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Hitting straight backhands, on both sides of the pony, are the worst mistakes made by beginners. During a polo game they are universally regarded as bad shots. In the majority of situations they give the ball to an opponent, and
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A good player as to strike the ball makes a precise adjustment to deal with two dimensions. 1. To join the line of the ball as early as possible. 2. To place the pony to the ball accurately, in order to be able to hit through the
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It is the basis of your polo tactics to look around continually. If it correctly applied, this gives continual « all round vision », which enables you to see everything that happens, the current line of the ball and all that is
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The pony and the player should be balanced before a strike is commenced and this is done simply by a strong squeeze of your legs. This action will also greatly assist you to make an accurate approach to the ball.
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Far too many polo players consistently turn late. Also, their subconscious rules and misleads them into thinking that the ball will not reach them, until they see it actually arrive. There are four different times to turn but
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How can you make yourself improve at looking? By being regularly monitored by a coach or anyone who is willing to watch you constructively. Also, before mounting a pony, stretch your neck muscles by looking left and right and
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The line of the ball is very simple, in that is the expect path of the ball, but deflections cause complications because then the right of way changes rapidly. The better players also muddle opponents (and sometimes umpires) by
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This is a continual process, which can only be done correctly by first looking. Four players on a full-size polo field are operating on the equivalent length of three football pitches and often an enormous amount of adjustment is
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A car driver who brakes and accelerates too much will quickly run out of petrol. How big is the tank of a polo pony ? Seven and a half minutes, if the pony is fit and is not over exerted early in a chukka. Unnecessary use of
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At every time, distances between you and others must be kept as constant as possible to allow you to stay in reach but not too close. Probably the worst mistake in polo lies in this dimension, because players are too often either
