Chapter 1 - Cleaning the Horses Before the Match

Because polo ponies are not typically stabled, they tend to get just a little dirty! Cleaning the horse is a simple process. There are specific tools to complete this task which we will outline later in the chapter. A polo player always wants his or her horses to look their best. Prospective buyers are always present at the polo field so you never know if you will be loading one more or one less after the match.

Clipping
On the morning of the polo match, I bring all of the horses in for their morning feed . Your boss may have already done this for you and you may arrive at the barn to find them ready for the next step. After they have eaten, I check to see if any manes or tails need to be shaved. If I think they look sloppy, I usually start clipping. Until you get a feel for how these horses should look, a good rule of thumb to follow is, if the mane is over 1" long, it's time to clip. Same for the tail hairs. Polo ponies manes and the tops of the tails are clipped down to the crest of the neck and the shaft of the tail. (See illustration of points on the horse) This is also referred to as "roaching" or a "roached" mane and tail. The forelock is also shaved.

Roached Mane and Tail.

Shaving the mane serves two purposes. It keeps the horse cooler and there is less interference for reins, whips, martingales, etc. It also makes their necks look leaner and more athletic.

We have one pony who doesn't like the noise or sensation of the electric clippers, so we clip her with scissors. Before you begin clipping, check with your boss to see if any horses are timid or if they will spook or shy away.

To begin clipping, make sure the blades on the clipper are sharp. You should also have a can of a cooling product. The cooling aerosol keeps the blades from becoming hot, causing the horse to be uncomfortable with the process. Remember anytime you do anything with a horse, it must be a pleasant experience or you'll get resistance from them the next time.

Holding the horse's lead securely with one hand, begin clipping at the base of the neck by the withers and begin shaving upwards towards the ears. You'll have to make several passes in both directions to get it trimmed close enough. For the forelock, you can either shave from behind the ears forward or from the front of the face back towards the ears. Some players like to leave a little tuft of mane at the base of the withers. This is called the "Oh God" patch and gives the player something to grab for in case they feel a tumble about to happen.

For the tail, shave in a downward motion from the base of the tail. Shave down about five to six inches. This will make the tail look neater when braided.

In the spring, after the winter coats are shed, some horses will have a tuft of hair on their fetlocks and some additional hair on the back of their cannon bones. Even some have hair on the underside of their cheek bones. Clip this hair to make the overall appearance of the horse less shaggy. You usually only have to shave these areas one time in the spring.

Bathing

After everyone is clipped, now it's time for a bath. This is actually a fun process and one I think the horse even enjoys. Depending on the time of year and the shape of the horse's coat, I use either an iodine shampoo or a shampoo formulated for bringing out the luster of their coat. You'll have to use what's available at your boss's stable. I take the horses out one by one for this task and usually tie them to a post so I have both hands free.

First I soak the horse's body entirely with a garden hose. In a separate bucket, prepare the shampoo according to the directions on the package. With a sponge, take some of the prepared shampoo mixture and begin to massage it into the horse's coat starting at the neck and continuing down the body of the horse. By using a circular motion with your hand, your horse also gets a nice massage and appreciates the attention. Continue this until the entire horse is lathered. Pay special attention to the belly and legs as these areas are sometimes neglected in routine grooming. Next, untie the horse and rinse him completely with the hose and make sure all traces of shampoo are gone.

In order to get the excess water shed from the horse's coat, you must use a tool called a "sweat scraper". There are two types of sweat scrapers: the old conventional type and a newer rubberized tool. I personally prefer the rubberized tool. Some of these Thoroughbreds have more sensitive skin than other breeds of horses, so I think this tool is less harsh on the horse.

(Illustration)

Starting at the top of the neck, take the sweat scraper and push the excess water in a downward motion until you've moved completely down the length of the horse. Again, don't forget the belly, however, do the shoulders and forget the rest of the legs. The tendons and boniness of the legs prohibit the use of the sweat scrapers.

After the bath is complete, return the horse to its stall. Most horses, after a bath, will want to roll and get dirty all over again. It's not that they aren't appreciative of your hard work, it's just that they prefer to be dirty. To prevent them from rolling, simply tie them with a lead rope.

Bathing is a luxury because it can cut down on your work considerably once you get to the field. Now that they're clean, all you need to do is take a soft brush and go over their coat to smooth it out.

However, if you happen to be in a place where bathing isn't possible, you need to start the brushing process.

Brushing

There are four basic grooming tools you need to complete this task.
1. Round, soft rubber curry comb
2. Hard bristle brush
3. Soft bristle brush
4. Hoof Pick

Rubber Curry Comb
Begin with the round, rubber curry comb. Start at the top of the neck and work in a circular motion toward the back of the horse. This curry comb loosens dried dirt, sweat, and hair and feels great to the horse. They get another massage! The belly is one area that tends to be neglected because we can't see it, but this is where much of the dirt and mud accumulate as it gets kicked up from their hooves. It is important to make sure the belly is clean, because later you are going to put a girth on that horse. If the belly is dirty, the girth can rub the area and cause irritation to the horse. Saddle sores and these kinds of irritations are usually preventable.

Do not use this comb on the legs. Again, they are too sensitive and bony to do this without causing discomfort to the horse. After you're finished, if you've used this brush correctly, your horse will have a lot of loose hair and dirt laying on top of the coat.

Hard Bristle Brush
The next step is to use the hard bristle brush to sweep away the debris left over from the curry comb. Use tiny strokes and sweep downward to push the debris to the floor. You can use this brush on the legs but use it very lightly to eliminate dried mud. If you use it in a quick back and forth motion, applying light to moderate pressure, you can usually eliminate the dried mud easier.

Soft Bristle Brush
The soft bristle brush finishes the job. It whisks away the final traces of dust and dirt and should leave the pony feeling smooth and clean. Use this brush on the pony's face, of course moving gently, carefully, and brushing away from the eyes. If they're still dusty after completing the brushing, sometimes I use a damp cloth and go over the entire body and face of the horse to eliminate the remaining dust.

If flies are in season, using a cloth dampened with fly wipe will also cut down the dust and help to relieve the pony of these irritating pests. Some fly wipe comes in a spray bottle and some you have to mix up. Always keep plenty of this on hand especially when at the field. When the ponies are tied to the trailer, their defenses are limited because they can't fully swing their head around to get a fly so you must keep and eye on them and treat accordingly.

Hoof Pick
Each hoof should be picked out with a hoof pick and any loose shoes or problem areas should be noted to your boss. Start with one of the front hooves and work around the horse until you finish on the opposite front hoof. Start at the widest part of frog (at the heal of the hoof) and work outwards towards the toe of the hoof to dig the mud and debris. I've seen some folks be very timid with this instrument. It's okay to dig with a little force just so long as you're not digging into the hoof!

On game day, we try to do all of the brushing and cleaning at home before they're loaded into the trailer and taken to the field. This way we can complete this task in the shade of our barn rather than being out in the hot sun any longer than necessary. However, if you're running late, you have no choice but to perform this task once you arrive at the field.

Loading into the trailer, traveling, and unloading:

You'll have to check with you boss on the order the horses go into the trailer. Sometimes horses are buddies and others are not. Once you know the order, begin by taking the first horse into the trailer and tie them so their head is tied to the left side of the trailer. (See overhead view of trailer) Next, lead the second pony on the trailer, this time reversing his position so that his head is tied to the right side of the trailer. Keep loading the ponies each time alternating their direction. This helps to more evenly distribute the weight in the trailer and keeps some of them from biting each other's noses.

The horses that are loaded always attempt to spread out while you're bringing the next one into the trailer. A gentle nudge usually suffices to move them back in line. You actually want them fairly close to on another because this gives them more support as the trailer goes around corners and up and down hills.

Some people like their ponies to wear muzzles, especially for long trips. Muzzles are usually made out of leather and simply slip over the halters, still allowing them to breathe, but not bite.

The knot used to tie the ponies inside the trailer is the same kind of knot you should use anytime you're tying. Use a quick release knot.

Always have a buck knife handy in case of a panic or a knot that becomes too tight to release the horse.

Sometimes we haul our ponies 2-3 hours to a match. This can be a long, tiring trip for you and the horses. When we arrive at our destination, I like to walk the ponies around a bit to let them stretch and get familiar with their surroundings. I'll walk them for a couple of minutes and let them grab a bite of grass or two. Then I tie them up to the trailer and offer each one a drink of water. In tying them up to the trailer, again, use the quick release knot. Space them out so that you have enough room to move all around the horse comfortably. (approximately 2-3feet in-between each one.)

After they're tied to the trailer, then comes the fun part of shoveling the manure out of the trailer. For some reason, they wait until they are loaded in trailer to "unload" themselves. If you are parked in a field without a good place to throw the manure, just put it under the trailer as best as possible so you're not walking around it or dodging it all afternoon. As they relieve themselves during the day while tied to the trailer, shovel it away as quickly as possible so as to not attract any more flies than normal.

Part I - Polo Handbook by Sandy Herron | Part II -Handbook By Sue Sally Hale |

Part III - Grooming the Polo Pony by Carol Barker | Introduction | Preface
Chapter 1| Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4| Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Summary