This week’s Adventure Arkansas we take on part two with the NWA Polo Club, but this time from horseback.
Saddle Check. Tails wrapped Check. Bridle Check.
It takes a full crew to get these horses ready for the game of polo.
Once they were ready I had to be trained on the technique of hitting.
Then we were polo bound!
Their mission…
“To educate people about the sport, promote it, and then create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience it,” said Koehler.
From the first timers…
“Baptism by fire… some of the tactics around riding the horse, the positioning of my feet, how I sit in the saddle, how I post.. I feel better about those things today and I think my game is better just because of that,” said Haulcy.
“They will work to help that new player understand the rules and put them in a place to be successful so that they can enjoy the game and then continue to learn,” said Koehler.
To the more seasoned players…
“So it’s intense but it’s a great workout and I highly recommend it as a physical sport,” said Gardner.
This game requires both athleticism and brains…
“Polo is like hockey on horseback, but it also requires the skill and strategy like chess and golf,” said Koehler.
And your relationship with the horse is just as important as your teammates.
“He has been playing polo a lot longer than I have so he knows what he is doing and he is a great partner,” said Gardner.
“Understanding and connecting with the horse and at the same time learning the game, learning all of the rules of the game and scoring a goal is awesome,” said Haulcy.
Both Cedric and Kevin highly recommend it too.
“It’s an amazing sport,” said Haulcy.
“It’s easy to learn, it's accessible, it's more affordable than you think, and it’s a great way to meet folks,” said Gardner.
“It’s all consuming you really feel like a sense of release and you kind of forget any troubles or anything that was on your mind and there is just a really great feeling from that and then with the comradery with the people is also really rewarding,” said Koehler.
“So it’s something different and exciting to do, it’s a great workout, great physical activity, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Gardner.
For this week’s Adventure Arkansas, I’m Megan Graddy.
For more information about the NWA Polo Club, click here!
To follow them on social, click here!
Segment Sponsored By: Adventure Subaru