PL
t BUMP
Photo by Scott Fisher
q HOOK
q DIVOT STOMPING
LINE OF THE BALL: This is one of the most critical elements in polo play. Similar to the line on a highway which keeps cars from crashing into each other, the line of the ball in polo helps delineate the rights of way of the players moving up and down the field, hitting the ball. It is the imaginary line created by the moving ball from the point it was hit to a new position. Players need to be aware of and continually adjust to the changing line. Crossing the line of the ball is a common cause for a foul. MALLET: Also called a stick, it is what the player uses to hit the ball. Most mallets are still made from bamboo just as they were 2,000 years ago. MAN/LINE/BALL: This saying is taught to players learning the game. A player needs to follow this sequence; first knowing where the other team’s players are on the field, then determining where the line of the ball is to avoid a foul by crossing the line, and last to hit at the ball. Players who do not follow this sequence and who simply try to hit the ball are said to be “chasing the ball.” MANAGER: Every polo club needs a manager who organizes the games and runs the club. TPPC’s manager is Hesham El-Gharby. He is also the club Delegate to the USPA. G LOSSARY of Polo Terms Continued
Photo by Middleburg Photo
NEAR SIDE: The left side of the horse is the side from which the horse is handled, saddled, mounted and dismounted. A near side shot is on the left side, and since players carry their mallets in their right hands, it requires reaching across the horse to hit the ball. Calling the left side of a horse the ‘near side’ is derived from the days of knights in armor who had to carry swords, which were always held in the right hand, on the left hip, which necessitated mounting and dismounting on the left. OFF SIDE: This refers to off the right side of the horse. The most common shot is the off side forward. PLAYER: A polo player is a person who is engaged in the playing and the lifestyle of the sport of polo. Once considered the ‘Sport of Kings’ when most players were wealthy men, today polo is played by women and men of all ages, backgrounds and economic levels. POLO WRAPS: These long pieces of fabric, usally fleece and measuring about 4 in. wide x 9 ft. long are wrapped around the horse’s lower legs to protect them from being hit by a swinging mallet. Often the polo wraps are in the player’s colors, making for a colorful arrangement of moving horse legs on the field. Continued on page 62
38 | Polo Life Magazine ® | 2021 | Tinicum Park Polo Club
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online