The history of equestrian polo is counted for centuries. Like other modern equestrian sports, this game owes its origin to the training of cavalry. For example, since the XIX century in Great Britain, equestrian polo was considered part of the aristocratic lifestyle, and for a long time was part of the compulsory training of officers in the cavalry.
Today, horse polo is one of the most popular equestrian sports, especially in England, USA, Argentina, Australia, UAE, India, Pakistan, etc. Among the equestrian polo players you can meet members of royal families and first persons of states, and among the fans of this sport there are many celebrities. High level matches are a kind of meeting place for representatives of high society (by analogy with horse racing in the UK).
What is horse polo?
Horse polo is a game in which participants of two teams on horseback try to score the maximum number of goals in the opponent’s goal with special sticks. The peculiarity of this sport is that each team member must master the art of riding and be able to make accurate shots on the ball at high speed. Especially for horse polo in recent decades, a special breed of polo ponies has been bred: low, hardy, very lively and maneuverable horses. In the most intense moments of the game, the horses of athletes can show speed up to 60 km / h.
In the early twentieth century, equestrian polo was presented at the Olympic Games five times.
Rules of equestrian polo
Each equestrian polo team has four players. The first two numbers are forwards, the fourth defends the goal, and the third number is a universal player and, depending on the situation, can help both in attack and defense. The referee also moves on the field on horseback, he can be assisted by one or two line judges (also on horseback).
The stick must always be in the right hand of the player. Different types of strokes are allowed: forward, to the side, back, from the right and left side of the horse. Only the referee can pick up and throw the ball on the field, for this he has a special stick.
The game of horse polo is divided into periods called “chucker”. Most often, matches are held for 6 periods, but can also be for 4 or 8 periods. The duration of a chukker is always 7-7.5 minutes.
Equestrian polo is most often played outdoors (on grass or snow), so after each goal scored, the teams change goals. This is done to ensure that both teams are in equal conditions. In addition, in between periods, players must change horses: it is forbidden to spend more than two chukkers in a row and in general for the game on one horse.
The appearance of the equipment of both equestrian polo players and their horses is regulated by the rules:
protective helmet, white breeches, brown shoes and leg protection for riders,
a ponytail tied to the length of a rapeseed and a trimmed or short braided mane for the horse.
What is a handicap?
Handicap is a rating system that reflects the qualification of players. A beginner has -2 points, a top-class professional has 10 points. Since the players in the team have different levels, the total handicap of the team is formed from the sum of their points. If the difference in the level of training of the two teams is significantly different, the game starts with a score of 1:0 in favor of the weaker team.
Unlike dressage or show jumping, equestrian polo is not supervised by the FEI, but by the International Polo Federation (FIP).