Hitting a ball well in any sport takes a lot of practice, and also some thought. Tennis or golf are good examples of how difficult hitting good shots can be. In polo, when you’re on horseback, the difficulty is only compounded. But having a reliable, inexpensive practice venue is very helpful, and having a clear idea of what to do and why is invaluable.

The principles of hitting any ball are the same. To begin with, start small, hitting small shots on a rug, with a foot mallet, trying to get the ball to take a little jump off the mallet. Practice this a lot, as all good players have, and don’t hurry. Here is where you build confidence. Here is your polo-physics lab, which is key to the progress ahead.