Equestrian vaulting

Equestrian vaulting, often called vaulting, blends gymnastics and dance performed on horseback. It can be done competitively or just for fun, and it differs from circus or trick riding because the horse is carefully trained and guided by a lunger. In competitions, the lunger is considered part of the athletic team. Even though helmets are banned in competition, vaulting is the safest of all equestrian sports.

The practice has roots in military training and goes back at least two thousand years, making it a foundation for all types of riding. It is open to both men and women and is one of ten equestrian disciplines recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI). Therapeutic or interactive vaulting also serves as a basis for therapeutic riding and activities aimed at children and adults with balance, attention, gross motor skill, or social challenges.

Most vaulting enthusiasts are found in Europe and other parts of the Western world, with especially strong communities in Germany and Switzerland. Vaulting first appeared in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s but was limited to California and other West Coast areas. By 2010, it was starting to gain traction in the northeastern United States.

History

Some believe vaulting’s origins go back to ancient Roman games, where acrobats performed on cantering horses. Others trace it to ancient Crete and the practice of bull-leaping.

Either way, people have been doing acrobatic and dance-like moves on or over moving horses for more than two thousand years. During the Renaissance and Middle Ages, there are many references to vaulting or similar activities. The modern name comes from the French la voltige, adopted during the Renaissance when it was used as a riding drill and agility exercise for cavalry soldiers.

Modern vaulting developed in post-war Germany as a way to introduce children to equestrian sports. In 1983, the FEI recognized vaulting as one of its disciplines. The first European championships were held in Ebreichsdorf, Austria, in 1984, and the first FEI World Vaulting Championship took place in Bulle, Switzerland, in 1986. Vaulting was included in the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm in 1990 and in every edition since.

It was demonstrated as an art at the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games. It has been part of the Inter-Africa Cup since 2006. The first World Cup Vaulting competition was held in Leipzig on April 29–30, 2011.

Competition

In competitive vaulting, participants compete as individuals, pairs (pas-de-deux), or squads (six vaulters, with up to three on the horse at once). Beginners vault at a walk, while advanced vaulters perform at a canter. The horse moves in a 30-meter circle, connected to the lunger by a lunge line, with the lunger standing in the center. In competition, the lunger, vaulter, and horse are all judged on a scale from 1 to 10, with harmony, rhythm, and consideration of the horse being the most important factors.

Vaulting competitions include compulsory exercises and choreographed freestyle routines set to music. There are seven compulsory exercises: mount, basic seat, flag, mill, scissors, stand, and flank. Each is scored from 0 to 10.

Horses also receive a score based on the quality of their movement and behavior. Vaulters compete in team, pas-de-deux, and individual categories. An individual freestyle (formerly called Kür) lasts one minute, the pas-de-deux two minutes, and the squad (formerly called team) four minutes, all choreographed to music. Freestyle routines may include mounts and dismounts, handstands, kneeling and standing moves, and aerial elements like jumps, leaps, and tumbling.

However, many of these skills appear only at the highest levels; a typical routine for a child or beginner includes variations on simple kneels and planks. Teams may carry, lift, or toss another vaulter in the air. Judging considers technique, performance, form, difficulty, balance, security, and consideration of the horse, with the horse’s score making up 30% of the total.

Vaulting horses wear a surcingle (or roller) instead of a saddle, along with a thick back pad. The surcingle has special handles to help vaulters perform moves and leather loops called cossack loops. The horse wears a bridle and side reins, and the lunge line attaches to the inside bit ring.

Horses are worked in both directions at walk, trot, or canter, though most advanced competition is primarily to the left and always at canter. Two-phase and other classes also work the horse to the right. Many European clubs do not compete to the right but still work evenly in both directions at home, believing this benefits both horse and vaulter.

The premier vaulting competitions are the biannual World Junior & Senior Championships and the World Equestrian Games (WEG), held every four years. Many countries have vaulting associations that organize national, regional, and local events annually. As of 2011, at least 24 countries had such organizations.

Competition movements

Vaulters perform movements on the horse’s back. Novice and beginning vaulters may work at walk or trot, while higher-level vaulters perform at canter. They perform different compulsory exercises depending on their category and class. The FEI regulates dress codes for competitive vaulting, updating them every two to three years.