Opinion here on Polo?

[Skib]

O Kay. I did the survey. Maybe stupid of me but there are lots of equine sporting events every year.

 

[rara007]

How strange!

 

[PurBee]

This is a 6 yr old thread bounced by someone wanting to do a survey

After hitting post reply i then saw the date of thread, and thought oh, not current… many current members posting on it threw me!

 

[marmalade76]

I've been playing polo with my university for the last 2 years, and if I'm honest I absolutely love it, its improved my confidence no end with riding at faster gaits.

My university trains at Offchurch Bury Polo Club, and all the horses there are well looked after, regular dentistry, farriery and physio when needed, and all the horses really enjoy their job. My coach gets a lot of his ponies for the 'school' from people who have played them to high level, but they are no longer quite good enough for that level, either aged out or not quite physically up to high level polo anymore. His oldest ponies are nearly 25, 27 and 30, all are still full of running and enjoy their job.

The polo ponies I ride are not like 'planks of wood' like a previous poster mentioned, but are in fact some of the most highly trained and athletic animals I've sat on.. yes they're maybe not quite as supple laterally as a dressage/eventer, but they can collect and turn on a sixpence.

Agreed, I had an ex polo pony years ago, in some respects he was really well schooled, an absolute sweetheart and the most bomb proof horse I've ever had. He had played high goal but had fallen out of love with it and became naughty to play so he was sold to a pet home.

 

[J&S]

I rode polo ponies as a child. they were the team of a comedian called Jimmy Edwards (him of the swirly moustaches!.... there, that dates me!) They were used for hacks and lessons in the week and played polo at the week ends. The photos i have of us lined up show them to be well looked after but i have been to polo matches and certainly been quite unhappy about the treatment both ridden and also when tied up between chukkas.

 

[Pegasus5531]

I played for 5 years while serving in the Military luckily it was heavily subsidised as a Military sport. Great fun and the club that I played at really cared about their ponies and had many playing well into their teens. However when hiring from other clubs I have noticed some seem to see them more as tools of the trade not individual animals. Like any horse sport there are good and bad but it is great fun if you get chance to give it a go! Crazy expensive though.