Keeping Horses Healthy

Equine care a priority at Myopia Polo.

by Brion O’Connor

There are two sets of athletes on a polo field: the players and their ponies. But only one group can take care of themselves. So the health and fitness of the ponies racing up and down Gibney Field remains a priority at Myopia Polo.

The Myopia Equine Welfare Committee — made up of polo players, equestrians, veterinarians, experts and longtime club members — ensures the safety and care of the horses.

“Our mission is to provide the highest level of oversight to the care of our horses in the community, and the polo horses in the polo community, in particular,” says Dr. Bryan Parrott, owner of Parrott Equine Associates and one of the founding members of the Myopia Welfare

Committee. “We wanted to develop and raise the standards for the welfare of these wonderful animals.”

The committee was first founded several years ago when it became apparent that improvements were needed. The group came together, organized, codified standards and then put them into action. These innovations didn’t go unnoticed on a national level.

The United States Polo Association (USPA) has adopted most of the committee’s standards for the care and maintenance of horses, both on and off the field. Among those standards is Myopia’s rules on using artificial aids and core conditioning, ensuring the horses are healthy and fit to play.

“Having that happen was so rewarding,” Dr. Parrott says. “It was cause for celebration. It wasn’t just me — I was there to help steamroll it — but there was such a passion from the committee as a whole. We really worked well together.”

Each year the committee works with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) and leads training sessions to update and improve the club’s standards.

“If it wasn’t for Myopia’s willingness to look at this and make changes, for the good of our community and for the good of the world, it wouldn’t have been adopted by the USPA,” Dr. Parrott says. “It has brought such a level of improvement in horsemanship to our community.”