Polo Life

Horses, Sport, 10 and Zen

Polo Life: Horses, Sport, 10 and Zen delves into the world of high goal polo through the uniquely situated lenses of former 10-goaler Adam Snow and his wife and veterinarian, Shelley Onderdonk. Together their voices provide an unprecedented level of access into the horse and human dynamics that make the sport tick, their passion, respect and commitment for the sport and each other shine through each page. Less polo manual than human interest story, their chapters cover a broad range of topics: there is a horse so good she single-handedly altered the trajectory of Adam's career; a farm named after the city where this couple met in college; a country and polo culture that shaped Adam as a player...and where they had luggage stolen more than once; and a serendipitous meeting with a sports psychologist that turned Adam's career around. Adam recounts his childhood obsession with ball sports; Shelley hers with horses. Together, they reveal how sports psychology has been integral to Adam's success, tell behind-the-scenes stories about teammates, grooms and trainers, celebrate their legendary equine partners, and provide an uncensored glimpse into the glamorous international component of the sport from Buenos Aires to Bandar Seri Begawan. The dynamics of maintaining a healthy marriage and family within the framework of a professional athlete's career are also fundamental to Adam and Shelley's polo life. Their prose--by turns humble, humorous, and inspirational--showcases the sport's enduring appeal.