Polo: the mounted team sport

Equipment and players

Key elements include the players, their mounts and a few essential pieces of equipment. The horses used are often called "polo ponies" though they are full-sized, athletic mounts specially trained for quick turns and bursts of speed. Players use long-handled mallets with a wooden head to strike the ball. Other common items include helmets, knee guards, riding boots and bridles adapted for control at speed.

• Teams: typically four riders per side in field polo; some variants use fewer.
• Mounts: specially trained horses known as polo ponies.
• Ball and mallet: a hard ball struck with a long-handled mallet.

For basic descriptions of the teams and mounts, see a short note about team composition here and on horses here.

Origins and development

Polo has a long history with multiple regional antecedents. Variations of mounted ball games were played centuries ago across Central and South Asia and in Persia, while the modern organized sport developed through clubs and international competitions in the 19th and 20th centuries. In northeastern India, the traditional game of Sagol Kangjei is associated with the region of Manipur and has been important to local culture; polo is often cited as one of the state's historical sports.

How the game is played

Matches are divided into timed periods called chukkas (or chukkers), each lasting several minutes. Play is continuous while the ball is in play, and teams change ends between periods. Riders must be skilled at riding and ball control; tactical rules such as the "line of the ball" and right of way are used to reduce collisions and regulate safe approaches to the ball. Players score by sending the ball between the goal posts at either end of the field.

Variants, significance and notable facts

Besides traditional grass-field polo, common variants include arena polo (smaller enclosed surface), beach polo and snow polo. The sport is played recreationally and at elite levels internationally; tournaments and clubs exist around the world. Polo has influenced cavalry training historically and remains culturally significant in several regions. For an example reference about the ball itself, see the ball description.

Polo combines horsemanship, teamwork and strategy, and while it retains traditional roots it continues to evolve with new formats, safety equipment and breeding and training practices for polo horses.