It’s amazing the speed at which these ponies go while players, precariously balanced in and around the saddle, are simultaneously focused on the play of the ball, the position of their mount,  and what’s going on around them.

Hooking mallets is a legal move in polo where one player uses his or her mallet to block the swing of another player’s mallet.  (There are some exceptions to this rule.)  A player can also win the right of way on the ball by “hooking” the other player’s mallet, and in turn, stealing the ball.