SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Equestrian Gallery
      • Stallions
      • Horses & Ponies for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Monday, August 24 2015 / Published in Sidelines Feature

Polo Dogs: A Polo Player’s Best Friend

By Kerstie Allen

Kerstie’s dog Charlie, a Heeler/Kelpie cross, sits patiently as Kerstie (wearing her boots) prepares to play polo.

Kerstie’s dog Charlie, a Heeler/Kelpie cross, sits patiently as Kerstie (wearing her boots) prepares to play polo.

They bark, shed hair and steal polo balls, but many polo players wouldn’t make it without their dogs. August 26th has been named National Dog Day each year — a great time to say thanks and celebrate!

No equestrian is complete without our loyal sidekick, the dog. Big or small — they come in all sizes and most of us have more than one. Some are barn mascots, others are socialites, and often they’re more famous and recognized around the polo circuit than movie stars.

Polo matches are a great place to bring your entire family, including the four-legged members. Tailgating field-side to watch polo and meet others with a similar passion can be a great experience for both humans and their canines. Dogs, however, must be contained during game time for their own safety and that of the players.

When the half-time whistle blows, it’s time to stomp divots (dirt clods) and let the dogs run. The half-time intermission is a 10-minute break for the polo players to rest and have a team meeting, regrouping for the final chukkers of the game. Many true polo fans bring foot mallets — smaller-sized mallets that allow you to practice your polo skills on foot. What better than a retriever to return the ball to your feet for endless practice shots?

While some dogs enjoy the festivities, others enjoy strutting their creative outfits accessorized to match their owners’ “pretty woman” outfits. Whether they’re purebreds wearing diamond collars, mutts in ragged bandanas or minis in knitted cashmere sweaters, each dog has a big personality and loves to be a part of the polo world. They jump at the chance to walk around the 10-acre field with their owners as they replace the divots created by the galloping horses, helping to repair the field for the last half of the polo game.

Many dogs in the polo world have more frequent flyer miles than most people in America. They travel coast to coast with the seasons, and many also fly with their owners to overseas polo. I’m not sure I would’ve made the long hauls across the county without my best friend Charlie, a Heeler/Kelpie cross. She’s the best road trip companion anyone could ask for. Never a day goes by that she isn’t happy to head to the barn, just like a child going to Disneyland for the first time. It’s amazing what a huge role our dogs play in our lives. They’re loyal till the end. As the saying goes, “I could only wish I was half the person my dog thinks I am.”

Charlie, always a cheerleader, gives Kerstie a kiss.

Charlie, always a cheerleader, gives Kerstie a kiss.

About the writer: Kerstie Allen is a native of Melbourne, Australia. Her passion for horses has taken her on a worldwide adventure exploring and mastering nearly every discipline in the equestrian world and opening doors of opportunity for women everywhere. Follow Kerstie’s adventures at: Twitter: @kerstiea; Facebook fan page: Kerstie Allen; and Instagram: allenkerstie.

Share this page:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Tagged under: kerstie-allen, national dog day, passion-for-polo, polo dogs

What you can read next

Britt Larson: Dignity, Respect and Opportunity Matter
Jill Treece: From a Stable of Stuffed Animals to Life as An Eventer
Polo’s Nic Roldan: Making a Difference On and Off the Field

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Stallion Gallery

Visit Stallion Gallery

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • STARR VAUGHN EQUESTRIAN HOME OF DONARWEISS
    Fresh & Frozen Semen Dressage training, Clinics, Sales Foal & Field Board, Lay Overs Michele & Genay Vaughn 916-869-7942 • Elk Grove, CA www.svequestrian.com Starr Vaughn Equestrian
    Svequestrian GenayVaughn

    [Read more]

  • LESLEY WARD, REALTOR®
    Bluegrass Homes and Horse Farms 859-361-3246 www.biedermanrealestate.com

    [Read more]

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • “Jump for the Children” Benefit Horse Show Celebrates 40 Years & Over $3 Million to Duke Children’s
  • Woodside Recognizes the Best in the West
  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • From Wild to World Equestrian Center: Chincoteague Ponies Make a Splash, Delight Fans Ahead of Centennial Pony Swim
  • Madison Tsakanikas: Turning Heart Horses Into Timeless Art
  • Mary Bess Davis: Her Rocky Road to the USA Eventing Nations Cup Team

Category

Recent Posts

  • From Wild to World Equestrian Center: Chincoteague Ponies Make a Splash, Delight Fans Ahead of Centennial Pony Swim

    Story by Susan Friedland Photos by Carolyn Rikj...
  • Madison Tsakanikas: Turning Heart Horses Into Timeless Art

    By Shya Beth There are so many things about bei...
  • Mary Bess Davis: Her Rocky Road to the USA Eventing Nations Cup Team

    By Helen Townes Portraits by Kacy Brown Eventer...
  • Sarah Mills: Success From Scratch 

    By Tori Kistler Portraits by Becky Henderson Gr...
  • Brianna Meighan: Embracing Her Role as a Pony Mom

    By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Melissa Fuller T...

Copyright © 1987 - 2025  Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!