Polo was an Olympic event until the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and the the last sport to be removed for the Olympic list of sports.

But its popularity as a fast, action packed sport continues today. And you can learn to play the polo, the sport of kings, even if you don’t know how to ride a horse (although it would help). Instruction includes group lesson, mallet, polo pony and helmet. All you need to bring is a sturdy pair of shoes or boots and a pair of sports gloves (golf gloves work). 

The rules of polo are fairly simple. First, polo must be played right handed for safety, so lefties may have a disadvantage. A match pits teams of 4 horses and riders against each other, who play six 7-minute periods or chukkas. The object, similar to field hockey, is to score a point by hitting the ball into the other team’s goal with your mallet.

While the game has evolved a bit with some polo leagues playing on bicycles or Segways, the horse is still the classic form of getting around the field.

Here’s a clip from the Ham Polo Club in London and some of their expert players making a couple goals.

Destination Polo
5752 Merry Oaks Road
The Plains, VA 20198 (map it)
540-253-5001

Dates and Times – lessons usually scheduled Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays between April 15 – November 15. E-mail dougbarnesjr@aol.com or call 540-253-5001 for more information on lessons. 

Cost – $90.00 per hour for a group lesson, private lessons are $120.00 per hour.

Parking – free

Images – player hitting ball, polo in the country, polo lesson

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Post from: The DC Traveler