Sylvester Stallone Once Saw Polo as 'My Destiny'

Sylvester Stallone has been reflecting on his days of playing polo, saying it once was his "dream" to pursue the sport professionally. 

The actor, 77, talked about his experiences with polo in an Instagram post Tuesday that featured three photos of himself on horseback.

"Fun fact of the day: Stallone means Stallion in Italian. Funny but true - and for a good part of my life, I pursued my passion for polo, believing it was my destiny," he captioned the images.

One photo depicted Stallone playing polo in Montecito, California, in 1989. He also shared two other photos from what he has previously described as his final polo match, which took place in the same year, according to People.

"Life had other plans and sidelined my dreams. Yet, I refused to let that be the end of my journey," he continued, adding that, after giving up playing polo in his youth, he threw himself into his acting career. 

"When one door closed, another opened — only this time, it was one of creativity and resilience. I embraced writing and acting with fervor, shaping a path I never imagined," Stallone wrote. "So, when life knocks you down, remember: Get back on your horse. Keep punching."

Stallone previously shared insights into his polo experiences in last year's Netflix documentary "Sly."

He recounted instances of abuse from his father, Frank Stallone Sr., who died in 2011. Stallone revealed that he achieved national ranking in polo by age 13 but lost interest in the sport, citing his father's behavior during matches as a contributing factor.

In the documentary, Stallone said he resumed playing polo around the age of 40. He arranged the 1989 match, which he later described on Instagram as his last polo match, specifically to compete against his father. 

Stallone recounted that his father's aggressive behavior on the field persisted during this match.

"I never played polo again from that moment on," he recalled at the time. "I sold everything, I sold every horse, the ranch, the truck, and that was the end."

• Sylvester Stallone Warns Actors Not to Do Their Own Stunts
• Sylvester Stallone Pays Tribute to Carl Weathers