Now here's an experience you don't see everyday - trick riding on a horse! Horse vaulting and riding tricks are both very much competitive and show sports in the equestrian world - and they're breathtaking to watch, let alone have a go at yourself!
The first thing you should know is that you don't actually need to be able to ride a horse to learn tricks. In fact, the moves on horseback are first learnt on a gymnastics-style piece of equipment called a vault barrel, which is very firmly on the ground.
You'll be using a cossack saddle, which are the trick saddles that allow you to hold positions including on the side and even underneath the horse. Originally used by Cossack soldiers, it is now a popular show riding skill that is particularly renowned at rodeos in the USA - and of course, often seen in horse riding stunt sequences in films!
Once you've got some of the basics nailed on the vault, it's time to pull off the same tricks, but this time on a moving horse!
This is also when one extra element comes into play; the lunger. This is the person placed in the middle of the ring who effectively acts as the director of the horse. Your hoofed host is attached to the lunge line held by the lunger, which they use to guide the horse around the ring.
That means you can concentrate purely on your tricks, rather than making sure the horse is being ridden at the right speed. It's a bit like an equestrian remote control. Of course, all the horses used for these trick riding sessions are totally used to being vaulted and provide a steady and sturdy back for you to perform your tricks on.
As confidence grows, you might move on to trying some of the basic moves used in trick riding competitions, which could include things like mounts, dismounts, basic seat, arabesques, planks, wings and stands.
If you want to widen your repertoire of horse tricks this is the experience for you. Of course, none of these equestrian trick riding moves are to be tried at home, so book your place at this very specialised professional riding centre and be taught your vaults and your tricks on horseback by a pro rider.
