Sports Breaks > Polo

• Learn To Play
• Spectator Breaks

Learn to Play Polo

If you have ever fancied taking up polo then now is the time to do it. It's a fantastic activity and a great way to master horse riding, albeit with a twist. Your learn to play polo experience will consist of learning the rules and tactics, the polo swing and polo riding. Once you have mastered hitting the ball whilst mounted on your pony you will then play some chukkas so that you can put all of your newly learned skills into practice.

So why learn to play polo? Learning to ride a polo pony is both a thrill and a challenge. Polo is also a team sport so it's really good for team spirit and building relationships between colleagues, clients and other parties.

 

Polo Spectator Breaks

Watching polo might not be high on your list of sports to watch due to it's high society profile and the fact that it receives little media attention. However, polo is a must even if you only ever attend one match in your life. Polo has been around for more than 2,500 years and was probably first played by the Persians. A polo team consists of four players, the field is 300m by 160m, goals are 8m wide and the match is normally split into 6 chukkas (periods) of 7 minutes. A rider will normally change his horse for each chukka, and a professional polo team may include University Students through to CEOs.

There aren't enough superlatives to describe the action that takes place on a polo field. To give you an idea the sport has been described as heart-stopping, thrilling, enthralling and entirely captivating. As soon as you enter the arena you will be blown away by sheer size of the polo field. The field becomes electrified by the eight riders thundering around and it is an unforgettable and almost primal experience.

 

If there is one Polo game to watch then it has to be the Cartier International held at the Guards Club in Windsor Great Park. This is the most prestigious event on the polo calendar due to the on field action, the presence of Royalty, film, pop stars, celebrities and of course the Chinawhite tent – the coolest place to hangout on the day.