Hooking
Last updated: August 2026
In the Rulebook
Where “Hooking” appears in the official rules of the sport, quoted verbatim.
HPA — Hurlingham Polo Association
“Hooking. A player may hook legitimately the stick of an opponent at the same time as the opponent is being ridden off by a team mate. h. Dangerous Play. A player who is holding the ball should be penalised if he is judged to have created the danger by then playing a full shot into a player or pony who has positioned himself legitimately. i. Unsportsmanlike Conduct.”
“HOOKING. No player may hook an opponent's stick unless on the same side of the opponent's pony as the ball, or in a direct line behind, and the stick is neither over, nor under, nor across any part of the opponent's pony, nor between a pony's legs. All of the stick of the player being hooked must be below his shoulder, he must be in the act of hitting the ball and his stick must not be hooked or struck with excessive force.”
USPA — United States Polo Association
“The mallet may not be hooked or struck unless the opponent is in the act of hitting at the ball, or in the act of hooking or striking the player's mallet. The act of hitting at the ball shall include both the upward and downward phases of the stroke. The mallet may be hooked or struck but not with excessive force and only when the opponent is about to hit the ball and the mallet head is below the shoulder of the opponent.”
“made below the level of the mount's back (except that at the option of the Host Tournament Committee in Events with a lower handicap limit of 12 or more goals, a player may hook or strike the mallet of an opponent with the mallet provided that the hooking player's mallet head is below the level of the shoulder of the player being hooked). b. A player may not reach over, under, in front of, or behind another's mount. c. A player may not strike another's mount with the mallet.”
“The mallet shall not be used in a dangerous or abusive manner whether in the act of hooking or hitting at the ball. The player should be held accountable for the use of his or her mallet unless another player is clearly at fault by riding into the stroke. 28. IMPROPER USE OF MALLET d...EXAMPLES: Red and Blue ride parallel, but not in contact, toward the ball. Blue prepares for a neck shot and strikes Red's mount on the downswing. Foul Blue- Red was safely positioned before the stroke began.”
Excerpts quoted from the official rulebooks of the Hurlingham Polo Association, the United States Polo Association and the Federation of International Polo. Rules change between seasons — always check the linked source for the current wording.
More Strategy Terms
View allHook
A defensive move where a player uses their mallet to interfere with an opponent's swing. Must be done safely below shoulder height.
Bend it
An advanced shot where the player bends the ball around an opponent by striking it off-center, creating a curved trajectory.
Ride-off
A legal maneuver where a player uses their horse to push an opponent off the line of the ball. Requires proper angle and contact.
Pechada
A controlled body check or bump in polo, using horse-to-horse contact to push an opponent off the line.
Taco
A back shot in polo, hitting the ball behind you. Also the Spanish word for heel referencing the mallet angle.
Tail Shot
A shot played behind and under the pony's tail. One of the more difficult shots requiring precise timing.
FAQs about "Hooking"
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