Horse vaulting is a competitive equestrian sport in which athletes perform gymnastic and dance movements on the back of a cantering horse. Think of it as a blend of gymnastics, dance, and horsemanship, all performed on a moving animal guided in a circle by a handler called a lunger. It’s one of ten disciplines recognized by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and is practiced in clubs worldwide.
How Vaulting Works
During vaulting, a horse canters in a circle with a minimum diameter of 15 meters while a lunger stands at the center, controlling the horse with a long lunge line. The vaulter runs alongside the horse, vaults onto its back, and performs a series of movements that range from simple kneeling and standing poses to full handstands, flips, and dynamic lifts with a partner.
The horse wears specialized equipment instead of a traditional saddle. A thick foam pad sits on the horse’s back for cushioning, topped by a piece of equipment called a surcingle. The surcingle is a wide belt with rigid handles on top and sometimes loops on the sides known as Cossack straps. The handles give vaulters something to grip during mounts and exercises, while the Cossack straps allow athletes to hook their feet for more advanced freestyle moves. Many modern surcingles have adjustable internal frames and padding to keep the equipment from pressing on the horse’s spine.
Competition Categories
Vaulting competitions are divided into three main categories: individual, pas-de-deux (pairs), and squad (team). Each tests different skills and has its own scoring.
- Individual: A single vaulter performs both compulsory exercises, which are standardized moves judged on form and precision, and a freestyle routine set to music. Men and women compete in separate individual divisions.
- Pas-de-deux: Two vaulters perform together on one horse, executing synchronized and partnered movements across two freestyle routines. Pairs do not perform compulsory exercises.
- Squad: A team of up to six vaulters shares one horse, with individuals and subgroups cycling on and off during the routine. Squads perform both compulsory and freestyle rounds.
At major championships like the FEI World Equestrian Games, nations can also earn a combined team score. A nation’s team is composed of two individual vaulters and one squad, with the pas-de-deux scored separately.
The Horse’s Role
The horse is not just a prop. It is considered a team member and is scored separately by judges on its gait quality, rhythm, and temperament. Ideal vaulting horses have a steady, rhythmic canter, a calm disposition, and a broad, flat back that gives vaulters a stable platform. Most competitive vaulting horses are larger breeds, often warmbloods or draft crosses, chosen for their smooth movement and tolerance of shifting weight.
The lunger’s job is equally critical. By keeping the horse at a consistent speed and on a true circle, the lunger creates the predictable rhythm that vaulters depend on. A horse that speeds up, slows down, or drifts off the circle makes even basic exercises dangerous.
Physical and Developmental Benefits
Vaulting builds an unusual combination of physical skills. The constant adjustment to a moving horse develops core strength, balance, and proprioception, which is your body’s sense of where it is in space. Research in physical therapy has found that horseback riding exercises simultaneously improve musculoskeletal stability and stimulate the sensory systems that help you stay balanced. The rider’s body is constantly making small postural corrections in response to the horse’s movement, which strengthens the trunk and improves coordination in the arms and legs.
Because vaulting also involves running, jumping, and holding gymnastic positions, it builds flexibility, upper body strength, and cardiovascular endurance. For younger athletes, many clubs use it as an introduction to working with horses. The teamwork involved in squad events, plus the relationship with the horse itself, adds a social and emotional dimension that purely individual sports lack.
From Military Training to Modern Sport
Gymnastics on horseback has ancient roots. Roman soldiers practiced mounting and dismounting drills at speed, and cavalry units across Europe used similar exercises for centuries. Modern competitive vaulting, though, traces directly to postwar Germany, where it was developed as a way to introduce children to equestrian sport without the cost of individual horse ownership. It spread across Europe as both a training tool and a competitive discipline.
Vaulting reached the United States in the late 1950s, and the first official U.S. competition took place in 1969. It remains far more popular in Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and France, where club systems are well established and competitions draw large fields. In the U.S., it’s a smaller but growing community with clubs concentrated in equestrian regions.
Getting Started
Most beginners don’t start on a horse at all. Vaulting clubs typically train new athletes on a barrel horse, a padded barrel fitted with a surcingle and handles that mimics the shape and height of a real horse. This lets vaulters learn mounts, dismounts, and basic positions without the added challenge of movement. Once foundational skills are solid, athletes progress to a walking horse, then a trotting horse, and finally a cantering horse.
You don’t need prior riding experience to start vaulting. Clubs generally welcome participants as young as four or five, and there’s no upper age limit for recreational vaulting. The basic equipment a club needs is a barrel, a surcingle, padding, a snaffle bridle, and a trained horse. Individual vaulters don’t need to own any of this, which makes the sport more accessible than many equestrian disciplines where personal horse ownership is expected.
Competitive vaulters typically train several times a week, splitting sessions between barrel work for perfecting gymnastics, fitness training off the horse, and live horse sessions. Reaching international-level competition usually takes years of dedicated training, but recreational and lower-level competitions are open to athletes with far less experience.