Orange County Polo Club

Hi,
How do you take an easy-​going horse-​loving family and really piss them off? The answer seems to be to join OC Polo. Let me be clear. Our family loves polo. We love horses. We love the people who play polo. Our kids had planned on going to college to play polo. We even bought polo horses and moved our home to be close to the equine center. We are talking about a major commitment to the only polo club in the area.
So what could go wrong?
The head trainer is bitter and too controlling. This leads to a culture of favoritism and poor performance. The club was a constant source of stress. Our kids came home crying instead of enjoying themselves. The kid’s team is the worst performing team in the area. Our kids were not invited to trail rides with the rest of the kids. The coach also controls the horses and a hefty fee structure.
Then there were the unwritten rules. We apparently got too involved in the care and feeding of our horses. We were told that we took too much of the trainer’s time and therefore she did not have the time to care for our horses. All communication with the coach had been completely professional (I checked the emails). And since the only horses allowed to play in OC Polo are the horses that she cares for, our kids — and horses — were summarily kicked out of polo!
Think about this. Polo horses kick out of polo. We told Heather if she did this, we may have to sell the horses since there is no other polo club around, and that this would be devastating to our children who love their horses. This apparently did not matter.
We had tried cross-​training our horses. The horses loved it btw. This was apparently another unwritten rule not to do – something we only found out too late the first time they tried to kick us out. We agreed to stop cross-​training. So instead we got a basic riding lesson on our own horse from another instructor to just improve our riding abilities. That prompted a second attempt to kick us out. We agreed to stop all lessons from others on our own horse (really?).
Then there was social media. We had posted many positive pictures on FB and IG promoting OC Polo and the sport of polo in general. This was somehow construed as embarrassing to the club and was grounds for dismissal.
Seriously? After all that time, financial and emotional commitment. The trainer’s ego was more important than our children.
Our kids loved polo. They still do. Our kids love the people in polo. And the polo world loves our kids. We represented OC Polo as we played at many polo clubs across Southern California and Arizona. We are now independent polo players, taking a break, and focusing on jumping until a better polo opportunity comes along. We are keeping our polo horses and retraining them to jump because the loss of selling them would be too devastating to the family.
OC Polo is leaving its current location later this year and moving 30 minutes north. Before we couldn’t wait for an OC Polo game; now we can’t wait for them to leave.

Great place to play polo. Very safe and well built arena for polo. I have played here about 5 times. They always take great care of me and my guest.

Wonderful. I have been taking polo lessons from Heather, and she is such a fantastic teacher. She is very attentive, and she ALWAYS goes over 1 hour each time I take a lesson with her! I really feel like she spends a lot of quality time and attention with me. You definitely get your money’s worth here.
The horses are also all very well-​trained, Heather analyzes each individual horse’s behavior and personality, and selects the ones that are demure and well-​behaved. I am never worried about encountering a horse that bites or kicks.
I also enjoy the community aspect when I can see the polo matches. I’ve met nothing but wonderful and friendly people here, and I always enjoy each lesson.

I have always been fascinated by the beauty of Equestrian sport and Polo is an age-​old Sport that incites both elegance and grace with athleticism and style. I was invited by the wonderful Bo and Chris Karp to enjoy the 1^st ever OC Polo Women’s Tournament in Coto de Caza this past Friday that was to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation. When I invited, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Upon arriving what I found were a group of people who not only embraced me but offered me wine, their homemade, home-​cooked fare, and conversation that was personal and beyond intriguing. I met some of the most well educated, high society, lovely human beings and it was truthfully, a highly unexpected night of enlightenment and fun.
For those unfamiliar with the sport, here is a little rundown of what Polo really is: In the equestrian sport of polo the object of the game is to move the polo ball down-​field, hitting it through the goal for a score. Polo is an equestrian team sport, usually played outdoors, with four polo players on each team. A polo field is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide, the largest field in organized sport. A polo match lasts about two hours and is divided into 6 timed periods called chukkers.
What is it like to play polo? Imagine a ball hit so hard that it comes at you at a speed of 110 miles per hour, so fast, you can hardly see it. Your job is to stay at a gallop, get your polo pony in line with the ball, and either pass it ahead to a teammate, or carry the ball down the field for an attempt at goal.
At this particular match, the OC Polo Players were all Female with the exception of one and each player played with heart and athleticism. It’s quite a sport to spectate. It is exciting and active and incredibly graceful. After watching the match unfold, once half-​time arrived, the entertainment was to be a Dog Race. The locals brought their dogs to compete against one another with little tiny «Toy Jockeys» attached to their backs. It was very entertaining! The event helped raise money for Breast Cancer survivors and research, in addition to having a raffle that had some rather extraordinary prizes including a weekend retreat at The Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel and dinner at Chef Richard Sandavol’s restaurant, Raya. There was music by Julie Gribble and Food prepared by Texas Pit BBQ.
I feel honored to have been able to be a part of such a wonderful Event and can now officially say I’m a fan of Equestrian Polo.

They offer a 2 for 1 special on your first lesson!
My gf and I went to a move a month ago, I think it was the one about the girl who loved some guy and she never told him, as you can tell i loved it ;), but they had a scene in the movie where they saw a polo match and she mentioned that she had always wanted to learn to play. Keep in mind she rode show horses for like 8 years so she’s is super comfortable on a horse, as for me I hadn’t been on one in 12+ years and im not the most graceful person on one either lol. So the next day, at work, i got online and found a polo place for us to both learn at and surprised her the next weekend by bringing her here, she didnt think I was serious cause she knows how much I don’t do horse riding haha.
Within one lesson we learned how to hit the ball on the ground and then the very next moment we where up on the horse learning how to hit the ball on a horse, which if you play golf isn’t to bad to learn and if not… well its funny to watch :). Each lesson is an hour (and its 125 for each hour per person, which is kind of on the high side, but there 1 on 1 lessons, which I will pay more for any day, and the instruction is top notch… also when you get better they begin to pair you with players on your level so you can scrimmage during your lessons). On top of learning how to hit, by the end of the lesson they had us playing a 2 on 2 scrimmage! I mean i haven’t been on a horse in forever, and heather and andy are sooo good at teaching you what you need to know, that by the end of the lesson i was riding my ass off and i felt completely comfy on the horse.
Heather and Andy really know what they are talking about, and if any guy wants to learn how to play, Andy really knows the best way to teach you basing it off hockey or tennis or golf motions, and also how to protect you junk and still play well. Also, they club has huge parties all the time and again everyone there is just a blast to be around!
My gf and I both signed up for the buy 5 get 1 free lesson package and both plan on doing another set after it. The other players in the club are really great and there is no drama whatsoever between anyone there… its like a big fraternity, except instead of parties they have polo matches, but don’t worry the beer and other booze is flowing !!! Also, if you have the chance I would suggest plan your first lesson (which is a 2 for 1 offer) before they have a game so you can meet the all important Bo, who is a freaking riot (the first time I met him he had one of those Nike «Bo Knows Best» shirts on)!
P. S. i took my dad for one lesson for the hell of it, cause he actually likes riding horses, and after one lesson he has all ready planned 2 more… so whether you can ride a horse of not, make you way out to the polo club for a bits of high class life in a encouraging and great setting!
Note to self: don’t smack talk heather, no matter how confident you think you are after 4 lessons, she will make you regret each and every word of it :). Looks like I have to up my game or downgrade my smack talk, you know the whole put up of shut up thing, for my next lesson… I think im just going to smack talk harder and try to get into her head more. Wish me luck!

I took an introductory polo class with OC Polo Club. I saw it offered on groupon and I wanted to try something different. The wonderful horses are unfazed by my inexperience.
Did you know that the horses know how to play polo so they’ll help kick the ball sometimes? You have to see it for yourself. You can watch scrimmages and chukkars at the Coto de Caza Equestrian Center. OC Polo has the calendar posted on their website.
Heather and Andy are great people to learn from. Their enthusiasm for the sport is contagious.