Our best results were when new thoroughbreds spent many hours on slow rides around the farm (our farms were bigger than here in Canada) and if possible time spent working with cattle – just herding them to different pastures. Only after they had settled and were comfortable with slow work, did we start specific “English” schooling and Polo-Crosse training.

When they were calm with stick and ball and other horses, we would use them as umpire horses, then in slow practice before subjecting them to harder competition.

Our lifestyle was quite different there, many of us were farmers with the ability to keep 20 or more horses on our farms, wages were low so we had grooms, our mild climate allowed us to ride all year round. We rode most days often having time to work 2 or 3 horses personally, each day. Polo-Crosse was very popular so we had many tournaments and practices. It was common for each of us at our club to play 12 practice chukkas on a Sunday using 3 or 4 different horses. We also had frequent tours to or from South Africa and less frequently Australia and New Zealand.

Despite all the advantages we had there, with many world class horses being produced (little Zimbabwe won the first World Series) we and other players all had our fair share of failures in re-training race horses. Some were easy, some difficult, a few absolutely dangerous. Some became good A division horses and some stayed at C division.

So yes it can be done, but it is not an exercise for the faint hearted or in-experienced horesman/woman.

Did you know that polocrosse is now a recognized 4H project? Now you get credit for all the polocrosse activities that you participate in, and there are many. There is also opportunity to travel internationally where you will be housed and horsed for some great play and a wonderful way to see the world. We would love to have more 4H members play this fun sport.