Polo places unique welfare demands on horses through intense bursts of activity, frequent changing of mounts, and high injury risk during competitive play.
Polo's welfare challenges centre on the intensity of physical demand, the use of restrictive equipment, and the management of ponies between chukkas. The rapid transitions from maximum exertion to standing between chukkas can cause welfare issues including inadequate cooling, insufficient recovery between chukkas, and musculoskeletal injury from the sport's sudden direction changes. The use of tie-downs restricting head carriage is a welfare concern - horses use head movement for balance, particularly during rapid turns, and restriction may increase stumbling and injury risk while also causing discomfort. Post-career welfare planning for polo ponies, many of which come from South America and may have limited post-career support, is also a significant welfare frontier.