# Do polo players post?



## horselover216 (Dec 17, 2013)

Do polo players do the posting trot? I know most of the game is played in the gallop, but do they?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes, the experienced riders post the trot.


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

They post while cantering, too. Not so easy as it looks!


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I don't know for sure, but when I've seen it I've noticed a lot of it is done in a position similar to a two point position so perhaps they stand to the trot a bit. 

They're english riders though, I guess if they're just doing a normal trot they'd rise but not much of the match is done at a normal trot, the trot is mostly a transition.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yep they post the trot and oddly enough some even post the canter. I had a riding instructor (briefly...) who was trying to convince me that I should post the canter too.

That didn't happen.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

erm.. HOW do you post the canter? Do you just rise for the whole thing?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> erm.. HOW do you post the canter? Do you just rise for the whole thing?


Canter is a three beat movement, where as trot is a 2 beat movement. 

When the horse pushes you up, you rise, when gravity brings you down, you stay down. It's really not as 'easy' as posting the trot I've been told due to there being an extra beat.. but I guess they find it useful.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

Yes they do rise to the trot and canter and they do interesting changing horses techniques :lol:


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I used to post the canter, at first to see if it could be done. The horse I was on made it easy to follow his rhythm.


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## updownrider (Mar 31, 2009)

Peter Pletcher displays posting at the canter in this short clip of Unnecessary Drama in the Hunter Ring. 

Unnecessary Drama | Equestrian Coach

Many people use posting at the canter to establish rhythm.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Canter is a three beat movement, where as trot is a 2 beat movement.
> 
> When the horse pushes you up, you rise, when gravity brings you down, you stay down. It's really not as 'easy' as posting the trot I've been told due to there being an extra beat.. but I guess they find it useful.


 Interesting. So I guess you are pretty much in the air during the movement by the sound of it... and I finally learned how to keep my butt IN the saddle cantering :lol:

Completely uneducated guess but it might be easier to control you own movement (swing) if you are creating your own movement (post) as opposed to being controlled by the horses movement. Just like I don't bounce when I post whereas sitting trot you have to relax *into* the bounce. Shrug.

Thanks for the trivia, I hadn't really ever thought about that.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Most of us do post the trot and most do post the canter, at least part of the time. 

I do play with a rider who will do all six of the 7 to 7 1/2 minute chukkers in two-point. She is rare.

When posting the canter, the benefit is if the horse is in the right lead and you are hitting off the right side, when it all comes together you have a great swing with excellent distance. Not always desirable, so not always done.

Players will occasionally post the canter to elongate the stride. Just another cue from us to them.

Many U.S. polo horses are started in western saddles. Many players, trainers, and grooms ride western saddles when exercising one or taking many at once out for a jog. Many polo players around the U.S. own cattle ranches and ride western. Many lucky polo ponies get ridden western in open country and on cattle. It's good for their brains.


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