Blog » Discipline spotlight: Vaulting

This blog post was originally written by the Dutch user Asterope @ www.myhorsez.com/nl/ and translated by HorseloverMargaux


Vaulting, a special discipline within equestrian sports, is a dynamic dance on the back of a horse. For those not yet familiar with this sport, it is like gymnastics on a horse!

What is vaulting?

Vaulting, originally from the French word for ‘acrobatics on horseback’, involves athletic and acrobatic feats on the back of a horse. The vaulter performs jumps and tricks in sync with the horse's movements. They seem to dance in harmony with the rhythm of the canter!

The essence of vaulting lies in control and cooperation. It is not only the athlete who must control his own movements, but also be perfectly in sync with the horse's movements. This requires deep understanding and trust between them, a dance where connection is expressed without words.

The bond between human and horse

The bond between the athlete and the horse is invaluable. It goes beyond just performing tricks; it is about mutual trust and respect. The horse acts as a partner to the vaulter, with them sensing and complementing each other perfectly.

What about tricks?

Vaulting offers a wide range of tricks and routines. From simple and elegant poses to complex and breathtaking jumps, this sport offers a wide variety of impressive performances. This makes it not only challenging, but also extremely fascinating to watch!

The benefits of vaulting!

Besides being fun, vaulting also brings benefits. It increases the athlete's physical strength and agility, while also boosting concentration and mental sharpness.

In short, vaulting is a fascinating art of interplay between human and horse. It is not only beautiful to watch, but also a remarkable experience that combines athleticism, cooperation and the bond between human and horse.

Have you ever thought of trying vaulting yourself?


Source: Catherina2, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Posted on 10-07-2025 18:12:07

MutedUser filoveitall says:


filoveitall
That must be terrifying…

Posted on 10-07-2025 18:46:10

MutedUser Kira-Maria says:


Kira-Maria
What an interesting blog! I've always wanted to learn it for myself!

Posted on 10-07-2025 20:26:51

MutedUser Sav_theequestrain says:


Sav_theequestrain
I must be like riding bareback and then doing tricks.

Posted on 10-07-2025 21:40:49

MutedUser HorseLover11 says:


HorseLover11
I have small experience with vaulting 

Posted on 10-07-2025 22:00:28

MutedUser Jessica0409 says:


Jessica0409
We used to do a little bit in my riding school when I was little.
It was mostly to help us build confidence moving on a horse and learning how to fall more securely. I loved it and the horses we used were so sweet.

Posted on 11-07-2025 00:07:45

MutedUser elent03 says:


elent03
I did a little vaulting with the pony club when I was a kid at this amazing yard that bred Friesians, it was strangely not terrifying to be upside down on a moving horse! 

Posted on 11-07-2025 17:24:48

MutedUser Cowgirl. says:


Cowgirl.
Wow! This is neat!
I am actually hoping to write a story about vaulting so this is nice information! 😀

Posted on 11-07-2025 19:25:26

MutedUser MegmegLele2 says:


MegmegLele2
Oh wow, sounds terrifying. Imagine if the horse spooks

Posted on 13-07-2025 01:55:12

MutedUser Nimi says:


Nimi
Quote Sav_theequestrain
I must be like riding bareback and then doing tricks.
↳ Go to the original forum post.

Not really. For vaulting you use a thick foam pad what makes it less slippery and easier to stay on the horse and also protects the horses back. You also dont have to control the horse, thats the trainers job. Doesn't mean you dont have to know how to handle a horse and keep an eye on it to see how it reacts on different movements. But its the trainers job to keep the horse in the correct gait (walk or canter, depending on the class) and to calm it down if needed.

I did vaulting for 11 years, up to M-classes. It was a very funny but many times also challenging and exhausting time. Happened more than once that we met at 3am in the stable to make our hairs, get the horse ready and drive to a competition and came back home after midnight. And in the competition groups it was common to have 3x training a week. 1x cardio and 2x with the horse, in weeks we had a competition at the weekend only 1x with the horse.
I really liked it and can definitely recommend it, especially for children. Its a great way to learn body control and teamwork.

Posted on 13-07-2025 21:14:09

MutedUser Charlie_1 says:


Charlie_1
I love love love vaulting…when I’m watching. Sounds very fun and very different to do

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