Equestrian vaulting

Freestyle team vaulting

Equestrian vaulting, or simply Vaulting, is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback and, like these disciplines, it can be practised as a non-competitive art/performance or as a competitive sport. Vaulting has been an equestrian act at the circus from its early days. It is open to both males and females. It is one of seven equestrian disciplines recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (Fédération équestre internationale or FEI), along with dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining and jumping (two of which are also paraequestrian disciplines). Therapeutic or Interactive vaulting is also used as an activity for children and adults who may have balance, attention, gross motor skill, or social deficits.

Vaulting has many enthusiasts worldwide, particularly in Europe and other parts of the Western world. In German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, it is often practised as part of basic equestrian training. Vaulting is also well established in France, Belgium, Sweden, the UK, the United States, and the Netherlands, and is growing in Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and other countries. More recently, equestrian vaulting is also gaining interest in non-western countries, such as India.

History

Generally speaking, theories concerning the origins of equestrian vaulting seem to trace the discipline's beginnings to either Europe or Central Asia. Those who believe equestrian vaulting originated in Europe seem to trace the discipline back to the Roman era and Ancient Greece. Some believe vaulting was first observed in the Roman games, which included acrobatic displays on cantering horses. Others, however, believed vaulting had its roots in bull-leaping of ancient Crete. Those, however, who believed that vaulting originated in Central Asia associated the discipline to traditional practices that were performed by ancient Iranian tribes, collectively known as the Scythians, in the steppes of Eurasia. It is believed that the nomadic Scythian/Iranian tribes influenced their Turkic neighbors to the east into practicing the art form as well. This is thought to have influenced the Turkmen tribes into forming their own version of vaulting, known as "djigitovka", which is slightly similar to modern-day vaulting, but a lot more dangerous. In any case, people have been performing acrobatic and dance-like movements on the backs of moving horses for more than 2,000 years. The first known depiction of vaulting is a stone painting, dated at around 1500 BC, of Scandinavian riders standing on horses.

Renaissance and Middle Ages history include numerous references to vaulting or similar activities, and it seems that present-day gymnastics performed on the vaulting horse developed from equestrian vaulting, allowing concentration on the gymnastics without the horse. The present name of the art comes from the French "La Voltige," which it acquired during the Renaissance, when it was a form of riding drill and agility exercise for knights and noblemen, and also used as a symbol of status. Vaulting was later used to help cavalry troops increase their abilities on the horse, and the troops began by working on a wooden horse before advancing to a live, moving mount.^{[citation needed]} Napoleon created units of Voltigeurs, élite light mounted skirmishers, in 1804, and the name was later used for light infantry such as the Voltigeurs Canadiens and the Voltigeurs de Québec.

Modern vaulting developed in post-war Germany as part of set of exercises for improving general riding. Cavalry officers introduced the art at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp as "Artistic Riding," although it was not continued in the Games. Vaulting is still much more popular in Europe, where it is still included in dressage training, than it is in other parts of the world, though vaulting is expanding in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and, since 1966, in the United States.

In 1983, vaulting became one of the disciplines recognized by the FEI. European Championships were first held in Ebreichsdorf, Austria in 1984, and the first FEI World Vaulting Championships were held in Bulle, Switzerland in 1986. Vaulting was included in the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm in 1990 and in all subsequent editions of the games. It was demonstrated as an art at the 1996 Atlanta Games and at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA. It has been included in the Inter Africa Cup since 2006.

The first World Cup Vaulting competition was held in Leipzig on 29–30 April 2011.

Competitive vaulting

Individual freestyle

In competitive vaulting, vaulters compete as individuals, pairs (or pas-de-deux), and teams. Beginning vaulters compete 'at the walk' (or in US terms, 'at the trot') but copper-, bronze-, silver-, and gold-medal level vaulters perform on the horse at a canter. The vaulting horse, which has been carefully trained, moves in a 15-metre circle and is controlled by a lunger (or "longeur").

Vaulting competitions consist of compulsory exercises and choreographed freestyle exercises done to music. There are six compulsory exercises: basic seat, flag, mill, scissors, stand and flank, in addition to the mount and dismount. Each exercise is scored on a scale from 0–10. Horses also receive a score and are judged on the quality of their gait.

Vaulters also compete in freestyle (previously known as Kur). The components of a freestyle vaulting routine may include mounts and dismounts, handstands, kneeling and standing and aerial moves such flips. Teams also carry, lift, or even toss another vaulter in the air. Judging is based on technique, performance, form, difficulty, balance, security, and consideration of the horse; the horse is also scored.

Vaulting horses are not saddled, but wear a surcingle (or a roller) and a thick back pad. The surcingle has special handles which aid the vaulter in performing certain moves as well as leather loops called "cossack stirrups". The horse wears a bridle and side reins. The lunge line is usually attached to the inside bit ring.

Vaulting horses typically move on the left rein (counterclockwise), but in some competitions the horse canters in the other direction. Two-phase classes of competition also work the horse to the right. While many European teams do not work to the right, many American vaulting clubs work to the right believing this benefits the horse and the vaulter.

The premier Vaulting competitions are the biannual World and Continental Championships and the World Equestrian Games (WEG) held every four years. In many countries, vaulting associations organise and sponsor national, regional and local events every year. In 2011 there were at least twenty-four countries with such organisations.

Competition Movements

Vaulters perform various movements on the back of the horse. Novice and beginning vaulters may perform at the walk or the trot while higher level vaulters perform at the canter. There are six compulsory exercises in the individual competition that must be performed without dismounting:

Compulsory Flag

Movement	Description
Basic Seat	An astride position (the vaulter sits on the horse as a rider would), with the arms held to the side and the hands raised to ear level. Hands should be held with closed fingers and palms facing downward, with the fingers arching slightly upward. Legs are wrapped around the horse's barrel, soles facing rearward, with toes down and feet arched. Vaulter holds this position for four full strides.
Flag	From the astride position, the vaulter hops to his or her knees and extends the right leg straight out behind, holding it slightly above his or her head so the leg is parallel to the horse's spine. The other leg should have pressure distributed through the shin and foot, most weight should be on the back of the ankle, to avoid digging the knee into the horse's back. The left arm is then stretched straight forward, at a height nearly that of the right leg. The hand should be held as it is in basic seat (palm down, fingers together). The right foot should be arched and the sole should face skyward. This movement should be held for four full strides after the arm and leg are raised.
Mill	From the astride position, the vaulter brings the right leg over the horse's neck. The grips must be ungrasped and retaken as the leg is brought over. The left leg is then brought in a full arc over the croup, again with a change of grips, before the right leg follows it, and the left leg moves over the neck to complete the full turn of the vaulter. The vaulter performs each leg movement in four strides each, completing the Mill movement in sixteen full strides. During the leg passes, the legs should be held perfectly straight, with the toes pointed. When the legs are on the same side of the horse, they should be pressed together.[1]
Scissors	From the astride position, the vaulter swings into a handstand. At the apex, the vaulter's body should be turned to the lunger and the inner leg should be crossed over the outer leg. The vaulter than comes down and lands so that she is facing backward on the horse, toward the tail. The return scissors is then performed, so that the vaulter swings up with the outside leg over the inside leg, and lands facing forward once again. If the vaulter lands hard on the horse's back, they are severely penalized. Scissors is judged on the elevation of the movement. [2]
Stand	The vaulter moves from the astride position onto the shins and immediately onto both feet, and releases the grips. The vaulter then straightens up with both knees bent, the buttocks tucked forward, and the hands held as they are in basic seat. The vaulter must hold the position for four full strides. [3]
Flank	From the astride position, the legs are swung forward to create momentum, before swinging backward, and rolling onto the stomach in an arch, with a full extension of the legs so that the vaulter nearly reaches a handstand. At the apex, the vaulter jackknifes her body and turns the body to the inside, before sliding down into a side seat. The vaulter moves from the side seat with a straighten of the legs, keeping the legs together, bringing her body over the horse's back, and pushes off the handgrips, landing to the outside of the circle facing forward. The vaulter is judged on form, landing, and elevation. You need to be able to eventually swing your entire body over the horse.[4]

Team Freestyle

The compulsories are performed in succession in the above order, without pause or dismounts. In addition, the mount onto the horse is also scored. At the walk, the Ground Jump is omitted.

In the team competition, each member of the team performs the required movements. Each vaulter in turn performs the first three moves and then dismounts, and after everyone has done the first three, each in turn does the last three moves.

Dress Code

Competitive equestrian vaulting is regulated by the international federation for equestrian sports (FEI), which ensures that all national and regional bodies adhere to their universal laws. According to FEI rules and regulations, vaulters must wear formfitting uniforms in vaulting events. These uniforms (of formfitting nature) must not hinder the movements of the vaulters or impede with their safety or the horse's safety, and they must also preserve/outline the natural bodily figure of the vaulter. Therefore, accessories are not allowed, and the uniforms are encouraged to have as few attachments to them as possible, in order to protect and amplify the visual bodily form of the vaulter. Therefore, the most accepted standardized forms of formfitting attires used are unitards.Unitards are normally made of nylon-spandex composition (80% nylon, 20% spandex), as that composition is the most optimal in giving the unitards a formfitting characteristic.

Unitards are worn by men, women, individuals, pairs and team members throughout all competitive (i.e. officially sanctioned) vaulting events. They are to be adhered to, specifically, during the compulsories.

During freestyles, however, the vaulters are given some extra freedom to experiment (i.e. slightly alter) with their standardized uniforms. Some vaulters appear in theme-based costumes, skirts + leggings, etc. Nevertheless, it is still encouraged that the vaulters continue adhering to the strict uniform guidelines normally expected of them during compulsories, even though freestyles offer 'extra freedom with experimentation'. This is because judges also give a score on the vaulter's presentation, and if the vaulter's uniform obstructs the judge's view of certain movements, then it will negatively affect the final score for the vaulter. Therefore it is advised that vaulters wear standardized vaulting unitards in freestyles as well, just as they strictly do so during compulsories.

Compulsories, unlike freestyles, offer no leeway for uniform experimentation.

Non-Competitive Vaulting

In addition to competition, vaulting is also a form of artistry and entertainment.

Vaulting is also used on a therapeutic level in some instances. People with disabilities can often benefit from interacting with the horse and team members, and by doing simple movements with the help of "spotters." Also, vaulting is often seen on a recreational level, through vaulting "demonstrations," and occasionally in local parades.

See also

• Horse riding stunts

External links

International links

• Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI)
• International Vaulting Club

National links

• American Vaulting Association (USA)
• Equestrian Vaulting Australia
• British Equestrian Vaulting
• VaultCanada.org
• Vaulting Colombia
• Voltigierseiten Germany
• South Africa