Polo Tip #25: Playing Smart — Meeting the Play

Ride in the Direction of the Pack/Meeting the Play.

You will see some of the awesome magicians of our sport run into a melee, opposite of the direction of others and emerge from the pack with the ball and continue down to goal. It is always wonderful to watch, but not quite as easy to execute. I would advise for the most part, that players learn to turn with the direction of the flow of horses, so that you are in better position to defend the attacking players. When you see the pack beginning to turn, begin to slow your horse and prepare to turn, but first, yep, field awareness-never check or turn without checking in on the position of all of the players around you. Meeting players at speed can be very dangerous. In most cases, you try to meet a player in possession, you do not get the ball, and then you have left your back to the game and it is almost impossible to get back into position.