It’s officially that time of year. The time of year when the polo fields finally admit defeat to the cooler temperatures and shorter days and polo players hang up their field mallets for the season. And if you’re new to polo and just getting started on this crazy roller-coaster of a sport you’re probably be looking at the next six months wondering what on earth you’re going to do with yourself and how you’re going to satisfy that polo-craving that you’ve acquired.
Fear not for polo players are also polo addicts and there is no way we could go six months without playing some form of polo. You had to know we’d have you covered with plenty of off-season polo options to keep your skills sharp!
The way it works out, you’ve got two options…well, two and a half if you want to keep playing throughout the cold and snowy months in Toronto; arena polo, destination polo or snow polo (in perfect conditions).
The most popular option is, of course, arena polo. An adapted version of field polo to suit smaller spaces it’s played with three players on each team and a slightly larger softer ball but it no less exciting. The game moves fast, relies heavily on strategy, and is all about control of both the horse and the ball. For new players, it’s an awesome way to not just keep playing throughout the winter but to improve your skills. Arena polo has a lot to teach for those willing to learn (more on this later) and it’s a lot of fun …what more could you want for the off-season?
Sunny weather and big green grass fields you say? There’s an option for that too. The off-season in Toronto is also known as the season when most polo players travel, or as we’ve called it, destination polo season. Polo is played all over the world, and if you look hard enough you’ll find polo close to wherever you are. From the more common destinations like Wellington, Florida, and Argentina to the more obscure destinations like the Dominican Republic and Barbados you could find yourself playing your off-season somewhere sunny and warm. And traveling for polo is not at all uncommon, just pack your gear bag and hop onto the next flight bound for warmer climes. For recommendations on where to go and how to organize it reach out to us and we’d be happy to help!
Your final option, which isn’t really an option in and of itself, is snow polo which is played under the right conditions at the Toronto Polo School/Polo Management Services. With enough snow and cold temperatures conditions can be perfect for snow polo which is played similarly to arena polo with three players per team and if you can get past the frigid finger-numbing temperatures it’s a pretty neat thing to do. We highly recommend it!
Photo by Snow Polo Tremblant
So there you have it, your off-season polo options because six months is a long time to go without getting in some form of mallet swinging fun whether it’s just some casual stick and ball in the arena or a proper arena/snow polo match.
Ask any polo player who deals with an off-season and they’ll always give you a similar answer; “it’s not field polo but it’s something and that’s what’s important.” And we couldn’t say it any better than that because some polo is always better than no polo.