Polo history is as old as uncertain.

There are several theories about how and when he started practicing, however what
is clear is that its origin in Asia and that should take place shortly after the tribes They roamed the steppes of Central
Asia domesticated the horse for the first time. Some Historians believe that its origins date back to the previous Iranian
tribes to the reign of Darius I Great (521- 485. C) and others that this took place in 600 B.C. in Persia. Both theories are
based on numerous documents, drawings, works of art and literature about Polo which today can be found in major
European museums.

The armies that fight across the Asian steppes did to horse and with them, as something innate did the primitive game
of Polo which was adopted by kings and caliphs as the noblest of sports. The Polo served to keep fit both men and
horses, however, between this primitive form of play and today there are big differences. Suffice to say that in the
involved parties an unlimited number of players so that in the end the court He was going to become a real battlefield
and that too, was a form of see the warrior caste confront when "the enemy."

Soon this new sport began to spread westwards through Constantinople and east towards Tibet and China. In none of
the places that extended the game was played in the same way, each country played it his way, or the difference that
existed between the forms of mallets or by the material they were made bowls . The Persians for example warriors
boasted of using the skulls of their enemies, while Tibetans, much less aggressive, used as raw material wood willow or
"Pulu" (a term which originated the word Polo).

Korea and Japan also welcomed the Polo as a noble sport and soon the royals of both countries began to play making it a
Real pastime. Its expansion came to Egypt with the Arab conquest of Asia Minor. Interestingly not spread to Europe by
the Crusaders even though under the Byzantine Empire came to Constantinople .. The Muslim conquerors on the
contrary if they took him with them to the east, reaching India, where he started playing in the Middle Ages. In 1854
Lieutenant Joe. F Sherrer was sent to India on a political mission and during his stay there had a chance to see play a
game on horseback Manipuri they called "Kanja-i-Bazee". The British military was excited and soon ventured to learn to
play and to teach other officers in order to practice assiduously. In Manipur polo was the favorite sport of the people
and in no case was reserved for the highest echelons of society.

Five years later Scherrer was sent by the Superintendent Stewart to Cachar, where the Indians practiced since ancient
times pole and British officers posted there regularly played it under the name of "hockey on horseback". In 1863 the
first Polo Club, which was named "Silchar Polo Club" or "Cachar Kanjai Club" was founded.

For years the British promoted the game of Polo in all garrisons cavalry as one of the most suitable exercises for officers.
They made this sport school knights, for him regimented and establishing order and discipline.

How he first played the Pole on British soil that by 1869 being the 10th Hussars maneuvers in Aldershot at a time of rest,
one of the officers who was leafing through a copy of the magazine "The Field" in which appeared on a party chronic
happened in India, he urged his colleagues to try this new sport. Hartopp that was his name, organized a first meeting
with troop horses and armed with walking sticks and a ball of cricket. The first game of Polo whose review appears in the
English press dates from 1871 and was published in the Morning Post. In 1873 the first polo club was established in
England, called Hurlingham and followed, given the incessant number of fans that they joined the same another great
club, Ranelagh. In those years, there was a Spanish family that developed its business in England and had also managed
to become part of the exquisite Victorian society of the time. It was the Murrieta, who possessed a magnificent property
in the county of Kent where they cultivated with great success his fondness for equestrian sports. They were among the
first who played in 3 Polo England and of course the first Spaniards who knew the sport. Thanks to them in 1870 Pedro
Nolasco Gonzalez, Jerez and vintner and by then very young, knew what was the Pole. His father had a close friendship
with Cristobal de Murrieta and taking advantage of studying in England Peter invited him home to spend the holidays ,.
There he began to see how the children of Cristobal de Murrieta played with them and attended several of the most
interesting games of the season. The result was that enthused and learned all he could, so that on his return to Spain,
Jerez, organized her friends to learn and created the Jerez Polo Club that years later would become Real Club de Polo
Jerez .. in the same way, Enrique Ibarrola whose tutor was none other than Cristobal de Murrieta and also studied in
England, lived some years later the same experience as Pedro Gonzalez with the same result. Full of enthusiasm and
fondness organized in Barcelona, friends and fans and founded some time after the Barcelona Polo Club which like the
Jerez Club also had the honor of having the honorary presidency of Alfonso XIII, expert horseman and great fan of Polo
who maintained a good friendship with Pedro N. González (Marqués de Torresoto). The Spanish monarch, promoted the
Polo inside and outside Spain, the first "modern" monarch in practice it publicly. His father Alfonso XII, had built a field in
the Real Casa de Campo de Madrid is recorded in the files that was in 1876 when he played there for the first time. At
first the games were developed between the King and his closest friends but never publicly friends. It was just a hobby
he shared with his friends privately. Years after the untimely death of the monarch, in 1893, a group of fans began to
play on the road Bibiesca- Vallecas, in the meadow call Moratalá in a very bad field that belonged to an artillery
maneuver area. Given the large number of fans and dimensions began to take the game, it decided to create a company
and choose an appropriate field events that led to the creation of the Madrid Polo Club which later give rise to Real
Puerta de Hierro Polo Club.

Also we can not ignore the important role played by the Marquess of Villavieja polo player in the international scene
since the late nineteenth century.

Manuel Escandon, then Marquess of Villavieja, who lives in France had a great fondness for Polo and thanks to his innate
organizational skills created purely Spanish teams that competed in the most important fields of Europe garnering four
many triumphs, also participated in the creation and arrangement Polo several fields like Bagatelle in Paris and the Club
of Ostend in Belgium. Under his orders on the court played primarily his two brothers Pablo and Eustaquio Escandon,
Luis de Errazu, the Duke of Santoña, Leopoldo Larios and Alfredo de las Casas primarily, although he shared court with
many other famous people of the time.

About the Olympic Games and the Polo can say briefly that scored an Olympic discipline in 1900 and in that same year
although Spain was not involved with any team, there were several Spaniards who did as members of other teams
helping these to get very good results. The Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920 counted for the first time with an official
polo team representing Spain. Team members were the Marques de Villabrágima, the Duke of Peñaranda, the Conde de
la Maza and the Duke of Alba. Thanks to his good play got the silver medal for Spain.

Santander, Bilbao, Puigcerda, Seville, Cordoba and Granada also counted on polo fields in which numerous awards from
different consideration played for years, the most important ones that have greater social impact. We must also
highlight the role of the military Polo which was very important since it became something "almost official" within the
military. The Polo had moments of great activity that in some cases were interrupted by the political and social
circumstances affecting Spain at different times. In the mid-sixties creating the first polo field in Sotogrande by Enrique
Zobel he opened a vast panorama of opportunities for this sport, which today are filled, as Sotogrande has become the
flagship Polo Spain and a benchmark in Europe, hosting the most important tournaments of the summer season and
with clubs like the Santa Maria, which has nine fields spread in three fields diferentes.Así same, the Polo is starring in a
new boom in that is evident today in cities like Seville, for example, where there are already many private courts that
host tournaments throughout the year, given the wonderful climate of the area.
The taco. It is made of a bamboo stick and a head "cigar" wood. There are also graphite. Its length varies between 119
and 137 cm.

Noggin. Is made of plastic. Unlike all global tournaments, bocce Argentina Triple Crown wood are used. It has a diameter
between 7.6 and 8.9 cm and weighs between 99 and 127.5 grams.

- Hull: must be rigid on the outside and padded inside to protect the head from blows or falls rider. It also serves to
identify the player. Some helmets may include a face shield or mask.

- Riding boots: usually are brown leather and protect the player's legs shock that could lead to serious injury. They have
a small taco that provides the necessary grip so that the feet are securely attached to the stirrups. They can not have
spurs, studs or buckles.

- Knee pads: like boots are used to protect the player's legs possible tacazos, bochazos or falls. Also they protect them if
they are taken by another player on defense.

- Gloves: guard the rider's hands and improve grip the cue and the reins.

- Coderas: provide protection for elbows player to knocks or drops.

- Protective goggles: the player provide security and protection against possible impacts or shocks.

- Taco measuring approximately 1.30 meters, is flexible, and is always used in the right hand. Even left-handed players
must comply with this rule.

- Whip: is flexible and lightweight. It is used to direct and control the horse.