Beach Polo (& new member intro)

[Tammy]

Hi all! I've just joined your group and am in the Charleston, SC area. I dont play polo and I dont compete, but I dearly love my horses (American Quarter Horse & Tennessee Walker/AQH cross) and am in awe of all things relating to equine athletes.

I work in management for a residential resort community. Last week the idea of our hosting a polo match on the beach came up. This is a reknowed golf & tennis resort - tho horse races were held on the beach years ago, and tho wild horses once grazed here, this would be a new venture for us. I joined your community in hopes of learning more about this particular genre of the sport, from both the organizer's perspective and the players'. Of course the experienced locals will be able to help us with much, but they also dont have the background of a nationally known resort. So I'm interested in health & safety of the athletes (human & equine) and spectators, logistical needs, what works, what doesnt. It also seems to me that a July or August match on the beach in SC would be incredibily hot for the athletes! They are bringing out a few horses this week to test sand compaction for play. Anyway, any advice or direction you can point me in to do further research would be much welcomed!

Many thanks,
Tammy, Kiawah Island SC (www.kiawahisland.com, www.kiawahresort.com, www.kica.us)

[bruce cowley]

Tammy
Relax!
Trust me, players will take good care of their own horses. And as for the human athletes - polo was created long before 'health & safety' and thank god it's about the only thing one can still do, in this increasingly dull world, where health and safety take a back seat to fun.