HRH Prince Abdul Mateen (Picture: @tmski)
In my experience, Polo has the highest barrier to entry of any of the popular sports, with a minimum 2 horses are required for chukkas (as much as 4 horses are required for the polo match). Even a minimal proficiency in polo requires a sound foundation in horsemanship and amazing hand-eye coordination. It can take years of practice before you are even ready to begin playing Polo.
First, you must master English-style riding on a small pony (usually between 13.5 to 15 hands), and learn to stand in the stirrups while spinning on a dime. It's far harder to ride a smaller horse than a large saddle horse, and polo ponies are trained like reining horses with incredible ability to change directions quickly.
A polo strike is also incredibly challenging. You must start your backswing long before you approach the ball, and it you miss the timing it's impossible to strike a clean shot.
Second, polo should come with a health warning. Not because it is one of the most dangerous sports on the planet, with horses galloping at speeds of up to 35mph and with players and horses crashing into you, “hooking” your stick – a move to prevent you from hitting the ball by blocking your swing with their stick – and doing everything they can to prevent you scoring a goal. But because, on a par with the purest opium, polo is highly addictive!
Third, polo require absolute focus. There are plays and moves you must make within a split second using anticipation and skill as your tools. You must have your wits about you and 100 per cent focus for at least an hour. You have to be fit and healthy. You can’t lead a playboy lifestyle. You won’t survive five minutes if you roll out of a nightclub at 6am on a match day.
