Backing up
Never ride two players at the same ball. The second player sits behind, so a missed shot or a hook does not turn into a breakaway.
The key points
- One player commits, the next covers behind them.
- The cover sits 20 to 30 yards back, on the same line.
- Without it, one hook by the opposition puts them through with nobody home.
In the app this play is animated, and you can spin the pitch and read the rule behind it.
See it move
See this play animated on the pitch, and test yourself on the rules behind it.
Every rule here is stated in our own words, with short quoted extracts from the HPA Blue Book 2026 and Green Book 2025 and a link to the book itself. Polo Rules Test is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Hurlingham Polo Association. In any dispute the published rulebook governs.