The sport of Vaulting is a combination of dance and gymnastics performed on the back of a moving horse. To excel, the rider and horse must develop a high level of trust and coordination. Both the horse and the vaulter score points.
Competitors in the beginner divisions vault on horses that are walking or trotting.
The vaulting horse, which has been carefully trained, moves in a circle 15-metres in diameter and is controlled by a lunger (or “longeur”) standing in the centre of the circle.
1. How far is the lunger from the horse? (Hint: What is the radius of a 15-metre circle?)
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.
2. If a vaulter received a score of 6 points for each of the exercises, what would their total score be?
3. A second vaulter received the following scores. Which vaulter scored more points?
basic seat – 7; flag – 6; mill – 5; scissors – 8; stand – 5; flank – 6
Horses also receive a score and are judged on the quality of their gait. Judging of the Horse Score begins with entering the arena and ends with the final dismount.
Would you like to find out more about vaulting?
1. How far is the lunger from the horse? (Hint: What is the radius of a 15-metre circle?)
Answer: 15 ÷ 2 = 7.5. The lunger stands 7.5 metres from the horse.
2. A vaulter received a score of 6 points for each of the exercises, what would their total score be?
Answer: 6 x 6 = 36. The total score would be 36 points.
3. A second vaulter received the following scores. Which vaulter scored more points?
basic seat – 7; flag – 6; mill – 5; scissors – 8; stand – 5; flank – 6
Answer: 7 + 6 + 8 + 8 + 5 + 6 = 37. The second vaulter scored higher.
Photos:
Danada Fall Festival 2010 by Bob Haarmans; CC BY 2.0
Danada Fall Festival 2010 by Bob Haarmans; CC BY 2.0
Danada Fall Festival 2010 by Bob Haarmans; CC BY 2.0
