Polo ponies need to be tough, very agile, and fast over short distances; they must also be intelligent and have lightning responses a lot to demand in one animal. The best polo ponies are usually regarded as the Argentine ones, although most countries where polo is played breed at least some of their own ponies.The game of polo is one of the oldest in the world. it originated in Persia shortly before 500 B.C., spreading fairly quickly to other areas and peoples. It is a fast, tough game, and needs a pony with similar qualities.The British Raj in India, from whence it spread to every continent in the world. today, the best polo pony inthe world comes from Argentina. A polo ground measures 300 yards by 200 yards (274m by 180m), withgoal posts at least 10 feet (3m) high placed 24 feet (7.3m) apart. The game is played with a hard ball made ofbamboo root or willow and is hit from the saddle by a mallet measuring 48-54 inches (120-137cm ) long witha solid, cylindrical wooden head on the end of the shaft. The object of the game is to hit the ball between the opposing team's goal posts. There are two teams of four players (so eight ponies and riders on the field at once), each game being divided into a maximum of eight chukkas (periods of play) of 7 and a half minutes.
posted by Joanna
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