Polo Rules

B, if you're going to fall (against a fence/whatever) then unless you know that your speed of fall is slow enough that you can catch yourself before you make contact with the floor/fence/whatever then putting your hand out is actually one of the worst things to do (although it's our gut instinct).

It's also bad from a polo point of view as now you have made an immovable bridge with the fence that can obstruct others (or worse), you've also lost control of your bike (consider what happens if you grab the fence and then your wheels are taken from beneath you).

You're better off checking the fence, or ducking and rolling along the floor, tuck your head in if you're awkwardly close to a fence and let the fence scrape your shoulder/back rather than make contact with your head.

Recent example: My wheel was malleted at Downs and I had an awkward fall/scrape down the fence before hitting the floor (where I was again landed on by another player). If I had grabbed the fence I could have been fine, but it's likely that I'd have dislocated a finger (or worse considering the additional player making the situation unpredictable), as it was I was treated to a bruised shoulder for a couple of days with no risk of further injury... a decent trade-off in my opinion.

If you're a yard from the fence, then lean on it (and foot down if needed), but I'd avoid using your hands at all.

Wouldn't the action of checking someone who's already leaning on the fence be covered by "Don't be a dick"?

Quite. But an apology and no broken finger is better than an apology and a broken finger. Sometimes crashes are accidental too, etc.