What is vaulting?
For many children, vaulting offers a good introduction to the world of equestrian sports. However, vaulting is more than that – as an independent equestrian discipline, it is a demanding competitive sport that can also be practised at tournament level. What is vaulting and what are its origins?
Vaulting is based on elements from gymnastics and acrobatics and these exercises are performed on the horse’s back. The horse is moved by an experienced instructor in the basic gaits. Vaulting can be done individually, in pairs in the so-called „Pas de deux“ or in a group. A training group can consist of up to 12 people, whereby only a maximum of three people can vault on the horse at the same time.
How did vaulting originate?
Ancient rock drawings show that acrobatics on horseback have a long history. Riding while standing on a horse, jumping up from the ground onto a galloping horse – these exercises have been established in the mounted military from the Romans through the Middle Ages to the Cossacks. The beginning of the competitive sport took place at the Olympic Games in 1920 – however, these were to be the only games with the participation of the vaulting pioneers, who were called „artistic riders“ at that time. While at that time only cavalrymen were among the participants, vaulting continued to develop into a very popular sport thereafter. To this day, vaulters struggle with the poor image that gymnastics on horseback is a children’s sport and facilitates the way into equestrian sport. Through the increased number of vaulting groups and the organisation of tournaments, vaulting is increasingly gaining its justified recognition as a discipline.