History:
Polo can be dated back to 5th century BC Persia and was first a training game for cavalry units; think miniature battles (ie another excuse to fight when there were no real battles on) and there were up to 100 players to a side. On a pro-girl-power note, once the game became popular in Iran around 6th century AD women were right in there; even the queen and her ladies played against the king.
In more modern times, India embraced the game and made it their own; they also livened things up a bit by playing it on elephants. Horses or elephants not your thing? It's also played on camels and yaks if you'd prefer. (and yes, water polo, canoe, etc etc, yawn. I prefer horses or yaks!)
Polo in Argentina:
However, polo today brings to mind one country: Argentina (or is that just me? Anyway, they have the best looking players!) The modern game is faster, more aggressive & requires more equestrian skill; there are only 4 players per side and ponies are changed multiple times per match. The 'ponies' are actually not ponies, they are usually over 14.2 hands and can get pretty big; up to 16hh.
Going to a polo match in Argentina is totally the thing to do. And yes, they really do wear Polo Ralph Lauren clothing to the matches. And somehow manage to pull it off and not look ridiculous. There's a polo ground in the middle of the posh part of BsAs, and there's also La Rural, a ground not far from the city (and plenty more - it's what you do instead of going to the beach) So; get chic-ed up and definitely see a match while in the country. It's well worth it! Email me at info@travelapasionado.com.au if you'd like more info.
Want to try it?!
Playing polo yourself - that's another issue altogether! There are a lot of places you can take lessons. The first thing to remember is that polo is played on horseback; so having been on a horse before will be an advantage! It's also pretty boring to play polo at a walk; so....trotting & cantering on a horse you've never been on before....if you've broken into a sweat, maybe just watch the pros do it.
However, it's also reeeally fun and as the horses are usually so well trained, surprisingly easy. The sticks get very heavy after a while especially for weak lil' girls like me. Guys with their stronger wrists (hmm) will have an easier time of it but no matter, it's worth it. And if there's one place to say you've 'played' polo in the world, it's Argentina! Again, email me and I can recommend & book a polo lesson(s) anywhere in the country. Combining this with a stay on an estancia (farm/station) is a great way to get a real feel for the country.
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