The Polo Yard Experience
Corporate and Group Experience Days in Surrey
Discover polo from the ground up.
Step inside a working polo yard to meet the ponies, learn how they are cared for and prepared, take part in practical team challenges and experience polo from both the ground and the saddle.
Private groups of 4–24 • Half-day or full-day • Chobham, Surrey
No previous riding or polo experience required.
More Than a Polo Lesson
The Polo Yard Experience takes guests behind the scenes of a working polo yard. Rather than simply arriving to ride, your group becomes part of the preparation that happens before horses and players reach the field.
You’ll meet the ponies, learn safe handling, groom and tack up, identify polo equipment and work together on practical yard challenges. From there, you’ll learn the polo swings, ride and put your new skills into practice.
Every experience is adapted to your group’s confidence, riding ability and goals, while keeping horsemanship, participation and teamwork at the heart of the day.
Your Polo Yard Journey
1
Welcome and Yard Briefing
Meet the Minninnooka team, learn how the yard operates and receive an introduction to safety, horse behaviour and polo.
2
Meet the Polo Ponies
Get to know the horses, their personalities and their different roles. Learn how to approach, handle and work safely around a polo pony.
3
Grooming and Horsemanship
Working in pairs, guests will learn how to groom and prepare a pony correctly. It’s a relaxed, hands-on introduction to horse care, communication and life on a working polo yard.
4
Tack and Tack-Up Challenge
Discover the equipment used on a polo pony and learn how each piece works. Teams will then prepare and tack up their pony correctly with guidance from our coaches.
5
Practical Yard Challenge
Take part in an authentic stable-management task that tests organisation, communication and teamwork. Challenges can be adapted to suit the group and the running of the yard that day.
6
Polo Swings and Hitting
Learn the main polo shots and swing techniques using shorter mallets on wooden horses and training crates. Guests can then test their accuracy in a friendly team challenge.
7
Riding
After meeting and preparing the ponies, guests will move into the saddle to develop balance, confidence and basic horse control. Our experienced horses are carefully matched to each participant.
8
Stick-and-Ball
Put the ground-based training into practice while riding. Guests will learn to guide their pony, approach the ball and connect their riding and hitting skills.
9
Polo IQ and Team Tactics
Learn the basic rules, player positions and tactics of polo. Discover how communication, decision-making and teamwork bring a game together.
10
Optional Instructional Chukka
Where appropriate, suitable riders can progress into a carefully coached practice chukka and experience the teamwork and excitement of a polo game.
Who It Is For
Created for Groups Who Want Something Different
The Polo Yard Experience is suitable for:
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Corporate team-building and away days
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Client and staff experiences
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Friends and family groups
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Birthday and milestone celebrations
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School and university groups
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Sports clubs and community groups
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International visitors
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Riders and complete beginners
It is practical, welcoming and hands-on—ideal for groups looking for a shared experience that goes beyond conventional team building.
Why It Works for Teams
Communication — Guests must listen, communicate clearly and work together around the ponies.
Confidence — Everyone is encouraged to try something unfamiliar in a calm and supportive environment.
Problem-Solving — Practical yard tasks and challenges require teams to organise themselves and find solutions together.
Trust — Working safely with horses rewards patience, awareness and confident leadership.
Shared Experience — The combination of horses, practical challenges and polo creates a memorable experience that people continue talking about afterwards.
Choose Your Experience
Half-Day Polo Yard Experience
Approximately four hours
A practical introduction to polo-yard life, including meeting and grooming the ponies, tack identification, a tack-up challenge, polo swings, riding and stick-and-ball.
Ideal for corporate mornings or afternoons, private groups and celebrations.
Full-Day Polo Yard Experience
Approximately 6.5–7 hours
A more immersive experience with additional stable-management challenges, polo theory, team tactics, extended riding and the opportunity to progress towards instructional team play.
Ideal for company away days and groups looking for a complete shared experience.
Every itinerary can be adjusted for mixed confidence and riding abilities.
Complete the Day with an Argentine Asado
Finish your experience with a traditional Argentine asado cooked on site, or enjoy a relaxed meal at Clara's Cocina.
Catering can be added to half-day and full-day packages and adapted for dietary requirements, group size and the style of your event.
Other refreshments, breakfasts and lunches can also be arranged.
Optional Additions
Make your day your own with:
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Argentine asado or relaxed catering
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Instructional chukka for suitable riders
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Professional polo demonstration
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Branded team challenges and prizes
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Extended riding or stick-and-ball
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Team photographs and awards
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Additional refreshments
Horses, Safety and Accessibility
No previous riding or polo experience is required.
Our experienced horses are carefully selected and matched to each participant. All activities are led by professional coaches and adapted to suit the group's ability, confidence and mobility.
Horse welfare and guest safety remain central throughout the experience. Riding and chukkas are subject to coach assessment, weather and ground conditions.
What Makes Minninnooka Different?
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A genuine, family-run working polo yard
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Hands-on horsemanship rather than a staged polo day
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Practical grooming, tack and stable-management activities
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Experienced polo ponies, players and professional coaches
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Activities that include riders and non-riders
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Australian heritage, Argentine polo roots and British polo life
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Private experiences for groups of 4–24
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Located in Chobham, Surrey, within easy reach of London and the M3
Plan Your Polo Yard Experience
Tell us a little about your group and we'll help create the right half-day or full-day experience.
When enquiring, please include:
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Preferred date
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Approximate group size
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Type of event
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Previous riding experience, if any
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Half-day or full-day preference
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Catering requirements
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Any particular goals or accessibility needs
Email: kirstie@minninnooka.co.uk
Telephone: 07557 343355
