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Appeals: Claims by players for a foul generally expressed by the raising of mallets above the head or by a helicoptering motion. Over- demonstrative appealing is considered very bad form.

Backshot backhand swing: changing the flow of play by sending the ball in the opposite- direction

Bowl In : when the umpire starts or resumes a polo match by rolling the ball down the center of a lineup of players, same as throw in

Ball: White, and made of plastic or wood. It weighs four-and-a-half ounces and is three-and-a half inches in diametre.

Bell or hooter: Located at one side of the field. It is rung by the timekeeper to inform umpires when seven minutes of play in a chukka have elapsed.

Bump: A player is permitted to ride off another to spoil his shot or to remove him from the play. The angle of contact must be no more than 45 degrees. The faster the pony travels, the smaller the angle must be. A good bump can shake discs and dentures loose.

Check and turn : To slow the pony and turn safely

Chukka: There are six chukkas (periods) in high-handicap matches, each lasting seven minutes plus up to 30 seconds of overtime. If, during the extra 30 seconds, the ball hits the sideboards or goes out of bounds, or if the umpire blows his whistle for a foul, the chukka is over. There is no overtime at the end of the final chukka unless the score is tied. Players return to the field each chukka with a fresh pony. Chukka comes from the Indian word for a circle or round.

Divots: Turf kicked up by the ponies’ hooves.

Ends: The back lines of a polo pitch. Teams change ends, i.e. switch the halves they defend, each time a goal is scored in order to equalise wind and turf conditions.

Equipment: Hard helmets for players are compulsory. Knee-pads, whips and spurs are optional.

Field: A full size polo field is 300 yards by 160 yards, or the area of three soccer pitches. The goal posts, which collapse on severe impact, are set eight yards apart.

Flagman: An unofficial goal observer appointed to signal by waving a flag over the head if a goal is scored, or under the waist if no goal is scored.

Goal: Any time the ball crosses, at any height, the line between the goal posts, it is considered a goal regardless of who knocks it through, including the pony.

Handicap: All players are rated on a scale of -2 to 10 (the higher the better). Although the word 'goal' is often used after the rating, it bears no relation to the number of goals a player scores in a match, but to his overall playing ability. A player's horsemanship, range of strokes, speed of play, team and game sense are the factors considered in determining his handicap. The team handicap is the sum of its players' handicaps. In handicap matches of six chukkas, the team with the lower handicap is awarded the difference in goals at the start of the game. For example, a 26-goal team would give two goals start to a 24-goal team. For matches other than six chukkas, the side with the lower handicap starts with a number of goals start according to the following formula. The difference in the teams handicaps is multiplied by the number of chukkas to be played and then divided by six. Fractions count as half a goal. For example, a 26 goal team would give a 24 goal team 11/2 goals start in a four chukka match.

Hook: As long as the player is on the same side of the opponent's pony as the ball, he may spoil the opponent's shot by putting his stick in the way of the striking player's.

Knock In: After the ball crosses the backline, the defending team knocks the ball back into play from their own backline

Intervals: Three minute-long rest periods between chukkas. Half-time is five minutes.

Judges: Goal judges are positioned behind each goal to signal whether a goal has been scored. Hard hats are worn for protection.

Knock-in: Should a team hit the ball across the opponent's backline during an attack, the defending team resumes the game with a free hit from the backline where the ball went over. It is equivalent to a goal kick in soccer.

Leave to ride : Gallop past the ball so that the teammate behind can hit it

Line of the Ball: 'Crossing the line' is the most frequent foul in polo. The line of the ball, namely the imaginary line along which the ball travels, represents a right of way for the player following nearest that line. There are strict rules governing opponents entry in to the right of way.

Made pony:: A polo pony that is well trained for polo and has been used in tournaments for some time

Mallet/Stick: The shaft is usually made from bamboo cane and the head from a hard wood. The wide face of the mallet head is used to strike the ball and not the ends, as in croquet. Polo mallets range in length according, principally, to the height of the pony played, and extend from 48 to 54 inches.

Nearside: The left-hand side of the pony.

Neckshot: A ball which is hit under the pony's neck.

Out-of-bounds: When a ball goes over the sideboards, it is considered out-of- bounds. The umpire throws the ball in between the two teams lined up at the point at which it left the field of play. It is equivalent to a throw-in in soccer.

Offside: The right hand side of the pony.

Officials: Two mounted umpires do most of the officiating, with a referee at midfield having the final say in any dispute between the umpires

Pass: To hit the ball forward or laterally to a teammate

Player rating: Players are rated every year by their peers on a scale of -2 to 10 goals. Ratings are based on ability to ride, hit the ball, and perform effective team play

Penalty: A free hit towards goal is awarded when a foul is committed. The hit is taken from a set distance, dependent on the severity of the offence. Distances are as follows:

Penalty 1:....Automatic goal Penalty 2:....30 yards to an open goal Penalty 3:....40 yards to an open goal Penalty 4:....60 yards to a defended goal Penalty 5:....from anywhere on the ground Penalty 5B:..from the centre of the ground

Ponies: Although termed 'ponies' they are in fact horses- ie, above the 14.2 hands height of a normally defined pony. Most are of the Argentinean Criollo breed or pure or cross thoroughbreds. Their main qualities are speed and stamina; the ability to accelerate, stop and turn quickly; and temperaments that are required for the rigours of the game. There is no height limit for the ponies, although most are between 15 and 15.3 hands. Bandages or leg wraps are used for support and protection. Players admit that the pony can account for as much as 80 percent of their overall performance.

Positions: Each of the four team members play in a distinctly different position. Since polo is such a fluid game, players must momentarily change positions, but will try to return to their original assignment.

No. 1:...essentially a goal striker. No. 2:...also a forward, but who plays harder, especially in what refers to defence. No. 3:...the pivotal player between attack and defence who tries to convert each move into an attack. He is usually the highest-rated player on the team. No. 4:...or back, is the most defensive player whose main responsibility is to defend the goal area.

Quartet: The number of players in a team.

Queasy: The feelings a polo player has just before a fall.

Ride-off: Two riders may make contact and push each other off the line to prevent the other from striking the ball. It is primarily intended for the ponies to do the pushing, but a player is allowed to use his body, but not his elbows.

Safety: Also known as a Penalty 6, a safety is awarded when a defending player hits the ball over his own backline, the shot is taken 60 yards out from the backline, opposite the point at which the ball went over. It is equivalent to a corner in soccer and no defender can be nearer than 30 yards from the ball when it is played.

Sideboards: These are nine to eleven inch-high vertical boards along the sidelines only. Such sideboards are optional.

Standings: Polo players are ranked yearly by their peers and their federation on a scale of -2 to 10 goals.

Stick: the polo mallet

Stick and ball: personal practice time

Sudden Death: overtime play when the score is tied at the end of the last regular chukker, the first team to score wins

Swing: hitting the ball with the mallet using one of four basic shots: forehander, backhander, neckshot, tailshot

Tack: all the equipment used on a pony

Tailshots: Hitting the ball behind and under the pony's rump.

Thirdman: The referee sitting at the sidelines who will arbitrate if the two mounted umpires on the field are unable to agree on a foul.

Time-Out: Called by an umpire when a foul is committed, an accident occurs or at his discretion. A player may call time-out if he has broken a key piece of tack or is injured. Changing ponies or for replacing a broken mallet is not allowed during time-out, although a player may do so at any other time.

Treading-In: The replacement of divots of tur at half time. This is the duty of all spectators.

Turn to backhand: hit the ball away from the goal being defended

Umpires: Two mounted umpires (one for each side of the field) who regulate the game. They usually wear striped shirts.

VIP: The team patron.

Wellingtons: Rubber boots ideal for treading round in wet weather. Usually green-coloured.

Wraps: the protective bandages the ponies wear on their legs

Extra-Time: In the event of a tied score at the end of the final chukka, there will be a five-minute break to allow the players to catch their breath and change to a fresh mount before beginning a sudden-death chukka. The first team to score wins. In extra-time, the goal area is usually widened by moving the goal posts an additional 8 yards apart.

Zone (safety): The area around the pitch that is out of bounds for the spectators during play.