POLOCROSSE
© 1998 Francis J. Wolfe
78 Little York Road
Warwick, NY 10990

Polocrosse Equipment

Like any sport polocrosse requires the use of specialized equipment. Most of the items required for polocrosse would be found in a person's tack whether they played polocrosse or not. Every required piece of equipment is for the safety of the horse or rider.

The horse must have bell boots and either polo wraps or galloping boots on all four legs. This is to protect them during close contact plays. If a player does not wrap his horse correctly and the leg wraps come loose during play then the umpire will call time out, the wraps will be fixed and the other team will get the ball. The horse must have a breastplate on to keep the saddle from sliding back during the match. Any bridle which has long or protruding side bars is prohibited. Since the horse is 80% of the game great care is taken to insure that it's equipment is safe and in good condition.

The riders must wear a helmet with a secure chin harness and a flexible or snap-off brim. The players on a team will wear matching colors with their number clearly displayed on their back. Normal riding attire is worn.

A polocrosse racquet is usually about three to four feet long with a loose twisted thread net in which the ball is carried. The original raquets were a squash racquet head attached to a polo mallet shaft. The normal shaft is made of cane which gives when picking a ball off the ground and so is less likely to break. Players will spend hours adjusting their nets in order to achieve the perfect balance between a net which is deep enough to keep the ball once it is picked up and yet shallow enough to be able to throw and pass quickly and accurately. Polocrosse racquets cost $65-120 plus postage depending upon the model.

The ball is about four inches in diameter and made of sponge rubber with a thick skin. It is soft and bounces well on most surfaces. Polocrosse balls cost $20-25 plus postage.