Evolution of the Polo Horse
In response to the call of one of our members for more stimulating discussion, perhaps we can start a dialog about the evolution of the polo horse--- past, present, and future.
If polo began in ancient Persia, what do we know about the horses of ancient Persia and how they evolved. Who first brought horses to Persia? Where did they come from? What were they like? Were they big or small, fast or slow, agile or clumsy? What color were they? Did they have multiple gaits? Etc. Much later, we know that Alexander and the Greeks brought horses with them from Macedonia. What sort of horses were they? Were the Persians impressed with them? Were they big or small, fast or slow, agile or clumsy? Were they good for polo, or not? Did they become part of the ancient Persian polo breed? And what about, Bucephalus, the horse of Alexander himself? We know he was a great war horse. Did he play polo? Did he breed with the Persian polo horses? Have the genes of Bucephalus been passed down to the modern polo horse of today?
And what about the highly evolved polo horses we are seeing today? How are they different from the polo horses of, say, ten years ago-- twenty years ago-- forty years ago-- sixty years ago? I have read that players at Palermo now change horses two or three times a chukker! They don't need a horse that can play for six minutes. They need a horse that can play very, very fast for two minutes. How is this affecting the polo breed? Are we moving to an era where the best polo horses lose speed after two minutes?
Who are the best breeders of today? What do they think? We know the Heguy family is legendary. Who else is really, really good? I have heard that Bautista Heguy will not sell his mares because he never wants to face one on the polo field. Does anyone else feel this way?
It is probably true that I always have many more questions than answers, so naturally I look forward to the responses of the many knowledgeable and thoughtful posters we have here. But I will say this, I think the evolved polo horse of today is the most exciting animal on the planet. For sheer speed, agility, intelligence, and beauty, nothing surpasses the polo horse.
So, may we always honor the work of the great players and breeders--- past, present, and future--- who bring us these fascinating creatures!
All the best,
GB
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by mauricio sordelli on -
LUis,
qué pasó ?
estás bien ?,
espero te mejores pronto,
abrazo, mauricio
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Permalink Reply by Luis Wetzler on -
Maurico sabes muy bien lo mal que se maneja aqui, el día de mi cumpleaños el 26, estaba invitado a almorzar a casa de Juan e Inés Dodero en Santa Rita, di la vuelta en mi auto un Peugeot 207 x Sucre bajo la Panamericana, cuando me pasó un Honda City blindado, manejado por un pendex que venía a mil, como casi choca de frente con un camión se tiró a la derecha justo cuando yo pasaba acompañado por una amiga mía francesa Marie Laure de N., nos arrastró en diagonal hasta la esquina y terminé chocando contra un arbol y un poste de luz, me lastimé las cervicales, que me obligan a usar un cuello y el tobillo, casi se corte el tendón, x suete habían docenas de testigos y hay cámaras que televisaron todo. Le inicié al bestia que no llevaba sus documentos una acción penal. Marcelo Caset perdió a su hijo Valentín en un accidente de auto en Punta del Este a ppios de año todo por unas copas de mas del que lo atropelló, tengo ya decenas de amigos que se mataron en accidentes, Diego Pieres Gowland primo hermano de Gonzalo Sr. y gran polista, cuando chico recuerdo la muerte de los hermanos Paz Anchorena, Carolina y Pepito, conmocionó a Buenos Aires de 1971, yo terminaba el colegio, y luego cada vez mas. Creo que todos tenemos que reaccionar, x eso somos un país con uno de los mas altos índices de muertes x accidentes de autos en el mundo entero. Un abrazo y mil gracias Mauricio Luis
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Permalink Reply by GB Polo on -
Now that we're back on track, let's talk about polo horses. There seems to be some disagreement about whether polo horses have gotten faster in the last, say, twenty years. Polo people seem to think so, but racing people point to the fact that Secretariat still holds the speed record. What's the real story? Have polo horses really gotten faster, or do they just seem faster because they are more agile? Everyone seems to think that they can stop a lot faster. Is that it? Or is there something else about them that is better now. All thoughts are welcome!
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Permalink Reply by Rajen Sudan on -
GB...Hi..
Think they are more agile and that is due to the specific scientific training...its something like the muscular difference of a sprinter,a hurdeler,a football player..
Rajen
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Permalink Reply by GB Polo on
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Thanks, Rajen. That's a fascinating idea. It may well be that most of the "evolution" of polo horses from this point forward will have more to do with training (e.g. diet, exercise, specific drills, tournament experience, etc.) than genetics.
GB
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Permalink Reply by mauricio sordelli on
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gb,
speed is not everything.
you also have to think in agility, sensitivity, intelligence, "polo sense", docility, etc.
those are matters that we (arg) discuss a lot during long, long "mate" rounds and tons of "asado".
thont think in speed and records only.
that´s all
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Permalink Reply by GB Polo on
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I know about mate. My friend Jeff Hall introduced it to me several years ago when I was in Santa Barbara. All of his grooms are Argentine, and they all drink mate almost constantly. I'm still trying to find authentic asado, but it may not exist anywhere but Argentina.
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Permalink Reply by GB Polo on
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Rajan has raised a great point. It may be that the future evolution of polo horses has more to do with advanced training (e.g. diet, exercise, drills, and the like), rather than evolution through advanced genetic combinations and manipulations. Personally, I think it will be both, but I would really like to hear the thoughts of our posters here. And of course, if we can get more people to participate, especially the high-goal players, breeders, and trainers of the world, it will only enrich our discussion that much more. There is no question that we are living at a time when mankind is pushing the envelope of human performance beyond anything that could have been imagined in the past. Why not do the same with polo horses?
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Permalink Reply by Maltese Cat on -
We seem to be missing something here. You contend, "Everyone seems to think that they can stop a lot faster." Cutting horses have ALWAYS been able to do this. However, as far back as I can remember, from Forbes' 1909 As To Polo, through Mountbatten's An Introduction to Polo, right up to Matias Magrini's advice taken from http://www.argentinapolo.com/ Polo Advice from the Field, the accepted practice of stopping in polo was to, whenever possible, avoid abrupt stops, thus saving the legs of the horses. The practice in today's high goal polo eschews this advice, opting instead for stop-and-go polo. This has nothing to do with genetics. It is a present style, and horses are used which can perform this way.
If bursts of speed, quick turns and two minute chukkers are to be the wave of the present/future, doesn't it make sense to introduce more quarter horse blood into the polo breeding programs? The stamina of the thoroughbreds will be less needed, if substitutions are made often, and quarter horses are superior in the categories of burst of speed, top speed, maneuverability, and calmness. They work well in indoor polo.
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Permalink Reply by GB Polo on
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Personally, I think going with the Quarter Horse would be a mistake. They are very fast for short distances, but I'm not even sure they could go for two minutes without tiring out. It takes the big heart of the TB for endurance, and I generally like the blend of the TB and the Argentine Criollo. However, the idea of blending the TB and the Spanish Apaloosa has always intrigued me. They say the Apaloosa has more gaits than any other horse. It's like a car with a 7-9 speed transmission. Lots of possibilities.
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