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.
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Polo Tip #36: Proper Lower Leg Angle
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.
Practicing with Ellerstina: High-Def Helmet Camera
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.
Polo By The Numbers
This one-page flier covers numbers like chukker length, number of chukkers per game, field size, player handicaps, mallet length, just about anything you can put a number to.
Polo Tip #35: Hit it! Anywhere! Just hit it!…NOT THERE!
It is true that sometimes just hitting that ball seems to be a noteworthy accomplishment. However, for effective play in any sport, ball placement and ball possession is what it all comes down to. There have been many an armchair quarterback on the sidelines of polo fields that feels the only acceptable shot is a long one with plenty of loft, you know, the crowd pleaser.
Polo Tip #34: Field Positioning – Anticipation
The polo field is an incredibly large area of play in the world of sport. An outdoor field is ten acres, which defines itself as nine football fields. That is more than an acre for each mounted person in the game. It is easy to see how we can do a lot of running without a great deal of progress.
Improving Your Polo Game – Video 3 of 3
In this video Claire moves away from stick work and onto horsemanship. She shows us the proper way to warm a polo pony up, how to check-up, and how to turn. Additionally, she explains how to maintain your balance and grip while in two-point. She also shows us some more advanced techniques like flying lead changes and rollbacks.
Nacho Figueras’ Guide to Polo
How would you explain polo to someone who is watching the sport for the first time? What are the responsibilities of the four players on the field? When are fouls called? How exactly does a polo player find him or herself on a polo team? Do you own the horses or does the team own the horses? What’s the difference between low-, medium-, and high-goal polo? How do you achieve a higher handicap?
Given that you model for Ralph Lauren, does polo have spectator etiquette when it comes to what to wear? Do polo players balance the glamorous aspect of the sport with concentrating on their game?
Improving Your Polo Game – Video 2 of 3
In this video, again from HorseTV.com, Claire Tomlinson moves from foot mallets and wooden horses to real horses and long mallets. She discusses common faults like running over the ball, swinging too hard, and crossing the line during backhanders. Later, she demonstrates the basics of polo horsemanship — balance, the half-seat, leg aids, lead changes, and turning.
Improving Your Polo Game – Video 1 of 3
In this video, Claire Tomlinson illustrates the proper way to hold a mallet, she demonstrates the plane of the swing and how to practice it, and shows us how to practice our swings both on and off the wooden practice horse. This is a really great introduction for beginning players as Claire takes care to address the fundamentals of a good swing, no matter what the shot.