Power of Polo
Breaking Barriers

Power of Polo

Power of Polo is a unique grassroots charity. Our mission is to positively impact the lives of people facing social, economic or health challenges, utilising horses and the sport of polo.

Our charity was started ten years ago by a doctor who’d fallen in love with polo and wanted to find ways to harness its powerful blend of sport, horses and partnership to make a positive impact. As the only national charity blending equine-assisted services and team sport, we are unique in what we do and have worked with a wide range of charities and cohorts including at-risk youth, military veterans, HIV-positive people, and people suffering from homelessness.

We work on a collaborative model, teaming up with partner charities and polo providers to deliver residential and day courses, at which our participants learn the basics of horsemanship, polo, teamwork and life skills, while crucially enjoying respite and fun.

Breaking Barriers documents a ground-breaking Power of Polo programme that brings Lambeth police officers and young people from the same community together to confront the deep mistrust shaping their neighbourhood. Over four days, the two groups meet not as “police” and “youth,” but as teammates learning a demanding sport side-by-side. Shared challenges spark respect, conversations begin to flow, and barriers that once felt fixed start to fall. By the end, they have forged a vital new channel of communication they can take back into their neighbourhoods and begin truly working together.

“Polo and horses have taught me to be more confident and to trust myself, and shown me how to communicate. I’m a different person because of it." PoP Course Participant, 2025