What is Vaulting?

Introduction

Vaulting is best described as gymnastics and dance on the back of a moving horse. It emphasizes flexibility, strength, performance, and harmony with the horse. Vaulters can compete in both individual compulsory and freestyle events, as well as team events. Usually new vaulters will start with the horse going at a walk or trot, and progress up to a canter.

Compulsories

Vaulters begin by learning the six compulsory moves: basic seat, flag, mill, scissors, stand, and flank. Each move has specific criteria that is judged on, and in compulsory classes judges look for technique more than anything else.

Basic seat requires the vaulter to sit on the horse with arms out, fingertips level with their ears, and shoulder, hips, and ankles aligned. In flag, vaulters kneel on the horse and simultaneously extend the outside leg and inside arm.

For the mill, vaulters begin seated and lift one leg over to sit in a side seat. This is repeated until the vaulters has turned all the way around the horse and is facing forwards again. Scissors emphasizes the vaulter’s strength. Like a pendulum, vaulter’s swing their legs backwards as their upper body goes forward, bringing their legs above their head. They then twist in the air and land facing backwards. The movement is the repeated to go back to facing forwards.

Stand is one of the most difficult moves for new vaulters. As its name implies, vaulters must stand on the horse’s back with their arms extended as in the basic seat. For flank, vaulters begin as if doing scissors, but rather than twisting in mid-air they bring both legs down to the inside of the circle, landing in a side seat. Both legs are then swung over the horse’s back to land on the ground on the opposite side.

Freestyle

Freestyle routines are dependent not only on technique but also composition and performance. The routines are one minute long and done to music. While a vaulter can include any moves they wish, they will receive more points for a move that is more difficult, either by being backwards, upside-down, or having fewer points of contact with the horse.

Team

Team events usually consist of team compulsories, in which the compulsory scores of all team members are included together, and a team freestyle. Team freestyles can have up to three vaulters on the horse at a time, and are judged on the same criteria as individual freestyles.