PATRICIO RATTAGAN: POLO, A SECOND LIFE FOR THOROUGHBREDS

Polo is a sport with noble and distant origins, originating in ancient Persia and practised mainly in Argentina, India and England. The British army practised it during leisure time. The two teams face each other riding horses and equipped with ratan sticks, with the aim of sending a wooden ball through two poles. Obviously the one who scores the most points wins. Philip of Edinburgh, the prince consort of the late Queen Elizabeth II used to say: ‘The only sport I follow is polo. And most of the effort is made by a horse.

Patricio Rattagan is an Argentinian polo player who has fallen in love with Italy. For the past 15 years, he has set up a training centre within the Circolo Roma Polo club, where he trains thoroughbred horses with the aim of using them for himself and spreading the culture of this fascinating and glamorous sport in our country. He also wants to make it clear that these horses are not hysterical or inconstant but can be adapted to other areas.

Patricio, what physical characteristics must your horses have for the game of polo?

I look for English thoroughbred horses with an Irish pedigree because I have realised over the years that they are very versatile; I have a preference for females, which are much more precocious than males, and geldings. It has to be collected, strong, well flattened, because it has to turn tight and shoot in a 200 metre field. It must have big shoulders and also important under 1.60 at the withers, a morphology that would help to achieve a soft horse in the mouth, suitable for polo. The goal is to be able to practically have a ‘remote-controlled’ horse.

You mentioned horses that you take from galloping?

Yes, they are horses that come from gallop races but are sold because they didn't reach the times. At Capannelle I collaborate with some trainers: Sbariggia, Di Dio, Forlini and others who call me when they have a subject that suits my needs.

How long does it take to adapt them to the new movements?

It takes about a year and a half to retrain them. I use a taming process as if these horses had never been in contact with humans.

Have you had a horse that had a very good career?

Yes, a mare I got from the Elm Breed, from Riccardo Menichetti, who went to Argentina to play with the most important rider in the world. A true champion who died of colic. She was cloned because in Argentina it is a widespread practice and legalised with new technologies.

What if they don't respond well?

They are good, reliable horses and I try to give them away to clients for rides or equestrian tourism and after a few months even beginners can ride them. So they don't go into the hands of unscrupulous traders. I think this is fundamental.

You are a freelancer. How do you get hired?

It works the same way as in sailing. Whoever owns a boat, or in this case a polo team, calls the level player depending on the tournament they want to participate in.

Can polo be played on different surfaces?

Yes, even on grass, on a football pitch, and even on snow where crampons are put on the irons to prevent slipping.

What is your commitment to promoting the sport?

Reducing the space on which the game is played in order to get as close as possible to population centres and have a larger public turnout. The space needed is less and we play three against three. We have already used the Villa Borghese gallop. I would like to make it clear that it is not an elitist sport but that everyone can access it.

Has there already been an approach with Masaf?

Yes, we are working, together with FISE, on a project that was already presented at Piazza di Siena last year, and taken up by the Director General Remo Chiodi, a very attentive and helpful person, to organise courses to teach people how to train recovered thoroughbred horses and to bring them closer to other disciplines; for polo, equestrian tourism, etc. But not only that. The aspect I care a lot about is that thoroughbred horses that do not compete can be retrained and have other employment opportunities. All horses must have new opportunities and a second life. They deserve it.