Originally developed to improve riding skills in a manège, horseball was dreamed up 20 years ago by a French rugby-playing riding instructor, and caught on in England in the 1990s.
Teams of four play two 10min chukkas, aiming to make three consecutive passes using a football-sized ball with leather handles, before shooting it through a hoop.
Players retrieve a dropped ball using the precarious-looking technique of sliding from the saddle and scooping it up by hand, helped by a strap connecting the stirrups.
The game is played in an indoor or outdoor manège the size of an international dressage arena, key elements being accurate rugby-style passing, good tackling, team tactics and athleticism. Although the sport played by equal numbers of men and women, the physical demands mean that men dominate at international level.
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Horseball Fact File
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Selling point: one of the few sports where a rider can represent his country without spending megabucks
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Where: across England
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When: April to October, training days held all year round
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Entry: normally £27.50 per tournament
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Participants 2002/2000 season: 350/150
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Current age range: 8-54
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Extra gear required: standing martingale (£18), four overreach boots (£9), four bandages (£15-20), stirrup strap (£15-£35)
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Restrictions: junior league players (16 and under) must ride ponies less than 148cm, open league mounts (any aged player) must stand more than 148cm
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Where in the world: France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, UK
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Future prospects: many more “have a go” days are planned, as well as better opportunities for non-league matches
Contact: Jim Copeland (tel: 020 8441 1799) or visit www.horseball.org.uk
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H&H website editor
Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.
