With lithe athletes in sparkling leotards performing gymnastics on horseback, it would be easy to mistake this centuries-old equestrian competition for the circus. After all, the maneuvers are performed to music on the back of a horse that’s cantering in a 15-meter circle. World Equestrian Games. “In Europe, they use it a lot as a prerequisite for riding, especially in Germany,” said Emma Seely, the chef d’équipe — a combination of coach and team manager — of the United States vaulting team. Julian McPeak, a spokeswoman for the United States Equestrian Federation, describes vaulting as a combination of gymnastics and ice-skating.

Source: New York Times September 09, 2018 09:22 UTC