Sarmatian horses

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Games like this are only dangerous if you don't abide by the rules! No one really wants to damage their horses in these exchanges.

When I played polo, however, sometimes the horses did not abide by the rules and were far more competitive than their riders! But you're right; my ponies were always polite and stood looking at me on the floor (again) wondering what I was doing there. They were probably a bit annoyed I'd stopped the game...

My many crashes on the polo field convinced me that face guards (masks?) were not all they were cracked up to be (pardon the pun) as watching a few people go head first into the ground at pace always required an ambulance and a good dentist whereas a fall wearing an ordinary helmet may leave one with a broken peak and a head ache, but not that often hospitalised.

Edit: By the looks of it, the chaps in the photograph look as if they are wearing Soviet tank crew safety head gear!