KENTUCKY
POLO CLUB
A communicative English course for veterinarians
Horses • Veterinary care • Stable management • Daily routines
Welcome to the Polo Club
Welcome to the world of polo! Polo is a team sport played on horseback. It requires skilled riders, well-trained horses and a professional team working together.
Veterinarians, grooms and trainers all have important responsibilities. They work together to keep horses healthy, comfortable and ready for exercise and competition.
- Learn essential vocabulary related to polo and horse care.
- Describe the daily routines of a veterinarian and a groom.
- Use the Present Simple to talk about professional activities.
- Use prepositions of place to describe where things are.
- Communicate about horses and their environment.
Kentucky Polo Club – Video
Watch the video carefully. Pay attention to the horses, the people, the facilities and the activities taking place at the polo club.
Before watching
Discuss these questions with your teacher.
- What do you already know about polo?
- What kind of horses are used in polo?
- Who looks after the horses at a polo club?
- What facilities do you expect to see?
While watching
Look for examples of the following:
- Horses and their physical characteristics.
- Riders and their equipment.
- Stables and other facilities.
- People working with the horses.
- Training, exercise and preparation.
At the Polo Club
Learn the following words and expressions. They are useful when discussing horses, veterinary care and daily activities.
A. Polo and the facilities
A closer look at a polo horse
A horse in its stable. Photo: Pexels.
B. Veterinary care
C. Daily horse care
Who does what at a Polo Club?
Veterinarians and grooms have different responsibilities, but they work as a team.
Equine veterinary examination. Photo: Pexels.
The Veterinarian
- Examines the horses.
- Checks their health.
- Monitors injuries.
- Administers treatment.
- Records medical information.
- Advises the trainer and groom.
Daily grooming and horse care. Photo: Pexels.
The Groom
- Feeds and waters the horses.
- Cleans the stalls.
- Grooms and brushes the horses.
- Checks their legs and hooves.
- Prepares horses for exercise.
- Reports problems to the vet.
Daily Routines at the Polo Club
We use the Present Simple to describe routines, habits and regular professional activities.
I / You / We / They + verb
He / She / It + verb + S
Examples:
- The groom feeds the horses every morning.
- The veterinarian examines the horses.
- Grooms clean the stalls every day.
A. A Groom's Daily Routine
6:00 am – The groom arrives at the stables.
6:15 am – He checks the horses and gives them fresh water.
6:30 am – He feeds the horses and distributes hay.
7:00 am – He cleans the stalls and replaces the bedding.
8:00 am – He brushes the horses and checks their legs.
9:00 am – He prepares the horses for exercise.
B. A Veterinarian's Daily Routine
7:00 am – The veterinarian arrives at the polo club.
7:30 am – She examines the horses and checks their general condition.
8:30 am – She checks their temperature, pulse and respiratory rate when necessary.
10:00 am – She treats minor injuries and assesses horses with health problems.
12:00 pm – She updates medical records and discusses cases with the trainer.
3:00 pm – She monitors horses after exercise or treatment.
Communicative practice
Answer these questions using complete sentences.
- What time does the groom arrive at the stables?
- What does he give the horses in the morning?
- What does he check when he brushes the horses?
- What does the veterinarian examine?
- When does the veterinarian update medical records?
- How do the vet and the groom work together?
Present Simple – Vet or Groom?
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Talking about routines
Learn how to make negative sentences and questions in the Present Simple.
I don't work at night.
The groom doesn't work alone.
The horse doesn't eat meat.
Do you examine horses every day?
Does the groom clean the stalls?
Does the vet work at weekends?
Professional conversation
- Do you work with polo horses?
- Do you check the horses before training?
- Does the groom report health problems?
- Does the veterinarian examine every horse?
- What time do you start work?
- How often do you check the horses' legs?
Prepositions of Place
Prepositions help us describe where horses, equipment and people are located.
The horse is in the stable.
Dentro deThe saddle is on the horse.
Sobre / encima deThe bucket is under the shelf.
Debajo deThe groom is next to the horse.
Al lado deThe vet is behind the horse.
Detrás deThe groom is in front of the stable.
Delante deThe bucket is between the two stalls.
EntreThe tack room is near the stable.
Cerca deInside the stable
Inside a traditional equestrian stable. Photo: Artūras Kokorevas, Pexels.
Look at the photograph. Describe the stable and the location of the horses and equipment.
Where is it? – Choose the correct preposition
Select the correct answer for each sentence.
At the Polo Club – A Professional Conversation
Work with your teacher. One person is the veterinarian and the other is the groom.
Student A – Veterinarian
You arrive at the polo club in the morning. Ask the groom about the horses.
- How many horses are here today?
- Have the horses eaten?
- Is there a horse with a problem?
- Does any horse have an injury?
- Which horses are training today?
Student B – Groom
You look after the horses. Answer the veterinarian's questions.
- Explain the morning routine.
- Report any unusual behaviour.
- Describe a horse's condition.
- Explain which horses need attention.
- Ask the vet for advice.
Let's talk about polo and horse care
Use the video and the new vocabulary to discuss the following questions.
- What makes polo horses different from other horses?
- Why is daily veterinary monitoring important?
- What are the most important responsibilities of a groom?
- How can a groom identify that a horse is not feeling well?
- Why is communication between the vet and the groom essential?
- What are the most important things to check before a horse exercises?
- What kind of facilities does a professional polo club need?
- What do you find most interesting about working with polo horses?