Superstar Ponies

Argentine polo ponies are pampered like no other animal in the world. All that's asked of them in return is a winning seven-and-a-half-minute performance once a week during high season (October to December).

International Living Postcards--your daily escape

Monday, Jan. 8, 2007
Buenos Aires, Argentina

During a sneak preview of one of the star players at the recent Argentine Open polo competition: "In the game of polo, horses are key. Much like Michael Schumacher and his Ferrari, a polo pro would not be the best in the world without his ponies," states one of the horse groomers working on a polo pony amidst saddles, men, tall boots, and alfalfa. Next to a player's skills, the polo pony is the most important factor in determining the outcome of a polo match.

A good pony needs to be quick to understand an order, to halt or turn around quickly on demand, to take short steps. He must have good acceleration and great resistance. Quick reactions and good communication between rider and pony determines who wins. A good player will plan a strategy using his best ponies. Most players have two ponies at all times during the game--one for speed, and the other one for strength.

A day in the life of a polo pony (the best-trained ponies cost up to $100,000): Grooming begins at 4 a.m., followed by breakfast. At 7 a.m., an hour's walk, then a rest. A nice bath…and it's time for lunch (oats and alfalfa). Lunch is slept off in a private stable before training. The day ends at 7 p.m. with another bath, and supper.

Polo ponies love playing polo. The game is divided into chukkers, each lasting seven and a half minutes. Riders use a different pony for each chukker, due to the stresses put on the pony galloping flat out. Each player needs at least six horses and ideally 12 (one for speed and another for resistance) during each match.

The majority of polo pros devote significant amounts of time to training polo ponies. A polo pro will normally own a string of seven to 20 playing ponies and have additional ponies in training. At the Argentine Open, a player normally has anywhere from 15 to 20 ponies.

Argentina is the number one exporter of trained polo ponies to the United States and Europe. Although not recognized as a distinct breed, polo ponies are unique horses, combining the traits of several breeds: the sport demands the quick burst of speed seen in Thoroughbreds; the intelligence of Arabians; and the rapid turn of play in pursuit of the ball necessitates the agility of Quarter Horses. Since 1930 Argentina has produced some of the best polo ponies in the world, crossing Thoroughbreds with the Argentine local Criollo horse.

Maria Reynolds
For International Living

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Editor's note: The Argentine Open over for another year, Maria Reynolds is back to work--she'll be running a real estate investment conference in Buenos Aires, March 19-21, covering Argentina and Uruguay. For more information (on the conference or polo ponies) write to her at argentina@internationalliving.com.