Polo is Argentina’s traditional sport and top attraction when visiting the country. Meanwhile, arena polo is the more dynamic version of it and it’s gaining popularity every day. If you’d like to give this sport a try, here’s what you’ll need to start:
Arena Field
In arena polo, the structure of the court is different from that of grass polo. The Arena Polo field has an area of 100 yards long by 50 wide or 92 meters long by 46 meters wide. The playing area is marked by boards over 1.5 meters high at a 68° angle. These sidewalls bring great dynamism to the game and make the play much quicker.
Team and horses
In Arena polo, you’ll need a team of 3 players. Each of them has a unique function during the match. Player number 1 is in charge of attacks. Player number 2 has a central position and is the strategist that plans the team’s next move. And lastly, player number 3 plays as defense.
Unlike in grass polo, the horses that participate in arena polo are much less. This is due to the smaller size of the court and the shorter duration of the whole match. As a result, horses don’t get as tired and polo players don’t have to change horses in between chukkers as much.
Equipment
The equipment used in arena polo is the same as the one used for safety in traditional polo. This is a helmet with a hard outside and cushioned inside to protect the rider’s head against blows or falls; a polo mallet to hit the ball and score goals; riding boots to protect the legs of the players from blows that may cause serious injuries; kneepads and elbow pads; gloves to improve the rider’s grip of the mallet and reins, and last but not least, protective glasses to prevent impacts.
A fun twist
Finally, if you’re looking to give this fantastic sport a twist, try arena polo at night! For this, you need an illuminated arena and luckily, we have the only illuminated professional arena polo field in the world to enjoy polo under the stars. It’s a really fun and original experience hard to find anywhere else!
Are you down for an arena Polo Night experience with us?
