Spatial Variation in Turf Surface Properties of Polo Pitches: A Case Study of Different Handicaps of Argentina

María Alejandra Blanco; Michael L. Peterson; Pablo Ariel Cipriotti; Fernando Apecechea

doi:10.3390/ani16040685

Spatial Variation in Turf Surface Properties of Polo Pitches: A Case Study of Different Handicaps of Argentina

María Alejandra Blanco
, Michael L. Peterson
, Pablo Ariel Cipriotti
, Fernando Apecechea

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Polo is a high-speed equestrian sport that imposes mechanical demands on horses and turf, yet limited research has examined the functional behavior of polo playing surfaces. This study characterizes the spatial variability of mechanical surface properties across turf polo pitches representing high-, medium-, and low-handicap categories.

Original language	English
Article number	685
Journal	Animals
Volume	16
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16040685
State	Published - Feb 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 by the authors.

Keywords

equine safety
handicap base level
mechanical response
natural turf
polo
spatial analysis
welfare

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Animal Science and Zoology
General Veterinary

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10.3390/ani16040685

Cite this

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title = "Spatial Variation in Turf Surface Properties of Polo Pitches: A Case Study of Different Handicaps of Argentina",

abstract = "Polo is a high-speed equestrian sport that imposes mechanical demands on horses and turf, yet limited research has examined the functional behavior of polo playing surfaces. This study characterizes the spatial variability of mechanical surface properties across turf polo pitches representing high-, medium-, and low-handicap categories.",

keywords = "equine safety, handicap base level, mechanical response, natural turf, polo, spatial analysis, welfare",

author = "Blanco, \{Mar{\'i}a Alejandra\} and Peterson, \{Michael L.\} and Cipriotti, \{Pablo Ariel\} and Fernando Apecechea",

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doi = "10.3390/ani16040685",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

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AU - Apecechea, Fernando

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - Polo is a high-speed equestrian sport that imposes mechanical demands on horses and turf, yet limited research has examined the functional behavior of polo playing surfaces. This study characterizes the spatial variability of mechanical surface properties across turf polo pitches representing high-, medium-, and low-handicap categories.

AB - Polo is a high-speed equestrian sport that imposes mechanical demands on horses and turf, yet limited research has examined the functional behavior of polo playing surfaces. This study characterizes the spatial variability of mechanical surface properties across turf polo pitches representing high-, medium-, and low-handicap categories.

KW - equine safety

KW - handicap base level

KW - mechanical response

KW - natural turf

KW - polo

KW - spatial analysis

KW - welfare

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UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105031397452#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.3390/ani16040685

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Spatial Variation in Turf Surface Properties of Polo Pitches: A Case Study of Different Handicaps of Argentina

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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