Did you know that there is a strong Polo culture here in Poolesville? Described by some as hockey on horseback, Polo is a team game played on horseback and one of the oldest known sports in the world. It is thought to have originated in ancient Persia. The modern game came from India in the 1800s where British soldiers adapted the game and used it for training cavalry riders. 

The British codified rules and the game spread world-wide. It is particularly popular in Argentina and the USA.  

The object of Polo is for a team to win the game by scoring more points than its opposition by hitting the ball through the opposition’s goalposts. 

Each team has four players made up of attackers and defenders, but team members can make any play whether offensive or defensive and change position as necessary to benefit the team. 

Polo requires a special breed of horse known as Polo pony. These horses need a special saddle which enables the player to be seated securely, control the horse, and swing the mallet Each player will need at least two to switch out between chukkas and these may be the player’s own, or they may be provided by their club. 

 

General Rules of Polo 

  • Each team consists of four players. 
  • Goal is scored whenever you send the ball through the opposition’s goal post. 
  • Whenever a goal is scored, teams change ends. 
  • Players can hook an opponent’s polo stick when they are trying to hit the ball, it’s legal. 
  • Intentionally trying to injure an opponent is not allowed, you cannot touch the ball by any means except the polo stick. 
  • All players can use their right arm only when hitting the ball. 
  • Non-possessive player cannot cross the line of the ball, that means, they can only get the possession of the ball from either side but can’t run across him. Doing so would be called a “foul”. 
  • A foul can be punished in the form of a free hit towards the goal. 
  • The team with the most goals at the end of the match is declared winner. 
  • If there is a draw, then the winner is decided in extra time. The first to score in extra time is deemed the winner. The extra time can vary between 1 to 7.5 minutes. 

 

The scoring in Polo is simple. A point (known as a goal) is scored when the ball is hit into the goal. Unlike other games that change halves at set periods such as halftime, in Polo, teams change field direction every time a goal is scored. In the past pitches were traditionally set on an East/West axis and the switching prevented extended periods of time with the sun or wind in one team’s face. 

The team who scores the greatest number of goals is the winner. If the game is a draw, another chukka is played and the first to score wins. If nobody scores in this, an additional chukka is played in which the goalposts are widened and the first to score wins. 

Join Poolesville Seniors for a social gathering at Seneca Polo Club on Friday September 2nd at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is bringing their own picnic and drinks (adult beverages permitted). Register here.