Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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Polo 101 Hook: A defensive tactic used when a player makes contact with an offensive player's mallet before it hits the ball. This contact makes it nearly impossible for the offensive player to hit the ball. Ride Off: When a player uses his horse to push another player away from hitting the ball, or out of the play. Ride-offs are only legal when the two horses are parallel, the players are saddle-to-saddle, and they are going the same speed. Line of the Ball (LOB): This refers to the path along which the ball travels after it's hit. Neck Shot/Tail Shot: The former is played under the horse's neck; the latter, beneath and behind the tail. Tack Time: A stop in play called by the um- pire if a player's tack is broken to ensure the safety of all players and horses on the field. Divot Stomp: During half time, all specta- tors are invited onto the field to put back the divots made by the horses to ensure the field is safe and smooth during the second half. Where A regulation-size polo field is 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, roughly 10 times the size of a football field. Goals are located at each end of the field and are eight yards apart and 10 feet high. Side boards are usually about a foot high and run along the side of the field from end line to another. A ball may travel through the goal at any height. The teams also switch directions af- ter every goal to compensate for sun, field, or wind advantages. When Polo is played throughout the world. It is the national sport of Argentina, which produces more top-rated professional play- ers than any other country in the world. The handicap system is widely recognized internationally for ease of international play. The Myopia season runs June through September on historic Gibney Field, 30 Myopia polo 2011 Ride-offs are only legal when the two horses are parallel, the players are saddle-to-saddle, and they are going the same speed. the oldest continuously used field in the country, adjoining Winthrop Field with a feature game each Sunday at 3 p.m. Across Route 1A, a Coaching League and Junior Polo program take place in the Joseph Poor outdoor arena. Equipment Helmet: With or without face guard Mallet: Usually made from bamboo, length ranges from 49 to 54 inches, depending on the pony's height and the player's preference Saddle: English-style Tail: Braided and tied up to prevent inter- ference with the mallet Bandages: Horses' legs are wrapped for protection Knee Guards: Protect players' knees dur- ing ride-offs Boots: Brown leather Polo Pony: In the United States, thorough- bred horses are often bred with Quarter horses to produce polo ponies Bridle: Two sets of reins for better control Whip: Made from nylon-wrapped fiber- glass with a leather handle for a better grip How The rules dictating the flow of the game are vital to those playing, but often little un- derstood by those watching. Two mounted umpires on the field consult each other each time one blows a whistle to stop play. If the umpires are in agreement, a foul is called and a penalty shot is awarded to the fouled; if in disagreement, they consult a referee, or "third man," who is seated on the sideline. If they determine no foul oc- curred, a throw-in restarts play. The dynamics of polo revolve around the line the ball is traveling when hit and the right-of-way of the player most closely following this line. No player can cross this line if it would cause any danger to the player most closely following it. A defend- ing player can attempt to ride a player off of the line or prevent his shot by hooking the mallet. Crossing the line is the most common foul in polo. Other fouls include dangerous riding or use of the mallet, and unsportsmanlike conduct for overtly ap- pealing a foul or arguing with the umpires. Foul shots are awarded to the team fouled. Penalty levels range from one to six, depending on the severity of the foul, the danger of the play, and where on the field it occurred. Most penalty shots are taken from the point of the foul or 60 yards from a defended goal, or at 30 or 40 yards from an undefended goal. Why As in any equestrian sport, polo is all about the horses. Polo ponies (mostly thorough- bred horses, but traditionally called ponies) are the most versatile of equestrian ath- letes. They run up to 35 miles per hour, as race horses, stop, pivot like a cutting horse, bump and "ride off" each other, and occa- sionally contend with being accidentally hit by a ball or mallet. The quality of a player's horses—most players play four to six in a game—is a source of great pride and prejudice for each player and often makes the differences between a winning and losing effort. The challenge and thrill of coordinating athleti- cally with horses is the ultimate reason that participants thrill to the sport.