Equestrian vaulting is gymnastics and acrobatics on a horse moving in a circle. It's a discipline in its own right, with its own competition circuit, but best known as an entry point for children who don't yet need to steer for themselves. This guide explains how it works and how to find a vaulting group, as a companion to the question of what age you can start riding a horse.
What Vaulting Actually Is
In vaulting, the horse is worked on the lunge: a long line that a handler — the lunger — uses to send the horse walking, trotting, or cantering in a fixed circle. The vaulter doesn't steer with reins, but performs exercises on the horse's back — from simply sitting upright and balancing to standing, kneeling, and jumps, in rhythm with the canter. The lunger sets the pace and direction, so the vaulter can concentrate fully on the exercise.
That makes vaulting fundamentally different from ordinary riding. You don't need to be able to steer or stop to begin. But the skills it builds — balance, body control, sense of rhythm, and confidence around a horse — are exactly the things that come in handy later when learning to ride.
Why It's a Good Starting Point for Children
For young children, the barrier to entry is lower with vaulting than with a regular riding lesson. No steering or stopping skill is needed, the horse is handled by an experienced lunger, and the exercises build up calmly from simple movements at the walk. This way, a child gets to know the horse — feeling the rhythm, building trust, getting used to contact with a large animal — before taking the reins themselves.
That makes vaulting attractive as a stepping stone, even for children who'd then rather just learn to ride. The balance and sense of rhythm you build up in vaulting carry over as soon as you're in the saddle yourself. So it's not a detour, but rather a solid foundation.
Solo, Together, or in Competition Form
Vaulting is practiced in several ways:
- Group vaulting — the common form at a club or riding school: a group takes turns vaulting on the same horse, often to music.
- Individual — one vaulter on the horse, with their own exercise routine.
- Pas de deux — two vaulters together on one horse, with exercises coordinated between them.
There's also a competition circuit, organized in part through the KNHS, with its own class divisions and judging criteria. For most beginning children, though, it simply starts with the weekly group lesson, without competition being on the horizon right away.
What Age Can a Child Start
There's no hard minimum age, and it also varies by club. In practice, children often start at a young age, simply because vaulting doesn't require steering skill. How much a child can handle depends more on body control and concentration than on exact age — similar to what plays a role in learning to ride at a young age.
The best source for a concrete answer is the provider itself: a vaulting club or a riding school with a vaulting group can tell you from what age they accept children and what a trial lesson looks like. If you want to find out the difference between a manege and other providers, the guide on the difference between manege and ruiterschool can help.
Safety: What to Look For
Vaulting looks spectacular — gymnastics on a moving horse — but the setup is specifically designed to make that safe. A few things belong to a good vaulting group:
| Aspect | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Calm, trained vaulting horse | A horse used to the lunge and to moving vaulters stays predictable |
| Experienced lunger | Sets pace and direction, and can correct immediately if something goes wrong |
| Soft footing | Cushions a fall during practice |
| Warm-up for horse and vaulter | Reduces the risk of injury on both sides |
| Building up at the walk | Children start with simple exercises at the walk, only later in trot and canter |
If in doubt about the safety setup of a specific group, the club or riding school itself is the best point of contact — they know their own horses, lungers, and progression best.
How to Get Started
The steps to start with vaulting are similar to those for ordinary riding:
- Find a vaulting group nearby. Not every riding school offers vaulting; check local vaulting clubs or riding schools that offer it as a separate branch.
- Ask about a trial lesson. That way you can see whether the horse, the lunger, and the atmosphere suit you before signing up.
- Clothing that moves easily. Vaulting calls for supple clothing without loose parts, cords, or jewelry that could get caught.
- Ask about the age limit and group division. Clubs often group children by age and level, not just by experience.
For general basic terms around riding — lunge, lunger, and related terms — the glossary is a handy reference.
In Short
- Vaulting is gymnastics and acrobatics on a horse moving on the lunge; the lunger controls the horse, the vaulter doesn't have to.
- It builds balance, body control, and confidence — a good foundation, even for those who'd later rather just learn to ride.
- There's group, individual, and pas de deux vaulting, plus a competition circuit organized in part through the KNHS.
- There's no hard minimum age; ask a vaulting club or riding school about their own approach.
- Safety rests on a calm, trained horse, an experienced lunger, soft footing, and a calm build-up at the walk.
See also: What Age Can You Start Riding · Manege or Ruiterschool · Level: Just Starting Out · Jargon