Polo is one of the world's oldest team sports, originating in Persia around 600 BC. Originally created as a training exercise for the king's elite cavalry troops, it evolved into "the sport of kings," eventually spreading to Europe, the Americas, and beyond. The English word "polo" derives from the Tibetan word pulu, meaning "ball" or "ballgame".
Polo has a long history in the U.S. General George Patton was an accomplished polo player who began playing while a cadet at West Point and treated the sport as a vital military training tool, encouraging his fellow officers to play as players must think and act quickly.
While polo enjoys the name "The Sport of Kings" and drew crowds of 10,000 spectators in Central Park, it was once commonly played in small towns across the country, before the development of the interstate system, when horses were still a key mode of transportation.
Polo has been in the Cincinnati area for decades, with up to 3 separate teams, with fields on the north and east sides of town. With urban development, land for polo has become more difficult to find and the club is currently playing at a private field in Batavia while looking for a new public location.
With 8 mounted players (4 on each team) traveling at up to 35 mph, it takes a large area to host a match. Regulation size fields are nearly ten acres or the size of 9 football fields. Teams compete to hit a small white ball (slightly larger than a baseball) between upright goal posts set on each end of the field.
There are many rules in polo, which can make it challenging for both beginner players as well as spectators to follow, but all are created to keep horses and players safe. Players may "bump" into other players (carefully) and "hook" the mallets of their opponents to prevent them from hitting the ball. Polo is often referred to as "hockey on horseback" for this reason.
Polo ponies are truly the stars on the field. Early polo ponies were often smaller breeds and in the early 1900's were restricted in height (hence the term "ponies"). After WWI, that restriction was lifted and horses of all sizes can now play.
Polo ponies come from many backgrounds with some being ex-racehorses and others bred specifically for the sport. Careful breeding and even cloning are utilized at the top levels of the sport. It is said the best polo ponies have the heart and stamina of a thoroughbred race horse, but can stop and turn like a top level barrel or cutting horse.
Regardless of their origins, all players will tell you the horses are 90% of the horse and rider team, and all take the best care of their mounts for just that reason.