Polo is an equestrian sport with a long history. The game needs players to be excellent at riding a horse and strong enough to carry along a mallet. Keeping the balance throughout the game is one of the main skills to master. Polo has many fans, mainly in Europe, who follow polo events and even consider betting online at GGBet. Apart from knowing the main rules, it’s important to understand how to win the game. In this article, we’ll explain the key winning strategies.
What Are the Rules of Horse Polo?
The basics of playing polo require two opposing teams with four players each. Teams are jostling to take control of a small ball using wooden mallets. Each team tries to put the ball past the opposing team’s side. One goal makes one point. The entire game doesn’t have a fixed time. It may last from one to two hours, divided into small periods known as Chukkas.
Main Strategies to Be Considered by Players
Some people think that playing polo requires you to swish back champers and be fond of white jeans. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Polo players must love horses and know how to treat them well. Then, they must develop certain skills and implement special strategies to succeed in gameplay.
Develop Your Horse Riding Ability
Make sure you are a good rider before getting into this sport. The polo horse is a tuned animal athlete trained to follow your instructions. Make sure you keep those instructions as clear as possible. Polo can be traumatic for animals. To make it less problematic for your horse, you should have good contact with it. If your horse riding ability has some flaws, take some more riding lessons to master defense and attack tactics.
Have the Right Horse
The polo horse is the most significant athlete on the field. The horse contributes 75% to the game and the player only 25%. The games with the difference of 8 and 10 goals usually have the result dependent on the horse. You should match your ability to the right animal. There is no point trying to jump into a luxury car if you don’t know how to drive it. Polo players should follow the same rule. Don’t be distracted by the desire to own the best but rather focus on having the animal with the appropriate skills.
Do Great Teamwork
Great teamwork in polo is all about trust, communication, and coordination. Players must follow each other’s moves, maintain strong positioning, and support offensively and defensively. Effective passing, smooth transitions, and common goals create a balanced performance on the field. With a unified strategy and mutual respect, a team can dominate, whether it’s scoring goals or protecting the backline.
Maintain a Calm and Composed Mindset
In a contact sport like polo, it is so easy to get attacked by opponents. You should stay concentrated on the game without letting your emotions take over you. When looking at the best polo players like Facundo Pieres and Bartalome Castagnola Jr, you see that they remain calm under stress. If you manage to keep a cool head, you won’t miss the opposing team’s attacks and the horse’s misbehavior.
Maintain Physicality
Polo players, similar to other athletes, must be in good physical shape. High-goal teams employ trainers, physios, and yoga teachers to help players stay slim and agile. It’s easier to maintain dynamic tactics during the game when moving at high speed. Being in good shape with good core body strength also makes it easier on your horses. It also contributes to keeping a cool head since you have to struggle less.
Keep a Competitive Attitude
Polo is a highly competitive sport that involves many different types of people. It’s important to deal with your ego and the ego of other players. Don’t underestimate your rivals since they have invested the same amount of time and energy into training. Focus on your performance and try to learn from your mistakes. The game of polo has many unique aspects, so you should try to take your performance to a new level. Make your competitive nature work for you, rather than against you.