As in tennis and golf, we need to keep our head, and therefore our shoulders down as we finish our swing. Your eyes must follow the cane/shaft through the swing. The majority of players in polo finish their swings with their head and eyes up above their follow-through and high in the saddle. Interestingly enough, the majority of players are also handicapped at 2 and lower.
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Polo Tip #42: Taking The Danger Out Of “Taking Your Man”
Field Awareness is no different from Driving Defensively. The good drivers are aware of all of the traffic around them and ahead of them. They stay alert to unexpected and sometimes even illegal moves of the other cars around them.
Polo Tip #41: Runaways
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.
Polo Tip #40: Undefended Penalties
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.
Polo Tip #38: The Throw-In
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.
Polo Tip #37: Reining Techniques – Direct and Indirect Reining
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.
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 #33: You Hit Like A Girl
Some guys can sit in the saddle and get away with powering the ball with just their arm. However, in most cases, women are a smaller frame and they have to get up in the saddle, into their legs, and take full advantage of their body rotation to get power into their swings.
Polo Tip #32: The “Master” Factor
The Masters do not look backwards, they look forward. They are able to place their entire focus on the remaining minutes of the game. They do not waste a single ounce of emotional energy on what has already passed.
Polo Tip #31: Proper Timing
We are running towards the ball at speed, when we get to the ball, our mind (clue is our mind) tells us-ok, now, swing, hurry, NOW !! We swing and guess what? Way too late.