We have Jilly Cooper’s raunchy novel Polo to thank for making the sport sexy.
When it was published in 1991 polo was still an elite sport, reserved for royalty and the extremely rich, but its popularity is booming today and the number of polo clubs in the UK has doubled in the last decade to more than 80.
Inspired by the polo frenzy and believing I was a competent horse rider, I went on a crash course at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.
Saddle up: Lisa heads to Berkshire for a crash course in Polo; the sport made famous by Jilly Cooper
How hard could trying to look glamorous while juggling a stick, ball and horse be? Further buoyed after meeting my teacher, dashing England team captain Jamie Morrison, I headed to the arena to find my mare chomping at the bit.
Alas we were told to get onto wooden 'horses' first to learn how to swing the mallet without bashing our ponies’ heads, and I connected with the ball only rarely as we practised our swings.
Then came the safety rules. 'It’s very dangerous,' warned Jamie. 'The ball can come at you at 110mph, so fast you can hardly see it, while you have to keep the pony galloping at 35mph, line up the ball and either hit it to a team-mate or carry it downfield and score.'
My earlier confidence evaporated when I failed to even mount my mare, resulting in a humiliating leg-up from a groom.
Once in the saddle, we were taught to control the pony at different paces while holding the mallet. Just striking the ball at a walk is a challenge – Princes William and Harry make it look so easy.
Finally, it was time for a game between two teams of four. My clumsy first whack made the ball dribble forward pathetically, but soon we were wheeling around at a gallop.
Hard work: Prince William makes playing polo look easy during a private match at Chester racecourse
Jerking right then left, I hooked an opponent’s mallet round mine to wrestle the ball back and managed to make two consecutive strikes before my shot trickled over the line. I’d scored and euphoria set in.
Jamie’s late father, music mogul Bryan Morrison, founded the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in 1985, with Prince Charles among its first members.
'Dad, who was Pink Floyd’s manager, hadn’t even heard of polo. Then he saw eight lunatics at a charity match having the best fun ever so he took lessons and fell in love with it.'
I could barely walk after dismounting, but I certainly intend to get back into the saddle – once the rigor mortis wears off!Jamie Morrison headlines the HPA Gaucho International Polo event, O2 Arena, London, 21 May, see gaucho polo.com.