The Evolution of the Polo Horse

From its fairly hastily beginnings – large groups of men astride small ponies trotting here and there – polo evolved into a more organized and skillful game. And as mallet technique evolved from dribbling the ball while leaning over the pony’s neck to full swings taken at speed, the advantages to well-mounted players became clear. Small, hunter-type ponies – once the favored mounts – gave way to larger, faster ponies and small thoroughbreds. For a time, the Hurlingham club, the English authority, tried to limit a pony’s height to 14 hands,raised it to 14.2 in 1895, but abandoned the restriction in 1919. Today, most polo ponies stand around 15.1 hands, although it is not unusual to see a horse over 16 hands. In the U.S., thoroughbreds are bred with quarter horses in hopes of realizing the best qualities of each. Argentines cross thoroughbreds with their local Criollo horses. Ideal polo ponies show speed, stamina and agility. The best are responsive, even intuitive, and have a calm disposition that enables them to focus all of their energy on the game.