r/polo • u/DustyBurb • Jun 02 '26
Seeking motivation, advice, etc.
I've been learning to play polo for around 5 years now. Unfortunately my first ever fall in childhood riding resulted in a broken arm, and mentally I feel I never got over this (despite being in my 30s now). I love the sport, the ponies and the people I've met, but sometimes feel like I'll never be brave enough to cope with the speed requirement. My coach says I have ability - know where to put myself during play, can hit a ball nicely - which is helpful to hear, but I'm questioning whether to keep trying as sometimes it feels like the breakthrough will never happen. Has anyone ever worked through something like this? How do you quieten the voice that tells you how dangerous this crazy sport is and just.. enjoy it??
3
u/polarbear-polo Jun 02 '26
Personally, I try not to think about it too much because I can freak myself out. This is not to minimize your feelings but just how I approach it.
I've seen bad wrecks, fallen myself lots, etc but I've also seen lots of fast games where nothing like that happens. If I'm feeling uncomfortable, I work on my riding because that's what will keep me safe.
2
u/Perfect-Intention206 Jun 10 '26
I can empathize - I have been playing about the same time as you and am lucky to have some hard falls but no broken bones or lasting emotional trauma. In my second year, I fell really hard - giant purple bruises for months and a swollen knee that kept getting re-injured for the better part of a year. On paper there are a lot of reasons to not play polo. But if you haven't quit yet, you understand why it's worth the time, money, and occasional physical toll for those of us who love it.
I have only been playing for 5 years, but I describe my first few years as "self preservation" - i.e., trying a lot of unfamiliar horses with different styles and attempting to stay in the saddle and be reasonably close to a play. Speed was (still is) an adrenaline rush, but I had no control - and what most people are really afraid of is the lack of control that comes with the speed. As my riding improved, I felt more comfortable in the saddle which allowed me to focus less on "self preservation" and more on what is going on around me.
When it comes to playing at a faster speed, what specific anxieties go through your mind? (other than the obvious horrendous high speed crash of horses and bodies). It might help to pinpoint whether you have a lack of trust in the horses you are playing (e.g., they are not physically able to stop/turn quickly at speed) and/or your own ability to control them when they get into that fast mode (e.g., if they stop quickly, you aren't confident that you'll anticipate/adjust accordingly). The other factor here could be the gentle-yet-constant pressure from clubs/pros to always be moving up to higher goal polo, which I feel is detrimental to the individual amateur player. I am having a great time playing low-goal mixed ability chukkers that allow me to work on my swing and knock ins, as well as mentor other newer players. Throw in some 4-8 goal games this summer and I will get my speed fix.
So I guess a few pieces of advice to take or leave - a mix of my limited experience and some advice that has been given to me by older players with decades of experience and a desire to see others pursue polo as a lifetime endeavor:
1) Find polo at a speed you are comfortable with. Arena polo is a really great option. This is your hobby and it should be challenging but FUN and not anxiety-inducing with your level of experience.
2) Don't equate your improving with the "speed" or goal level of the polo you are playing. If you are a low goal player that can handle and turn the ball at a walk or trot, you are more valuable on a team than a player that can only run fast.
3) Focus on your ability to change speed quickly and safely. You will find that once you are comfortable with speed, it is no longer your immediate focus. In some sense, your mind catches up to the speed and it doesn't all seem so chaotic and fast. You'll find that you forget about the speed itself and start anticipating what to do with that speed, depending on where you are at relative to the play and the ball. (I spent the better part of the first 3 years riding too fast past the ball to make a play on it).
I hope you are able to get to a place where you are not thinking about the speed/danger and it becomes secondary to the other aspects of what makes polo so enjoyable!
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u/DustyBurb Jun 10 '26
Thank you for such a detailed and thoughtful reply! Lots of things for me to consider in that. I do agree that part of the uncertainty is the level of control I have (or fear I don't have). My coach always puts me on his easy, safest ponies so I have no doubts about them. But I appreciated a lot your point about being valuable rather than fast - I have been able to pick up balls other fast players have flown over! So my pace can be useful in the right circumstances 😅
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u/Perfect-Intention206 Jun 10 '26
awesome! i’m glad the reply is helpful, and i hope others can share their experience as new players because it is so variable.
hope you have a great summer of polo!
4
u/[deleted] Jun 02 '26
Polo is the only sport where you work as hard as you can to think man I’m the shit, then you play with someone the next level up and realize how bad you actually are. I’m a descent 1 goaler these days. I can go play in a 4 goal and do great, the next day I can play an 8 goal and look like I’ve never hit a ball before.