Professional Riding: Polo

Different types of the sport:
Arena and outdoor polo. Read about the history of polo at http://www.hpa-polo.co.uk/about/history_polo.asp.

Horses needed – number:
As a beginner, 1-2 horses should do suffice to practice on and play matches. This can increase to 4 as your level progresses and even stables of 10+.

Costs involved:
Horse care – tack, polo equipment – helmut, boots kneeguards and mallets, shoeing regularly, vet bills, rugs, feeding and stabling. Game entries, tuition.

Rules of game:
Arena polo is made up of 4 chukkas (each 7 minutes in length) with teams swapping horses and goal ends at the end of each chukka. Indoor is played with 3 players per team on a field 300 x 150 feet.

Outdoor polo is played on a field of 160 x 300 yards – 10 times the size of an official arena. There are four players to each team and goal ends are changed each time a team scores a goal. There are six chukkas in outdoor polo. More horses are needed for outdoor as it is a faster, more demanding and longer played game.

Links to associations:
http://www.aapolo.com/ - Argentina Polo Association
http://www.us-polo.org/ - United States Polo Association
http://www.hpa-polo.co.uk/ - The governing body of polo in the UK, Ire and other countries worldwide.
http://www.sapolo.org.za/ - South African Polo
http://www.australianpolo.com.au/ - Australian Polo Association
http://www.fippolo.com/ - Federation of International Polo
http://www.polo.org.nz/ - New Zealand Polo Association

The game is fast paced and no doubt requires a decent amount of time and money to invest in horses! The financial rewards may not be the amount invested into polo, but many would argue the thrill of the game is award enough.

"A polo handicap is a persons ticket to the world." - Sir Winston Churchill

Equine Dentistry

I have a mate who’s considered pursuing this career path with horses – in between stud work, polocrosse and farriery. He’s mentioned that to get into training in Australia can be difficult as not many are taken in each year to receive formal training. Still, I’d never really followed up possibilities or thought about this profession. Have found a few courses and listed information below.
Anatomy has always interested me and suddenly a 3 month course in New Zealand seems a perfect way to focus on that interest and visit a country I really want to see.

New Zealand:
3 Month course, limited places.
Based in Pukekohe in the Franklin District, 50kms south of Auckland City Centre, NZ., accommodation provided. Application form on site.
Cost: NZ$20,000 (Aus$17,800 / USD$14,800 - converted at xe.com)
http://www.equinedentistryschool.co.nz/

Idaho, USA:
2 day – 2 week courses. Application form on site.
Cost: USD$400 - $4,400
http://www.equinedentalacademy.com/

The American School of Equine Dentistry:
Virginia, USA. 4 week intensive Introduction to Equine Dentistry Course. Application on site.
Cost: USD$5,500 (plus $650 including accommodation)
http://www.amscheqdentistry.com/

College of Equine Dentistry, Australia:
Located near Gunnedah, New South Wales. Courses offered in January, June and October annually. Application form on site.
http://www.equinedentistry.com.au/

Equine Dentistry Information Site:
http://www.hanne.com/
International Association of Equine Dentistry:
http://www.iaedglobal.com/

"The Horse... If God made anything more beautiful he kept it for himself!"

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch

Currently, the most rewarding thing about horses is the fact that you will always learn about them.

It's impossible to know everything about them. I hope that in the future, the most rewarding thing for me will be teaching others all I have learnt and am learning about this gorgeous animal and nursing back to health neglected equines.

There are so many people that own and work with horses that have a terrible ignorance and it almost seems that we should have a license to be able to work with or own any animal. Some are so badly neglected, I'm always asking if the person that let them get in that state meant well, but just didn't know enough. It appears to be the same way with children at times, too.

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch is a property run by Kim Meeder and her husband Troy. The pair work together to influence abused and neglected children while at the same time nursing back to health horses in the same condition. Thanks to an ever alert mother, I was given a copy of Kim's book - Hope Rising and loved the stories between the pages.

What better cause can one give to than a child or animal's life being restored?

"Follow a horse where no one else can tread, through the minefield of pain that surrounds a broken child's soul." - Kim Meeder, Hope Rising.

http://www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org/