If you have any questions that are not answered on this page, feel free to reach out to any of our officers under the Meet the Officers tab.

Do I need my own horse to join?

No! The club provides all horses that are used during riding and chukkers nights. We have a string of about 20 horses ranging in skill levels from beginner to advanced. There is a horse for everyone!

Do I need to know how to ride a horse to join?

No! You do not need to have any riding or polo experience in order to join! We will teach you everything you need to know. Our horses range in skill levels, from beginner to advanced, so we are able to assign you with horses that best fit your abilities.

What do I need to provide for myself?

You must have closed toed shoes, preferably a boot or shoe with a heel, and long pants. You may bring your own helmet, but the club does provide helmets if you do not own one. Everything else, including tack, grooming supplies, and equipment, is all provided by the club.

What if all of the riding slots fill up?

Riding slots are given away on a first come, first serve basis. Whoever responds to the signup email fastest gets the slot. However, if you do end up getting waitlisted on a riding night, you will be given priority for the next night you sign up regardless of who sent an email before you. Typically, attendance is very high the first 2-3 weeks and then dies down a bit.

What if I absolutely can not make Monday night tack cleaning, but still want to participate in chukkers?

If there is absolutely no way you can make it Monday night, your options are to sign up for a weekly feeding shift which will cover your chore or you must contact our Vice President directly and ask how else you can make up a barn chore. We do prefer it if everyone just comes on Monday to collectively help out. We will not keep you for more than an hour if you are on time.

What is the difference between club and team?

Our organization has members classified under club members and team members. Anyone who wants to join can join as a club member. You don’t have to know how to play or ride. You don’t even have to have seen a horse in real life before. We will teach you everything from the ground up. We have ponies ranging all skill levels that give us the ability to do this. Team members are those who play on our competitive team representing us to other universities. Most of the time, these people are those who come to A&M to play polo and must try out to be accepted.

What is the barn dress code?

Closed toed shoes are a must for everyone who enters the barn. Some kind of boot or shoe with a heel is preferred for riding. Long pants are also required for riding.

Why can’t we play polo more than one night per week?

As with jumping, barrel racing, and other high intensity sports, we can not ask our horses to play polo everyday. Therefore, we designate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to allow the ponies to be played (Mondays and Fridays for team practice). Also, we are required by Rec Sports to have a medic present when we are playing. These medics are used by all of the sports clubs at A&M and due to the sheer number of clubs we have, these medics are short staffed so we can not ask them to come out any more than they already do. We appreciate your understanding.

Where does our money go?

For those of you who are curious, the online portion of your dues goes into an account managed by our sports club advisor, Keith Joseph. This account is used to pay for the horse’s vet and feed bills. The in-person portion is brought to the Treasurer and is used to pay for hay and farrier bills as well as other miscellaneous items such as new hoof picks, hoses, sweat scrapers, polo balls, etc.

Why do you call them polo ponies if they are horses?

Honestly just because it sounds better and that is how they have been commonly referred to. In the past, when the sport was emerging, shorter horses were preferred for the game, but current day riders are now using taller mounts. We do not actually have any ponies at all. They are all full-sized horses. This can be compared to people referring to their dogs as puppies even though they are already fully grown.

What is a Chukker?

A chukker is the name for the periods that a game of polo is divided into. A typical polo game is divided into four chukkers that each last 7 1/2 minutes for a total playing time of 30 minutes.