What Is a Polo Horse?
Polo can be a fun but dangerous sport for a person to participate in. However, it would be impossible to play without his most important teammate---his horse. Horses play a vital role in polo and should be selected and cared for carefully.
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Polo
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Polo is a sport that takes place in a large field, similar to that of a soccer field, and involves competitors on horseback. They work to score points by using mallets to hit balls into the other team's goal. Each team consists of four horse-and-rider pairs.
Pony?
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In this sport, the horse is usually referred to as a polo pony. A pony is a horse that is 14.2 hands high---that is 5 feet 8 inches at the base of the neck. Most polo "ponies" are actually full-size horses, though they still tend not to be very large.
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Horse Traits
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A horse used for polo needs to have quickness, balance and a lot of stamina. It will be running back and forth across the field and making fast, sharp turns. It should be intelligent, courageous and healthy, and respond quickly to its rider's cues.
Breeds
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Polo ponies can be a variety of horse breeds, but thoroughbreds---the breed most commonly used in horse racing---are often used. This is due to their speed and stamina. Crossbreeds, such as a thoroughbred and quarter horse or pony cross, are the most common.
Dangers
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Any sport that involves riding horses is inherently dangerous, and polo is no different. For example, riders can fall off their horses and be trampled, and horses can collide or slip and fall. Great care must be taken to ride cautiously and use protective gear, such as a helmet for the rider and leg bandages for the horse, in order to make the sport safer.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Paul Keleher
