P O L O T E R M S
Polo has its own unique equipment. Polo saddles are specially built English saddles which, of course, lack the saddle horn found on Western saddles. Considerably smaller than a Western saddle, polo saddles are needed in different types to fit individual horses who can vary in size and configuration.
The mallets used to strike the ball are generally made of bamboo shafts or rattan can be substituted for the bamboo. Graphite is now also being used. The heads used to strike the ball are made of hardwood and weigh from six to eight ounces. They come in three styles: the Skene named after Bob Skene from New South Wales, Australia; the Royal Navy Polo Association mallet designed by Lord Mountbatten; and the cigar head which comes in two types, regular and the clipped cigar head. Mallets come in various lengths, necessary to accommodate the height of the horse being played. Generally they range from forty-nine to fifty-three inches in one-inch increments but forty-eight to fifty-three inches are also seen. One player of my acquaintance has his mallets calibrated in one-half inch increments but this is unusual. The mallets weigh about one pound. The key attribute of a polo mallet is its stiffness. There are three grades of this - regular, medium, and extra stiff. This whippy nature accounts for the stylistic representation of a mallet sometimes being represented in polo statuary as being almost a perfect semi-circle when the player is in the act of hitting.
Polo players need to wear helmets to guard against falls and flying balls; face guards are growing in popularity too. One Mid-Western player wears his Hockey helmet. In Hawaii, feather lei bands often decorate helmets. James Locke in London supplies many helmets. Boots are often custom made in Argentina. La Martina is a famous supplier. They are traditionally knee-high made of brown leather with Western heels to keep feet in the stirrups. Boots can zippered or closed with Velcro. Breeches are always white for play. They are made of stretch fabric. Knee protectors are worn. Polo jerseys are regulated by the U.S.P.A. Many players use a whip or a quirt which is favored by Latin American players. Spurs are generally smooth and rounded like a coin. Sharp spurs are illegal. Bits for the horses vary widely depending on whether the horse is soft or hard mouthed. The reins guide the horse and are held in the left hand.
Horses' tails are braided to avoid tangling in the mallet. The horses legs are protected by leggings and their distinctive wraps are useful for identifying players on the field. Metal shoes are necessary to prevent the horse from slipping during play. Pulling their shoes signifies the end of the season. Many players wear non-slip gloves and the mallet has a strap to aid in holding the grip which can be round, flat, or a parada pistol grip. The polo ball was made of either willow root or bamboo root and the word polo is derived from the Tibetan word 'pulu' meaning either ball or willow root, depending on the authority you prefer. These balls had one great advantage and one great disadvantage. The wooden ball whistled as it traveled to players so they could hear it coming and avoid it. But the wooden balls had a tendency to split apart. Now the balls are a hard plastic which do not whistle nor split apart. After a player was blinded by a ball while playing in England and at least one player in the U.S.A., more players switched to wearing face guards. The ball becomes misshapen from every shot. A game uses about two dozen balls. Umpires replace the balls as do the flag persons. Umpires retrieve the ball from the field by use of a pick-up stick.