The Game - The Language of Polo

Bump
A player is permitted to ride into another player so as to spoil his shot. The angle of
the collision must be slight causing no more than a jar. The faster the horse travels,
the smaller the angle must be. A good bump can shake your dentures loose.

Boards
The sideboards will not exceed 28 centimetres high: the boards are positioned along
the sidelines only.

Chukka
Also called a period. There are six chukkas in a polo game (four in arena polo & low goal polo) each lasting 7 minutes plus up to 30 seconds in overtime. If, during the 30 seconds, the ball hits the sideboards or goes out of bounds, or if the umpire blows his whistle, the chukka is over. There is no overtime at the end of the sixth chukka unless the score is tied, at which time a seventh chukka will be played until the first goal is scored. A player returns to each chukka on a different horse. Although he may rest one for a chukka or two and play him again.

Field
Length – max 275 metres: min 230 metres
Width – max 180 metres unboarded & 150 metres boarded

Goal Posts
The goal posts, which are collapsible on severe impact, are 7.3 metres apart and 3 metres high.

Goal
Any time a ball crosses the line between the goal posts, it is considered a goal regardless of whether a horse or a mallet cause the ball to go through. In order to equalize turf and wind conditions, the teams change ends after every goal scored.

Handicap
All registered players are rated on a scale of –2 to 10 (the higher the better).
Although the word “goal” is often used after the digit, it bears no relation to the number of goals a player might score – only to his ability. The handicap of the team is the sum total rating of its players and in handicap matches the team with the higher handicap gives the difference in ratings to the other team. For example, a 6-goal team will give two goals to a 4-goal team.

Hook
A player spoils another’s shot by putting his mallet in the way of a striking player. A cross hook occurs where the player reaches over his opponent’s mount in an attempt to hook; this is considered a foul.

Knock-in
Should a team, in an offensive drive, hit the ball across the opponent’s backline, the defending team resumes the game with a free hit from their backline. No time is allowed for knock-ins.

Mallet
Also known as a “stick.” The shaft is made from a bamboo shoot and the head from either the bamboo root or a hard wood such as maple. These vary in length from 48 to 54 inches and are very flexible in comparison to a golf club or a hockey stick.

Near Side
The left-hand of the horse.

Neck Shot
A ball that is hit under the horse’s neck from either side.

Off Side
The right hand side of the horse.

Out of Bounds
When a ball crosses the sidelines or goes over the sideboards, it is considered out
of bounds and the umpire throws in another ball between the two teams at that point. No time-out is allowed for an out of bounds ball.

Ponies
The best polo ponies are of thoroughbred blood whose main qualities are heart,
speed wind, stamina and the ability to accelerate, stop and turn quickly, and whose temperament is amenable to the rigours of the game. There is no height limit for the horses, although most are between 15.3 hands. The age of a pony is generally between 5 and 15 years. Players concede the pony accounts for up to 80% of their game.

Positions
Each of the four team members plays a distinctly different position. Since polo is such a fluid game, the players may momentarily change positions, but will try to return to their initial assignment.
No 1 is the most forward offensive player
No 2 is just as offensive but plays deeper and works harder
No 3 is the pivot player between offence and defence and tries to turn all plays
to offence
No 4 or the Back is a defensive player whose role is principally to protect the goal

Ride Off
This occurs when two riders make contact and attempt to push each other off the line of the ball so as to prevent the other from striking. The horses are the ones intended to do the pushing, although a player may use his body but not his elbows.

Photos courtesy of Derek O'Leary www.derekoleary.com & Carolyn Yencken