Vaulting…with or without a horse?
Equestrian vaulting, or simply Vaulting (fr: Voltige de: Voltigieren), 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 US, 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.
About the Ancient 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.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrian_vaulting
VOCABULARY:
vaulting
steppes
nomadic
acrobatic
dance-like movements
ancient
gymnastics
cantering
gross-motor skill
TRUE OR FALSE:
The first known depiction of vaulting is a stone painting, dated at around 1500 BC, of Scandinavian riders standing on horses.
Vaulting has only a few enthusiasts worldwide, particularly in Europe and other parts of the Eastern world.
FILL IN THE BLANKS:
…people have been performing _______ and __________ on the backs of moving horses for more than 2,000 years.
Those who believe _______________ originated in Europe seem to trace the discipline back to the ________ era and Ancient Greece.
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