Prepurchase Examination of Polo Horses
Content Inside: Prepurchase Examination of Polo Horses Paul Wollenman, DVM As the sport of polo increases in popularity among equine enthusiasts and with the possibility of its becoming an Olympic sport, veterinary prepurchase examinations of these athletes are becoming more common and somewhat more complicated. Knowing the typical sport-related injuries and their signicance, as well as the types of players making purchases, is of the utmost importance for a successful outcome. Authors address: Palm Beach Equine Clinic, 13125 Southelds Road, Wellington, FL 33414. 1999 AAEP. 1. Introduction Polo is a somewhat ancient equine sport that continues to grow in popularity throughout the United States. No longer is it only a sport of the extremely wealthy. More small clubs are starting up each year, and people of moderate income are taking lessons, buying horses, and beginning to play. Certain states, like Florida and California, are still home to thousands of polo ponies during the winter months, where tropical climates allow for world class tournaments. During the spring, summer, and fall, these horses migrate across the Mid West and up the East Coast to tournaments in places such as Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York. This creates a two season schedule for most horses, each with its own peculiarities. My practice in southern Florida has for the past 25 years dealt predominantly with polo ponies during the fall and winter. 2. The History of Polo In todays world class polo, approximately 40% of the ponies are imported Argentine Thoroughbreds and 60% are American Thoroughbreds, of which a vast majority are tattooed. Polo is a game requiring each player to utilize many different horses. The game itself is composed of four players on each team and each player will bring an average of seven mounts to the eld. A game has six chukkers (a 7-minute period) and generally, a different horse is used for each chukker. A single game may have approximately 50 to 55 horses playing in a ...
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