Course
Uneven Ride Off


Why Uneven Ride Off is a Rule

Rough Play: A player may ride off an opponent provided that the ponies are travelling at the same speed, are shoulder to shoulder and come together at a safe angle. When riding off, the elbow must be kept close to the side and a player may not push with the head, hand, arm, or elbow another player.
Dangerous Riding: Riding off at such an angle as to endanger a player or a pony or unbalance the pony, or in front of or behind the saddle, or when the speed difference between both players could cause danger.
Uneven ride off is a rule to ensure safety of both player and pony. Uneven ride offs are potentially dangerous and come under the auspices of the dangerous riding rule. When blowing a foul for an uneven ride off, speed and angle are the determining factors.

How the Uneven Ride Off Rule is Applied

The uneven ride off is treated the same, whether it is an attacking player or a defending player. The main determining factor for an uneven ride off, is deciding on who the aggressor is or who initiated the contact that caused the ride off to be uneven.      

Procedure of the Uneven Ride Off Rule

The penalty for breaking this rule is always a foul against the offending team. In this case, the advantage rules should not be used.

The outcome and ball placement following an uneven ride off depends on various factors. The severity of the ride off and the repercussions, and also on field position of both players. The ball placement can be anything from a penalty five A on the spot to a penalty 1.

Also, with uneven ride offs. as it comes under the auspices of dangerous riding, there is the potential for yellow, double yellow or red cards to be involved. 

The game is started with a penalty hit in favour of the team fouled.

The Uneven Ride Off Rule at Different Levels of Polo


There is very little difference in the interpretation of uneven ride offs at high goal and low goal polo. There is a greater prevalence of uneven ride offs in low goal polo due to the difference in horse quality, but uneven ride offs in high goal polo have a greater degree of danger due to the pace of the game.

The most common errors a player makes when making an uneven ride off are misjudging speed and distance.

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