Picture-038 The line of the ball is like the line of the road or is it?

The rule book doesn’t really say, picture the most recent path of the ball or the line as a center line of a highway. Walk your horse along side the line and stop by the ball, this line, the most recent path of the ball continues all the way across the field.  Reach down with your racket like you were going to pickup the ball, if you are not picking up too close or two far away from your horse, you will be taking up a lane about three to four feet wide. Assuming you are on your off-side, from the line to your left stirrup is about 3 to four feet. So this lane, not the line, is what the right of way is all about. It accommodates your horse and room to pickup the ball. This visual may give you a little better appreciation of the right of way alongside the line of the ball. More >