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Basic Manual Interscholastic Intercollegiate
Polo
I. Horse Management
A. Horses Donated
1. Types
-Aged
-Leg Problems
-Mental Problems
2. Exercise
-Daily or a minimum of 4 week days
-Do not gallop -- slower miles & not too excessive
-Cold Water - legs & at night if necessary cold water wraps
(sponge and polo wrap)
-If necessary can be played with a sponge and wet wrap.
-Exercise with out wraps so all leg parts & blood gets moving
-Check inside of ankle for sores (brushed by opposite foot -
very painful). In this instance use gallop or angle boot to protect
this can cause major lameness
-It takes at least 2 months to get a shred of fitness
-If you're aiming for a game - exercise rain or shine even if
it's a long walk only
-Horses are not machines
B. CARE
1. Feet
-6 weeks - blacksmith
-no caulks on hind shoes for arena
-Front feet are round and hind pointed
-pick and clean feet daily
-hooflex coronet band once a week
-use coppertox on thrush ( when the foot stinks)
-Long toes, feet, cripple horses & cause falls
2. Backs
-Use mounting block -saves the back & withers displacing
-Check saddles for sharp areas and broken trees.
-Using more/thicker blankets can & does cause more wither
pressure as saddles "Gullet" doesn't expand.
-Massage lightly (2 fingers & shake the area under each of
your seat bones) These are usually sore areas caused by novice
or poor riders, or heavy riders.
3. Girth Areas
-Lift front leg foreward to unwrinkle skin in and under the girth
-If sore, wrap girth use vaseline to lubricate
4. Worm and make sure teeth don't need floating. Have
a regular schedule.
5. Miscellaneous
-When the season ends, don't just drop the horse
-Have a work down exercise plan
-Blood flow increases with fitness. The vessel wall also increase
to carry the flow.
-Stopping exercise with no let down can cause bowing, etc. When
the horse resumes work.
-The blood flow decrease much faster than the vessel wall --it
can collapse, cutting off the flow to the feet, tendons &
ligaments.
C. FEED
-As much hay as possible
-Skinny horse - free feed alfalfa molasses Feed quality and types
vary indifferent areas
D Equipment
-Tack is also donated
-Check and make the repairs for safety
-Clean- keep clean, oiled - Mix Hexoil and Murphys/use horseman's
one step.
-Clean once a week
-Bandages - hang & hose after use or wash in washing machine
without soap (stick velcro flap to itself on each wrap to avoid
the wraps sticking together and creating a tangled mess )
E. GAME DAY
-Clean Tack for the game
-Clean well - groomed horses
-Mallets laid out on a blanket
-Spit spot - this is polo tradition
-Manes clipped -- tails also
-Fetlock hair removed
-Do not bandage over mud. Clean the legs before wrapping.
-Pick the hooves
II. Players
A. Manners
-How you behave is how you
will be labeled in the polo world
-No swearing
-No nasty remarks
-Boots clean
-Breeches /pants clean
-Every one has to help with all to make it work
-Rudeness is unacceptable
III. Unwritten
- Polo Rules
-Respect your opponents
-Introduce yourself to the officials
-Be on time
-When trying horses ask if you can or should wear spurs or carry
a whip
-Take care on your mounts
-Don't kill them off to be a hero in your own mind!
-In practice - Practice - No speed and make it short- the horse
have a heavy load on game days.
-Do not argue with the umpire or make derogatory comments not
matter what.
-Manners - horse concern opens doors - abuse does not!
-Ask what can be done, where and where not.
IV. Basic
Skills To Be allowed to Play
A. Riding (Sunday Riders
-Good Riders-Horsemen/Women)
-Standing at walk, trot, cater.
-Sit trot/canter - no stirrups while not using the reins as a
3rd stirrup
-Ponying -1 horse or 2
-The quickest way to get a seat is by ponying horses
B. Mallet Work
-1/2 shots -forehand, back
hand, side.
-Work in circles (charts)
-Pony a horse on left carry mallet in right hand -1/2 swings,
back & forth continually
-Tap ball in circles, forehand, backhand and near-side -- no
stirrups
-Practice penalties
-1/2 shot is good
-Where the front of the elbow faces is where the mallet head
faces is where the ball goes.
-Same for back shots, etc. (only back of elbow)
-It is not mandatory to stand & hit
-Sit use horse as a platform
- Hit forehands at stirrup iron
-Back shots -hit at hip or further back
-Roll on your seat bone (you can follow the ball with your eyes)
-All shots let out your air
-Hunker down into your waist rather than leaning out. This will
keep horse straight and keeps riders more stabile.
C. Rules (Most Important)
-Be parallel to the line on
your side of the ball before you hook or ride-off (from horses
poll to his tail dock)
-Do not ride on the balls line (ie into a back shot)
-There are 3 lines (see chart)
-A mallet may not (never) strike a horse or rider
-I may not meet two players
-Do not ride a player into the wall
-Do not stand on the ball
-Learn about crossing
-Riding to score a goal-make a cut shots then turn left so as
not to foul
-No full swings in line ups or in a group
-Remember to be good. Be a team player!
-You'll all make mistakes - So What!
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