Outside, a player that is a strong rider and comfortable at speed will be able to get away with a lot assuming they can somewhat reliably hit the ball.
The cushion of an extra few acres makes all the difference. However; in the polo arena, it’s a different story, no matter how strong a rider a player may be, they still have to be able to think through plays and their moves before they make them, we call it ‘stopping and thinking’. The confined space means that there is always an opponent within reach and suddenly a nice tail shot won’t be enough to get you out of trouble. Not to mention, assuming you follow the rules and stay safe the name of the game is control not speed. And the number one rule we have when you get possession of the ball is to stop what you’re doing (maybe not literally) and look around; determine where your teammates and opponents are, think about what your options are and then make your move. And there you have it; the stop and think.
