Connections
Polo. That’s my connection to racing. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the wonderful, exciting game of polo. I was never much good at it but I loved it all the same. It was the horses, those agile, intelligent, determined polo ponies that drew me in and kept me on the pitch or alongside, for years.
These horses were often on a second career, Thoroughbreds coming off the racecourse and into polo. The speed and willing attitude of the racehorse are desirable characteristics for polo ponies.
Polo ponies live as a herd, summer and winter.
Last weekend I stayed at Cowdray Park in Sussex, an estate whose polo club as at the heart of high-goal polo, along with Guards in Berkshire. The view from my window was of the rolling Downs and in the paddocks were polo ponies on their winter holidays from a fast and furious polo season. I watched them for a while and took these photographs of them living as a herd. It’s lovely to see them like this and really this is just an excuse to share these photos with you.
Polo ponies spend the winter at grass, resting after a fast and furious summer of polo.
And it’s seasonal reminder that a racehorse has a life beyond the training yard, in polo and many other equestrian activities. There are some great organisations out there that rehome and repurpose racehorses and I’m happy to support them.