Polo Stick And Ball

1.  Summer 2010

• Keep very slow

1.1  2010-06-12 (01)

Exercises

• Warmup
• Cut shots
• Length of pitch
• Neck shots

Problems

• Knees come off as I get tired
• Turning clockwise - inside leg makes hard contact and pushes the pony to the left
• Still riding with my hands
• Neck shots - not committed forward enough

1.2  2010-06-19 (02)

• Helmet cam
• New Pony (Conquita??)

Exercises

• Nothing in particular

Problems

• Pony very sensitive to lower leg
• Not riding with my legs
• Not rewarding the pony
• Off balance, too much lower back

1.3  2010-06-26 (03)

• Helmet cam
• Pony "Ella"

Exercises

• Nothing in particular

Problems

• Dropping out of canter constantly
• Almost came off again
• Damaged lower back

1.4  2010-07-03 (04)

• Helmet cam
• Pony "Faustina"
• Connected with a near-side backhand :)
• Possibly identified the slow-riding problem
  • Bottom of rising canter pulls pony back. Must be more up/down!
    • Nope, that's not it...

Exercises

• Turning
• Closed forehand

Problems

• Dropping out of canter
• Broken mallet?

1.5  2010-07-10 (05)

• Pony "Ella"

Exercises

• Riding, posture, much better
  • Foot eversion
  • Not dropping into the saddle after rising canter
  • Dorsi-flexed ankles, lower leg angle
  • Reins much lighter when turning; off otherwise

Problems

• No balls on the pitch

1.6  2010-07-11 (06)

• Abandoned
• Pony "Ella"
• No balls on the pitch

1.7  2010-07-17 (07)

• Pony "Ella"
• Reasonable Stick & Ball
• Couple of good runs.

1.8  2010-07-24 (08)

• Pony "Faustina"
• Still some problems keeping canter going
• Some good long runs
• Near-side still weak (Should be right lead to avoid fouling)
• Open backhand and Tail shot need more work

1.9  2010-08-22 (09)

• Pony "Seany"
• Very good session
• Stopping and turning need improvement

1.10  2010-08-28 (TODO) (10)

1.11  2010-09-04 (11)

• Pony "Seany"
• Near side shots
  • Very poor, not getting forward (and low) enough
  • Bend at the hips
  • Angle wrist as if hitting away

1.12  2010-09-08 #1 (TODO) (12)

1.13  2010-09-08 #2 (TODO) (13)

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2.  Winter 2010/2011

2.1  2010-10-30 (14)

• Pony "Max"
• Arena orientation - getting used to the weight of the ball
• Compensating for poor riding by stretching beyond my centre!
• Mallet head kept turning

2.2  2010-11-06 (15)

• Pony "Max"
• Good session
• Good rhythm
• Flying changes
• Good twist on off side

Problems

• Poor timing of neck shots
• Failing to twist on near side

2.3  2010-11-13 (16)

2.4  2010-11-20 (17)

2.5  2011-01-08 (18)

2.6  2011-01-15 (19,20)

• Two stick and ball sessions
• Somewhat ragged. Using a broken mallet in the first.

2.7  2011-03-05 (21)

2.8  2011-03-11 (22,23)

2.9  2011-03-17 (24,25)

2.10  2011-04-01 (26)

• Pony "Seany"

2.11  2011-04-02 (27,28)

• Pony "Faustina"
  • Stumbled and rolled early on
  • Impossible to stop
  • Mostly off-side shots
• Pony "Apple"
  • Some excellent fast runs
  • Near-side practice

Problems

• In half-seat way too much putting strain on my back and stopping and turning slower.
• Near side: Not accelerating the swing means my hand is ahead of the mallet
• Swing is outside-to-in when not concentrating
• Not getting my weight on to my left heel

2.12  2011-04-06 (29)

• TODO

2.13  2011-04-23 (30)

2.14  2011-04-29 (31,32)

• New Zappala mallets

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3.  Summer 2011

3.1  2011-05-06 (33,34)

• Pony "Apple"
  • Very busy field - Jamie and varsity players
• Pony "Maximo"
  • Broncking initially
  • Had Hayfever
  • Difficult to Stick and Ball
  • Ran off when I started collecting balls on foot

Problems

• Near side still not getting my weight into my heel
• Leaning too far out or forward, rather than twisting

3.2  2011-05-11 (35)

• Pony "Apple"
• Riding with stirrups too long
• Not such a bad session after all (Greater expectations!)
• Turning the ball is improving
  • Managed to turn on the near-side (on purpose though?)

Notes

• React sooner to mishits

Problems

• Taking my eye off the ball
• Topping the ball
• Near-side not rotating, not allowing the mallet to swing