The short answer: The polo tips that actually changed my game were simple. Tack up your own horse. Man, line, ball. Relax. Keep your legs under you when you swing. Hit the ball in the same spot every time, and keep your eyes on it even after you've hit it. I collected these from coaches at clubs across America while trying to play every polo club in the country, and for at least one of them, the science of how we learn motor skills explains why it works.
1. Tack up your own horse
Scott Lancaster, Sarasota Polo Club, Florida
On my first day back in polo after five years away, my coach Scott looked at me and said, "Okay. Tack up. Let's get started." In Argentina, the grooms had always done it for me. I had never tacked up my own horse. Scott walked me through it, slowly, and I was embarrassed and relieved in equal measure.
It was the right first lesson. Putting on your own saddle and bridle means you've touched every buckle you're about to trust with your life, and you've met the horse before you ask anything of it. Scott is still my longest-term coach, and his "You got pretty good, Leon" at the end of that season is one of my favorite compliments ever.
2. Man, line, ball
A teammate who'd been playing longer than I've been alive
That same season, a teammate in her sixties screamed across the field at me, over and over: "Find your man! Man, line, ball!" Your first job is to mark your opponent. Then respect the line of the ball, which is the right of way in polo. The ball comes last. Beginners chase the ball. Good players take their man, and the ball comes to them. If the line of the ball is new to you, read polo rules explained in plain English.
3. Relax, relax, relax
Nacho, St. Croix Polo Club, Wisconsin
My lesson with Nacho was one of the most informative and creative training sessions I've ever had. We stick-and-balled for an hour and a half, and he changed my horse partway through. He said one thing over and over: relax, relax, relax. And: bring the mallet higher. Higher.
Tension travels. A tight rider makes a tight horse, and a tight arm makes a short, jerky swing.
4. Keep your legs under you
Joey Casey, Palm City Polo Club, Florida
Joey Casey, a former 7-goal player and Museum of Polo Hall of Fame inductee, took me into the hitting cage. His fix for me: keep my legs right underneath me, in line with the ball. I had a habit of letting my legs drift back right before I hit, which pitched my chest forward and threw off the whole swing.
5. Same spot, every time, eyes down
Misha, Palm City Polo Club, Florida
Misha, who rode with me during that stick and ball session, added three tips on top of Joey's. Always hit the ball at the same place so your eye becomes trained. Stay in your seat. And keep your eyes down on the ball even after you've hit it.
That last one has real science behind it. Sports scientist Joan Vickers has spent decades studying what she calls the "quiet eye": the final, steady fixation on a target right before and during a movement. Across sports, elite performers hold that final fixation longer than less skilled ones, and quiet eye training has been shown to improve both focus and performance. Lifting your eyes early to see where the ball went cuts that fixation short.
6. Let a good horse teach you
Griffin, Palm City Polo Club
My horse that day was Griffin, and Griffin was incredibly steady. One speed, one pace. He didn't over-accelerate after I hit the ball, and he turned beautifully. He reminded me of the horses I'd ridden in Costa Rica. A horse like that lets you work on your swing without fighting for control. If you're learning, ask the club for its most honest, steady horse, even if it isn't the fastest.
7. Drill the boring stuff
Gardnertown Polo Club, New York
At Gardnertown, in New York's Hudson Valley, we ran passing drills while my horse kept pulling. Passing drills aren't glamorous, but passing is how teams move the ball, and doing them on a horse that tested me the whole time made every repetition count.
How to find the right coach
Every coach on this list taught differently. The right one for you depends on what's holding you back. When I meet a new coach, these are some of the questions I ask:
What are the biggest myths and mistakes you see in polo training?
What are the biggest mistakes beginners make when they practice hitting?
Even at the pro level, what mistakes are most common?
What does a progression of exercises look like with you?
If you had four weeks to get me ready for a tournament with a million dollars on the line, what would the training look like?
What stretching or mobility work do polo players need?
A good coach will have specific, thoughtful answers. A great one will ask you questions back.
For more from the road, read what I learned trying to visit every polo club in America. If you're brand new, start with how to start playing polo.
Booking a lesson with a great coach in a new town shouldn't take ten messages. PoloFlow is the app I'm building to fix that. Polo, wherever you are. Join the waitlist.
