HOW IS POLO PLAYED?
In polo there are two teams with four players each riding a horse. The field can measure a maximum length of 275 Metres and width of 180 Metres. At each end there are two wicker posts (goal) separated by 7,30 Metres. Each player holds a long-handled-wooden hammer with which to hit the ball and score goals. After each goal the teams switch sides. The winner is , of course, the one to score more goals. The players usually take the reins in their left hand and the hammer with their right one. The game is divided in eight periods called “chukkers” each lasting about seven minutes. After every chukker there is a rest period of three minutes. All players receive a handicap determined by the Polo Association and it is expressed from 0 (the worst ) to 10 (the best ). The team´s handicap is calculated by adding up each player’s handicap. Therefore a team maximum handicap is forty. In order to be allowed to participate in The Argentine Open Polo Tournament ( the most important in the world ) a team must have a minimum of twenty eight as its handicap. <<<Back To Guide About Polo