appealing

claims by players for a foul, expressed by the raising of mallets above the head.

back shot

backhand swing, changing the flow of play by sending the ball in the opposite direction.

bowl in

when the umpire starts or resumes a polo match by rolling the ball down the center of a lineup of players, same as throw in.

bump

when a player directs his pony into the side of an opponent's pony.

check and turn

to slow the pony and turn safely.

chukker

term used for period of play in polo, seven and a half minutes long, there are six chukkers in a polo match.

flagman

an unofficial goal observer appointed to signal by waving a flag over the head if a goal is scored, or under the waist if no goal.

field

usually 300 yards long by 160 yards wide and outlined by sideboards.

goal

anytime the ball crosses the line between the goal posts, regardless of who (including ponies) knocks it through.

handicap

team play is handicapped on the basis of ability. A team's handicap is the total of its players' goal ratings. The team with the lower handicap is awarded the difference in goals at the start of the match.

hands

unit of measure for the height of a horse, one hand equals about four inches.

hook

catching an opponent's mallet in swing below the level of the horse's back, to leave or turn the ball for a teammate.

knock in

after the ball crosses the back line, the defending team knocks the ball back into play from their own back line.

leave it

to ride past the ball so that the teammate behind can hit it.

line of the ball

the imaginary line produced by the ball when it is hit or deflected.

made pony

a polo pony that is well trained for polo and has been played for some time.

mallet head

the part of the mallet used to strike the ball, the wide face of the head is used to strike the ball.

nearside

the left hand side of the polo pony.

neck shot

hitting the ball under the horse's neck.

officials

two mounted umpires do most of the officiating, with a referee at midfield having the final say in any dispute between the umpires.

offside

the right hand side of the polo pony.

pass

to hit the ball forward or laterally to a teammate.

penalty

numbered from 1 to 10, a free hit is awarded to the fouled, from a set distance determined by the severity of the foul committed.

pony goal

when a polo pony causes the ball to go through the goal posts.

positions

there are four players on a team, numbered 1 through 4, each with different responsibilities.

ride off

two riders may make contact and attempt to push each other off the line to prevent an opponent from striking the ball.

safety

also known as Penalty 6, a defending player hits the ball over his own back line.

sideboards

short boards along the sidelines of the field to help keep the ball in play.

stick

the polo mallet.

stick and ball

personal practice time.

sudden death

overtime play when the score is tied at the end of the last regular chukker, the first team to score wins.

swing

hitting at the ball with the mallet using one of four basic shots: forehand, backhand, neck, and tail.

tack

all the equipment used on a pony.

tail shot

hitting the ball behind and under the horse's rump.

third man

the referee sitting at the sidelines, if the two umpires on the field are in disagreement, the third man makes the final decision.

throw in

when the umpire starts or resumes the match, he rolls the ball down the center of a lineup of players and horses.

time out

an umpire may call a time out when a foul is committed, an accident occurs, or at his or her discretion, a player may only call a time out if he has broken tack or is injured.

turn

to backhand hit the ball away from the goal being defended.

umpires

two mounted officials, one for each side of the field.

USPA

United States Polo Association is the governing body of polo.

wraps

the protective bandages the polo ponies wear on their legs

Polo Pony Glossary

For information on polo ponies and equestrian terms refer to the Polo Pony Glossary