Cork Polocrosse Club

Polocrosse is described as lacrosse on horseback, here in Ireland it is also referred to as hurling on horseback. The riders use rackets with nets to toss the ball back and forth, working within the specific confines of a playing field. One of the major appeals of polocrosse to riders is that the game is open to people of all skill levels, with riders being divided into grades by skill level at competition.

The game was developed in Australia in the 1930s, and exported from there to England first and beyond. Unlike polo, which comes with a very stiff and formal culture, polocrosse tends to be more casual and fun-loving.

The game encourages the development of riding skills, forcing riders to work with their horses to move through the field and reach the goal, and polocrosse tends to develop strong horses and riders. As in any equestrian sport, there are some dangers to polocrosse; riders can fall and horses can collide, but the use of safety equipment and rules for both humans and horses makes the sport very safe.

Unlike polo, in which riders change horses between sets, polocrosse can be played with a single horse. A wide variety of horse breeds can be used in the sport, with most riders favoring light to medium-weight horses like Thoroughbreds and half-breds.