Bits and bridles: what the rules allow in a polo pony's mouth.

This page sets out what the rulebooks allow and what sources say is commonly used. It does not tell you which bit to put on a pony. That depends on the individual pony and is a decision for an experienced trainer or instructor who knows it.

HPA 2026 rules (Part 1 Rule 3c)

The HPA's 2026 rules expect ponies to be turned out in appropriate tack and ban the following:

• poor or badly fitted tack;
• blinkers, and any noseband or other equipment that might obstruct the pony's vision;
• any noseband, headpiece or headcollar that incorporates wire or any sharp material;
• a hackamore or bitless bridle, although a club may allow them in practice chukkas;
• any bit, single or double, whose mouthpiece is less than 0.25 in (6.5 mm) in diameter at its narrowest point;
• a curb bit with a total cheek or shank length of more than 6 in (15.2 cm), measured from where the bit attaches to the cheekpiece to the lowest point a rein can be attached;
• tongue ties.

So the HPA sets a minimum thickness for the mouthpiece and a maximum length for a curb's shank. Part 1 of the same rules lists hauling or jabbing a pony in the mouth as a form of pony abuse.

Broken bridle parts

Under the HPA's 2026 Rule 20b, the game is stopped immediately for tack that is an immediate danger, and the examples given include a broken bit and a broken single rein (or both reins, if the pony is in double reins). For other tack problems umpires wait for neutral play.

USPA 2024 Outdoor Rules

The USPA's 2024 Rule 6b bans blinkers and shadow rolls. Its Rule 21g(1) stops play immediately for tack that presents a danger, naming a broken single rein, a broken or loose bit and a broken curb chain among the examples. We found no USPA 2024 rule on bit dimensions. The USPA revises its rules each year and its 2026 book was not reviewed for this site, so check the current edition.

Pony Club 2026 rules (junior polo in the UK)

The Pony Club plays under HPA rules but adds its own, stricter tack rules:

• Bridles: plain black or brown leather only, and no clip-on tack.
• Nosebands: only one, except that a cavesson may be added when a standing martingale is used with a combination, Kineton, drop or similar noseband. A rawhide polo noseband may be used. Any noseband or cheekpiece that blocks vision, such as sheepskin, is banned, as are blinkers.
• Bits: must fit, suit polo, comply with the current HPA rules, and be used as manufactured with nothing added.
• Reins: two reins should be used, with single-rein exceptions in the JOPPS and JOR sections. A rope-ring gag may only be used with two reins. Rope reins and bridge reins are banned.
• Broken tack: the umpire stops play for a broken bit or curb chain, or a broken single rein.

Australia

The Australian Polo Federation banned tongue ties in July 2023 to align with the HPA.

We found no FIP or AAP bit or bridle rule in a readable primary source.

What sources say is commonly used

Bits

The St. Moritz Snow Polo World Cup programme (2023) says a large-ring gag or a Pelham is the most common bit in polo, with other bits chosen to suit the pony. Wikipedia's article on the gag bit says gags are most commonly seen in polo, and that a rein attached to the bottom ring of a gag gives much stronger leverage.

Two reins

The St. Moritz programme says a polo bridle usually has two reins, which it notes is unusual in equestrian sport, and that one set often runs to the girth as draw or running reins for extra stopping power. Wikipedia gives the reason it sees: polo players often pair a gag with draw reins because they ride one-handed and cannot make instant fine adjustments. Reins are traditionally leather, the St. Moritz programme says, though some players prefer rubber composites.

The bridle itself

The South African Polo Association describes the bridle as leather straps and a bit that give steering and stopping control. The St. Moritz programme says polo bridles are usually leather, often with custom browbands, and must not have sharp edges, obstruct vision or have loose ends, which overlaps with what the HPA rule bans.

What we could not confirm

• A Horse & Hound article reportedly quotes a well-known player on which bits most polo ponies play in, but we could not read the article itself.
• Wikipedia's article on the Pelham reportedly describes its use in polo, but we saw only a search summary of it.

Before you play, check any bit against the current dimensions in your governing body's rules and the conditions of your club or tournament. The riding one-handed page covers the riding principles schools teach.