High-Intensity Polo Performance Camp in Pilar, Argentina

A typical day starts in the morning with stick and ball on the practice ground, working on swing mechanics and hitting accuracy before anyone asks you to do it at pace. That's followed by a mounted lesson, where a coach watches you ride and hit and gives you specific things to fix. Lunch is back at the club, and the afternoon is usually practice games — real chukkers, with other players, at something close to match speed. Six hours of training a day is a lot, and the schedule is genuinely demanding rather than a token morning ride.

What separates this from other polo programmes is the setting. Pilar is the town where Argentina's top polo operations are based, and the standard of horses and coaching reflects that. It's also why the programme is structured the way it is: minimal distractions, maximum focus on performance. You're not being driven around to tourist sites between sessions. You're at a working polo club, training.

Pricing is quoted individually rather than as a fixed package. The final figure depends on your playing level, which horses you're assigned, how many chukkers you play, and how long you stay. Players booking multiple weeks get reduced weekly rates, so it's worth asking about the longer-stay pricing even if you're only planning one week initially. You have to request availability and exact pricing directly — there's no public price list for the performance programme.

Accommodation is included in the programme. The club also offers a separate live-and-work option, where participants stay on-site in shared rooms and learn by helping with the horses — grooming, tacking up, daily exercise — alongside stick and ball and chukkers. That one is priced from USD 500 to 1,000 per week depending on how long you stay and how involved you are, and it's a different product from the high-intensity training camp described here.

The coaching team consists of professionals who work with polo horses and players as their day job, supported by experienced grooms who handle the string. Full polo equipment is provided as part of the programme. Because so much of the experience depends on the horses you're matched with, the club assesses players before assigning mounts — it's worth being honest about your level when you enquire, since it directly affects what you'll be riding and what you'll pay.

What's included

- Accommodation on-site at the polo club - Polo-specific physical training - Daily stick & ball sessions with professional horses - Daily professional coaching - Chukkers (practice games) - Experienced grooms - Full polo equipment provided - Meals at the club

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers to and from Pilar - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Additional riding or extra chukkers beyond the programme - Polo boots, breeches and personal kit