Polo Tip #11: Turning Over Your Backhander — Good or Bad? Why?

It is a common sight to see a player begin their back stroke and to see the horse turn into the direction of the swing before the shot is completed. Sometimes, it is a conscious decision that a player makes before he gets to the ball. They see there is no one in close vicinity, so they take the opportunity to deliberately turn the ball and their horse together to get around quickly. Great play. So if you did yours by accident, and drew a foul, just use this excuse to combat the disapproving looks you are getting from all of your teammates.

More often, turning over the backhander during the shot is simply because you are putting too much weight in that stirrup and the horse reacts to your shifting weight. They may even be anticipating that when they feel you make the move for a backshot, it is time to turn, because that is what happens everytime you back it. Horses learn by repitition. If you always turn into your shot, guess what ?

If you let your horse turn into your backshot there are two serious issues.

One, it is dangerous because of players coming up behind you in pursuit.

Two, you lose a lot of the strength in your swing.

Going straight through the shot gives you the full force of the horse’s stride to benefit from.

How do we straighten this problem or rather horse out ?

You need to better balance yourself in your stirrups. If you are leaning in hard on your near-side, into your left stirrup, you need to push off a little from your left stirrup back to your right stirrup. If so many pounds of your upper body are going up over the ball, it is important to compensate by shifting your hips a little to the off-side. A younger player may elect to throw all of their weight into one stirrup, but remember, their bones still have some flexion in them. A lot of us are past that stage. You must also steady your horse with your reins and leg. If you are hitting that near-side, you need to hold the horse to the right with your hands and apply pressure with your lower left leg. Try not to raise too tall into your stirrups and throw too much of your upper body over the ball, away from the horse. Instead, lower yourself in your stirrups, closer to the horse, as you put your shoulder over the ball. Players often need to check their mallet size as well. Adjust the size of your mallet so that you are comfortable on your near-side. This will help you and your horse stay better balanced.

In closing, sometimes I hear people being taught to always turn away from your backhanders with respect to the line of the ball. I strongly suggest you continue straight, look, and then your decision should be obvious and your shots will be more powerful. If your horse is a little sour as we call it and they are turning before you even swing, you may need to school the horse a few times. Better yet, have your instructor or pro help you out with this. You may have to practice just riding past the ball straight a few times without even swinging to help get your horse going straight. Lessening the power or force of your swing may also be of help.

Keep it straight. More power in your shots, less whistles and most importantly, collision free insurance. Happy Polo !!