A Pedestrian’s Guide to Polo

Polo is a game played between two teams of horseriders, each with four players.   Logically, they are named as 1,2,3 and 4 (or Back).

The object is to score more goals than the opposition by hitting the ball between the goal posts at one end of the ground or the other.

The teams change ends after each goal – confusing if you are football supporter! 

The game consists of a number of chukkas, usually 4 or 6, which are each a session of 7 minutes (with a 30 second overrun in all but the last – a warning bell sounds).

Each chukka starts with the ball being thrown into a melee of players by one of the umpires (of which there are usually two – wearing black and white stripes).

Sooner or later the ball will emerge, hotly pursued by one or more of the players.  One team will try to hit it in one direction, the other team will try to hit it the other way.

The basic rule in polo is that players must follow the line of the ball – so they should come in behind that line and either hope that the player in front misses with his next attempt to hit the ball or attempt to ‘ride him off’ – in others words, shoulder charge him to stop him hitting the ball!

The team with the ball will try to organise things so that, just behind their player with the ball, comes another team member, ready to take over if/when the first player misses his shot.  The other team members pair up with their opposite numbers trying to keep them away from the play.

In the hope of preserving life and limb, there are certain rules against dangerous play.  Thus it is a foul for a player to ‘cross the line of the ball’ – ie to come in at too wide an angle, either to the ball or to another rider. 

Fouls give rise to penalties being awarded by one or other (occasionally both!) of the umpires.  Depending on the severity of the crime, a penalty may usually be awarded 30, 40 or 60 yards in front of the goal.   Good players don’t usually miss from 30 or 40 yds, so a foul often gives rise to a goal.

A word of warning – ponies can weigh up to half a ton, and can travel up to 30 mph and don’t have airbrakes, so don’t stand too close to the ground boards...