THe Mane Event
Creating A Top Horse And Rider Pairing Requires Hard Work And Discipline By Christine DiRocco
U
nlike most sports, polo depends on the symbiosis created between two breeds of athletes: the human mallet-swingers and their equine mounts — majestic steeds that carry them to glory during the high-goal polo season in Wellington. What does it take to make that happen? Wellington The Magazine caught up with polo star Jeff Hall to get a look into the daily life of top polo ponies. Like every professional sport, it’s a high-stakes, intense and extremely competitive athletic endeavor. The international schedule — and rivalry — requires diligent training to sustain 96
january 2016 | wellington the magazine
stamina and prowess. These select athletes train hard, practice regularly, live a healthy lifestyle, work with trainers and specialists, and maintain their nutrition and diet to perform like machines for each and every match. As competitors, polo ponies are elite athletes as much as any human player on the field. The horses are referred to as “ponies” even though they are full-sized horses, ranging from 14.2 to 16 hands high at the withers, and weighing 900 to 1,100 pounds. Most are Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses, and are considered “hot-blooded” horses, known for agility, speed and spirit.
Polo is a team sport, a partnership not only between players on the team, but also a special relationship between the players and their mounts. It is a synergy based on trust, strength, laser focus and preparation. Polo ponies are exemplary team players, and as such, are key to any polo team’s winning achievements. Hall, a top American polo player, sports a 7-goal handicap. He has been playing professionally since age 12, and as a seasoned player and horseman, Hall provided keen insight into the daily lives of polo ponies. Hall owns approximately 100 horses, most living at his ranch in Houston.