June 2021 Polo Players' Edition - Equine Welfare: Build to Last

By Gwen Rizzo

Like hibernating bears, many polo players across the country are coming off a long, cold winter. They are likely not in shape and may even be carrying a few extra pounds. The same is likely true for their horses.

When summer finally arrives, many are anxious to get right back out on the field where they left off in early fall. As tempting as that may be, doing so will likely injure your horses, and even if you don’t notice it right away, they likely won’t last the season.

Horses that are not properly conditioned prior to competition are at risk for season-ending injuries. When getting your horse’s into shape, take your time and gradually build up their strength. The general rule is one week of conditioning is needed for every month your horses have been out of work. Some horses may need less time whiles others more.

An older horse or one with a chronic condition may need extra time getting fit. And horses that have been kept in a barn with a small paddock will be less fit than those turned out in a large field, walking much of the time. If they are walking up and down hills in turnout, even better.

Former 9-goaler Tom Goodspeed offers a general timeline for getting horses fit: Take the horses out for walks for the first 10 days or so. This can be done individually or in sets. Then add in trotting for 5 minutes, doubling the amount of trotting time every few days. Trotting helps build up leg muscles in both the horse and rider. After two weeks of trotting, you can add slow lopes. Begin with 5 minutes of loping, then add more time every few days. When you are up to 15 minutes of trotting in both directions, and a few minutes of cantering, you can start backing off the trotting while adding more cantering. Work up to about 15 minutes of cantering in both directions.

After 4 to 6 weeks of regular exercise, start stick and balling before starting chukkers. The first few practices you play, don’t make any big runs, even if your horses are feeling good. Keep the horses in a slow canter, and don’t chase after every ball. After a week or so, add a run, then bring the horse back into a canter. The next practice, add another run. After two or three weeks of practices, your horses will likely be fit enough for tournament play.

Keep in mind that when you begin to practice, your horses may be feeling good. Warm them up before you go out on the field and be careful the first few times you swing the mallet. Some horses will buck or get excited early in the season and a swinging mallet is often just the excuse it is looking for to act up. Also, don’t get too comfortable when riding a fresh horse. Goodspeed says to get organized before you get on, adjusting the stirrups, tightening the girth and straightening the reins. Also, don’t drop the reins to adjust a helmet or put gloves on. If you are asked to sign a club waiver or need to switch jerseys, get off the horse first. Don’t try to do it while you are mounted.

Always check your horses’ legs after they play for signs of injury, such as swelling, lumps or bumps. Don’t ignore any signs; doing so may lead to more serious injury. If you see any issues, have the horse examined by a veterinarian.

Once your horses are fit and playing, the key is to keep them in good shape through the end of the season without overdoing it. Many years ago Hall of Fame polo veterinarian Paul Wollenman determined that healthy, fit polo ponies often will start to show signs of wear and tear after about 50 chukkers. That remains true.

“I find that somewhere around the 50th chukker, we begin to see signs of sore suspensories, sore sesamoids and general inflammation of the fetlock joint capsules,” he wrote.

He goes on to explain that this is especially true with horses with old injuries and those that are overworked.

“Based on my observations in Florida, there seem to be two types of horses that experience suspensory and fetlock problems, the first being those who arrive with old ankle injuries that get sore as soon as the ‘legging-up’ process, or early play begins. I liken them to a truck traveling on a bad tire that will eventually pop as soon as the truck is overloaded.

“The second candidate is the nice, clean-legged horse who arrived in peak form, and plays and plays and plays. Then, in the middle of a seemingly harmless practice chukker, the horse pulls up with a fractured sesamoid,” he explained.

The 50-chukker rule includes practice chukkers. If your season lasts from May through September and you are playing a horse one chukker three times a week, you will reach 50 chukkers by the end of the season. If you double chukker a horse, or play more days you will reach that number much sooner.

Keep track of how often each horse is played. If you have a big game and double up a horse, consider not playing it in the next practice. Don’t play every chukker at Mach 1. Play smarter so you aren’t chasing all the time.

Field conditions are also important when preventing injury. Clay-based or compacted fields can be hard, especially if they are not regularly watered. The concussion from hard fields can put a lot of stress on joints, especially for a horse with old injuries. The same is true for wet, slick fields. If you find yourself on slick fields, keep it slow and don’t make sharp turns to prevent the horse from sliding and possibly pulling or tearing a muscle.

Something else to consider is the weather. Temperatures can climb in the summer and the heat can take a lot out of a horse. High heat combined with high humidity is even worse. The general rule is if the temperature added to the percent humidity is above 150, it is not safe to ride. Veterinarian and polo player Stephanie Massey Colburn explained, “Horses are most effective at cooling themselves when the total temperature in Fahrenheit and humidity add up to less than 130. Above 130, horses have increased difficulty regulating their body temperatures and cooling themselves. At a heat index of 180 or above, your horse’s ability to cool itself is ineffective, thus, when competing at these conditions you put your horse at increased risk of developing illness secondary to heat stress.”

It is important horses stay hydrated for muscles to function properly. Colburn reminds us to provide plenty of fresh water and supplement with electrolytes so horses can sweat appropriately to cool themselves.

Research has shown horses benefit from water, even before or right after playing. Offer water while the horses are at the trailer. If access to water is not available at the field, bring it with you.

When parking your trailer, position it to provide shade so horses are kept out of the sun before and after playing. Additionally, be sure the trailer is well ventilated and don’t leave the horses on the trailer longer than necessary.

Managing your horses well from start to finish will lessen the chance of injury and allow you and your horses to enjoy the season even more.