The rules of Polo are quite complicated, however there are some underlying fundamentals which will help any beginner, or spectator, understand the game.

The "Blue Book"

The Blue book is the Polo players bible, it not only lists all the current UK players and clubs, but also the full guide to the official rules of Polo as issued by the Hurlingham Polo Club. Blue books are given to players when they join a club.

The Teams

• In grass polo, teams are four a side and may be of mixed sex.
• In arena polo, teams are only three a side, due to the limited space.

Pitches

· The ground is 300 yards long, 160 - 200 yards wide.

· This is roughly the size of three football pitches.

· The goal posts, positioned at each end, are 8 yards apart.

Chukkas

· In the UK generally 4, or in high goal polo, 6 chukkas are played.

· Chukkas last for 7 minutes, when the bell rings, play continues for a further 30 seconds, unless the ball has gone out of play, or a foul is committed. The second bell is rung at the end of 30 seconds and the game must stop where the ball is then. The game restarts from a throw-in. In the final chukka, the match ends on the first bell.

· The game is played 'stop clock' on the umpires whistle. The clock is not normally stopped when a goal is scored.

· There are intervals of 3 mins between chukkas and 5 mins at half time.

· After every goal is scored, players change ends, this is to avoid giving one team an advantage due to wind or sloping ground.

Ponies

· Polo ponies are in fact horses in size but are referred to as ponies. They may play a maximum of 2 chukkas in one day, with at least one chukka gap in between.

· The majority of polo pony’s are mares (less import tax) and are of Thoroughbred or Argentinian Origin. They are the ferraris of the equine world, fast, responsive and quite expensive!

Fouls

· A player following the ball on its exact line has the Right of Way over all other players. Any other player who crosses the player on the right of way close enough to be dangerous, commits a foul.

· A player may not hook an opponent's stick unless he is on the same side of the opponent's pony as the ball.

· Dangerous play or rough handling is not allowed - a player may ride an opponent off, but must not charge in at an angle. Elbows are not allowed in ride offs.

Penalties

· Penalty 1 - A goal is given if the foul is dangerous or deliberate in the vicinity of the goal and directly prevents a goal being scored. The ball is then thrown in 10 yds in front of the goal without ends being changed.

· Penalty 2 - Free hit from 30 yds opposite the centre of the goal - defenders to be behind the back line and outside the goal posts but must not ride through when the ball is hit.

· Penalty 3 - Free hit from 40 yds, same conditions as b). 

  Penalty 4 - Free hit from 60 yds. Defenders to be 30 yds from ball.

· Penalty 5B - Free hit from the centre of the ground, none of the defending side to be nearer than 30 yds when the ball is hit.

· Penalty 5 - Free hit from spot where the foul took place, no defender to be nearer than 30 yds