The Game of Polo

The Aim of the Game To score goals by hitting a small white ball between the opposing teams goal posts while sitting on your horse. To win the match you have to score more goals than your opponent. Teams play six periods, or chukkers per game. Each lasts seven minutes. If the score is tied at the end of the game, a seventh chukker is played.

Equipment:The Horses The horses (usually called polo ponies) have to be easy to move, quick and able to cope under pressure. The riders have to be able to control the horse with one hand while holding the mallet in the other. The game is very fast and tiring for the horses so each rider changes their horse at the end of each chukker

Equipment:The Mallet The mallet is like a long handled stick with a wooden head that you hit the ball with, and a rope loop at the top which riders can put round their wrist to prevent dropping it. They are normally made of bamboo and are 1.25 metres long. Wrist strap to put your wrist through.

Equipment:The Ball The ball is normally white and easily seen. It is made of wood or plastic. It is about the size of a tennis ball

The Playing Area The field is usually 275 metres long and 138 metres wide. There are 2 goalposts at each end of the pitch that are 7 metres apart for scoring between. 138 metres. 275 metres.

Passing The Ball The players have to hit the ball with their mallet to pass it to each other the ball has to be hit hard so it is not intercepted, but not too hard that it goes off the pitch.

The Teams There are two teams of four players each trying to score more goals than each other.

Protection Each player has to wear a protective helmet on their head. They wear long, leather riding boots They also wear pads on their knees

Other versions There are other versions of polo played around the world, but these are not usually played in England Snow polo ( three players) is played on snow and ice. Elephants polo is played on elephants Bike polo played on bikes

The most famous people to play The most famous people in Britain to play polo are the royal family. Prince Philip (the Queen’s husband) used to play; Prince Charles (her son) and Prince William and Prince Harry (her grandsons)

Where is polo played in Britain? Polo is mainly played in the south of England, in the counties around London It is mostly played by richer families because it costs a lot to own several polo ponies