This is the first time I've heard of a polo player drawing blood like that. Does anyone else know of this happening with other players?
Sorry I'm jumping in a bit late, but yes. I've been playing polo for a number of years (see my user name, etc). Horses get injured playing polo. It's a contact sport. People get injured, draw blood, break bones, and badly jam part of their bodies. Injury to horses is dealt with
much more quickly than injuries to players. If a player is still capable of continuing to play without risk of further harm to himself or others, play continues. Polo does not have sideline coaches, time-outs, or substitute humans to allow this. If a horse is injured, all bets are off. Play is stopped as soon as a.) it is noticed b.) it is safe to all involved to stop the game.
Understand that anyone- the press or people commenting on the story- who would make a statement about Harry's use of spurs either does not understand polo in particular and competitive horseback riding in general or is in the FAR conservative majority who doesn't believe half the equipment used in polo should be used with horses, anyway. To anyone inside the sport, the notion that someone would comment on whether a
particular players should use a
particular piece of equipment on a
particular pony is laughable. Every pony is an individual, and, like one would with any teammate, the riders who play on these ponies know them inside and out.
It takes a lot to make a horse "squeal" in pain would take one heck of a force, and it would leave a much bigger mark than this. Horses squeal in warning, or surprise, or perhaps when a huge (think broken leg) injury is endured. They are sensitive animals in a lot of ways, but they are also very large and tough. Still, it is much easier than you'd think to draw blood. Most things that nick a horse can draw blood, but it is a shallow wound and the animal usually does not notice it. It is deeper cuts that are a concern. We were on the side of caution when it comes to our ponies, which is why play was stopped for this one.
Harry may be a prince, but in this sport the pony is the king. I guarantee you, Harry did not rise to this level of play without knowing and acting on this concept.