason that exacerbates this problem is coming to the line of the ball at an angle with the horse on the left lead. In this case it is just too hard for the horse to turn right, away from the line, as the player makes the shot, or puts weight in the stirrup after the shot.

Can you see where I’m going?

If you said “to the right lead with the horse straight.” then you are right on.

Before you go to stick and ball, think about the shot, how you get to the ball, and what is most useful to your team mates as they try to receive your pass.

The shot is one of the hardest to make in polo. Bill Atkinson (8 goals.) used to tell me all the time “Never out run someone to make a play on the near side.” In low goal if one is out run by a player on the near side then the best play is to make sure you have the right of way to the off side and then just check up and wait for the player to miss. You will have made the right play more than half the time and if the player does make the shot you have the advantage of having checked up already so you might be able to pick up the pass or the weak backhand. The savvy opponent might see you check, and cross over to make his play on the off side but that is rare and the umpires will be so surprised that they will blow their whistle just to give themselves time to decide if there was a foul or not!

It is often hard to come to the line straight so the earlier you put your horse on the right hand lead the better since it will be easier to flatten out onto the line. When hitting an open near side back hand placing the horses head off to the right will help you get the angle desired without connecting with the horses head. Since you are sending the ball away from your horse there needs to be room for the plane of your swing to pass by the head and neck of the horse before connecting. It is also easier to hit the ball if you can lean out from your horse whether hitting away or under the tail on the near side. This will put more weight in the left stirrup which is no bother to a balanced horse on the right lead but will cause a horse on the left lead to fall left. Hitting under the tail is easier then away but only because you need not position the head of the horse. Your weight and lead should be the same as for the away shot. You can lean out further to get more angle and I recommend having the horse bent to the right anyway since it will make the horse far less likely to go left and over the line after your shot.

For the forehand shot on the near side I like to keep the horse bent right on the right lead unless I am turning the ball on the near side. Having the horse on the right lead means I can put more weight into the left stirrup and I have more room to hit with he horses head bent right.

To train the horse:

Hit near side away shots with the horse on the right lead. be fastidious about the horse maintaining the same lead after your shot and remember if the horse changes after your shot then it might be because you generally change leads by throwing your weight instead of using leg aids. Always turn right after your shot. If you do this on the stick and ball field the horse will not preempt a left turn on the field and again will maintain the right lead.

For yourself: Practice the near side away back hander. It is the most difficult shot in which to maintain the balance and direction of the horse whilst getting angle and distance on your shot, but when done well it is arguably the most effective way to change the play in your team’s favor. Practicing the hardest shot to execute will make the others seem easy!

Having said all the above, I think it well worth recognizing that you should practice all shots on all leads. Near side open on the left lead and the right and so on. That way the game will have fewer surprises. I like to make a circle of about 20 meters and hit balls off both leads from the circle. You can add the goal into the mix too to help accuracy.