Vaulting and trick riding represent some of the most spectacular equestrian disciplines, combining elements of gymnastics, dance, and horsemanship into breathtaking performances. These arts require special equine partners—horses with specific temperamental and physical attributes that can handle the unique demands of having humans perform acrobatics on their backs. While the rider’s skill is paramount, the horse serves as the living, breathing foundation for every move. The right equine partner can make all the difference between a safe, successful performance and a dangerous situation. This article explores the best horse breeds for vaulting and trick riding, examining why certain breeds excel in these specialized disciplines and what characteristics make them ideal partners for these dynamic equestrian arts.
Understanding Vaulting and Trick Riding Requirements
Before delving into specific breeds, it’s essential to understand what qualities make a horse suitable for vaulting and trick riding. The ideal horse must possess exceptional temperament—calm, patient, and unflappable, even with performers moving on their backs or hanging from their sides. Physical attributes are equally important: a strong, level topline; powerful hindquarters to maintain steady gaits; and adequate size to support vaulters or trick riders. These disciplines also require horses with smooth, consistent movement that remains predictable during performances. Unlike other equestrian sports where reactivity might be prized, vaulting and trick horses must demonstrate remarkable tolerance to potentially startling stimuli, maintaining their composure even when surrounded by music, applause, and the unusual movements of their human partners.
Cold Blood vs. Warm Blood: The Breed Spectrum
Within the equestrian world, breeds are often categorized along a spectrum from “cold-blooded” (draft breeds) to “hot-blooded” (Thoroughbreds and Arabians), with “warmbloods” occupying the middle ground. For vaulting and trick riding, horses toward the colder end of the spectrum often provide the ideal temperament—less reactive and more tolerant of unusual stimuli. Draft and draft-cross horses typically possess the sturdy build, level topline, and calm disposition that make them excellent candidates for these disciplines. Warmbloods can also excel, offering a balance between the steady temperament needed for safety and the athletic ability required for performance. Pure hot-blooded breeds, while athletic and intelligent, may prove too sensitive or reactive for beginners, though exceptional individuals with the right training can succeed at the highest levels of competition.
Percherons: The Gentle Giants
Percherons stand among the most popular draft breeds for vaulting, particularly at competitive levels. These majestic horses combine impressive size with remarkable grace, providing a stable platform for vaulters while maintaining the smooth, consistent canter required for competitions. Originally bred in France for war and later for farm work, Percherons typically stand between 16.2 and 17.3 hands high, offering ample space for vaulting teams to perform. Their naturally level topline creates an ideal surface for gymnastic movements, while their characteristically calm temperament helps them remain unfazed by the activity occurring on their backs. Many top vaulting teams prefer Percherons specifically for their combination of power, movement quality, and unflappable disposition—traits that make them reliable partners even in high-pressure competitive environments.
Draft Crosses: The Best of Both Worlds
Draft crosses—particularly those combining draft breeding with warmbloods or Quarter Horses—often represent the perfect middle ground for vaulting and trick riding. These crosses inherit the substantial frame and steady temperament from their draft heritage while gaining athletic ability and refinement from their lighter-breed parent. Percheron-Thoroughbred crosses, for example, can offer the ideal combination of size, strength, and quality of movement needed for competitive vaulting. These horses typically maintain the draft breed’s tolerance for the physical demands of having humans perform on their backs while demonstrating improved stamina and gait quality. Draft crosses also tend to be more economical to feed and maintain than pure draft horses, making them accessible options for vaulting clubs and trick riding teams working with limited resources.
Hanoverians and Holsteiners: European Vaulting Favorites
In European vaulting competitions, particularly at elite levels, Hanoverian and Holsteiner warmbloods frequently appear in the competition ring. These German warmblood breeds combine athletic ability with the substantial frame needed to support vaulters, typically standing between 16 and 17 hands tall with powerful, muscular builds. Their gaits—particularly their canter—demonstrate the consistency and rhythm that competitive vaulting demands, allowing performers to execute precise movements in time with the horse’s stride. While these breeds may not offer the unflappable nature of draft horses, well-trained Hanoverians and Holsteiner with appropriate temperaments can excel at the highest levels of vaulting competition. Their superior movement quality often gives teams an edge in competitions where the horse’s performance accounts for a significant portion of the overall score.
Quarter Horses: Versatile Trick Riding Partners
The American Quarter Horse stands as the preferred mount for many trick riders, particularly in western-style exhibitions and rodeo performances. Their compact, muscular build provides the strength and agility needed for the fast-paced maneuvers characteristic of trick riding. Quarter Horses excel in maintaining collection at speed—a crucial quality when riders perform hanging curves, vaults, or stands at a gallop. Their inherent cow sense and quick reflexes, bred for cattle work, translate well to the precision demands of trick riding, where timing is everything. Additionally, the breed’s generally amenable temperament makes them trainable for the unusual requests trick riding requires, from tolerating riders standing on their backs to remaining steady as performers slide beneath their bellies at full gallop.
Friesians: Combining Power and Grace
With their striking black coats and flowing manes and tails, Friesians bring dramatic visual appeal to vaulting and trick riding performances. Originally bred as war horses and later as carriage horses, these Dutch horses combine substantial strength with a natural elegance of movement. Their powerful hindquarters provide the impulsion needed for maintaining consistent gaits under the added weight of vaulters, while their naturally high head carriage creates a majestic picture in performance. Friesians typically possess the steady temperament required for vaulting work, remaining level-headed even with multiple performers on their backs. Their theatrical appearance makes them particularly popular for exhibition vaulting and liberty displays, where visual impact matters as much as technical execution.
Irish Draught Horses: Versatility and Sensibility
The Irish Draught Horse offers a compelling combination of attributes that make it well-suited for both vaulting and trick riding disciplines. Developed as a versatile farm horse, the breed typically stands between 15.2 and 16.3 hands high with substantial bone and a strong, level topline ideal for supporting vaulters. Irish Draughts are renowned for their sensible, calm temperaments—described by enthusiasts as having “the sense God gave them”—which translates to remarkable steadiness even with unusual activities occurring on their backs. Their natural athleticism allows them to maintain quality movement while carrying riders, and their generally sound constitution means they often enjoy long careers in demanding disciplines. Irish Draught crosses, particularly with Thoroughbreds (producing Irish Sport Horses), can offer an excellent balance of substance, movement quality, and reliable temperament.
Clydesdales and Shires: Gentle Giants for Beginners
For beginning vaulters, particularly children and young adults, Clydesdales and Shires offer a combination of unmatched patience and substantial size that creates confidence in new performers. These massive draft breeds, standing 17 to 19 hands high, provide a wide, stable platform that gives beginners a greater sense of security during their initial vaulting experiences. Their characteristically gentle nature makes them forgiving partners as new vaulters learn to balance and move on horseback. While their movement may lack the elasticity and expression preferred in high-level competition, their rock-steady temperaments and reliable gaits make them invaluable schoolmasters for vaulting programs focused on recreation and education. Many vaulting clubs maintain at least one Clydesdale or Shire specifically for introducing novices to the sport in the safest possible environment.
Paint Horses and Appaloosas: The Showstoppers
For performers focused on visual impact, particularly in exhibition settings, Paint Horses and Appaloosas bring distinctive coloration that immediately captures audience attention. These American breeds, closely related to Quarter Horses, combine flashy appearances with the athletic ability and temperament needed for trick riding. Their generally compact, muscular builds provide the necessary strength for supporting riders in dramatic positions, while their quick reflexes accommodate the rapid transitions trick riding demands. Both breeds typically possess trainable, people-oriented temperaments that make them receptive to the specialized training trick riding requires. In Native American style trick riding performances, these breeds provide authentic connections to indigenous horsemanship traditions while delivering the reliable performance qualities needed for safe execution of complex maneuvers.
Training Considerations Beyond Breed
While breed characteristics provide a foundation, individual temperament and proper training ultimately determine a horse’s suitability for vaulting or trick riding. The ideal prospect, regardless of breed, should demonstrate natural confidence and curiosity without excessive reactivity, and comfort with close human contact. Training for these disciplines follows a methodical progression, beginning with desensitization to unusual stimuli—including barrels, balls, flags, and music—that might be encountered during performances. Lunging training focuses on developing a consistent, balanced canter that remains unchanged regardless of the vaulter’s position or movement. Before any gymnastic work begins, prospects must become comfortable with handlers touching all parts of their bodies, including sensitive areas like the flanks and belly that trick riders might contact during performances.
Physical Considerations and Conformation
Beyond breed and temperament, specific physical attributes significantly impact a horse’s suitability for vaulting and trick riding. The ideal prospect possesses a strong, level topline with well-developed back muscles capable of supporting riders in various positions without risk of injury. A short, strong coupling (the connection between the last rib and hip) provides stability, while well-angulated hindquarters generate the power needed to maintain consistent movement under added weight. For vaulting specifically, a barrel circumference proportional to the horse’s height ensures vaulters can maintain proper form during compulsory exercises. Sound feet and legs become particularly important, as these horses must maintain regular work schedules while carrying unbalanced loads that can place unusual stresses on their locomotor systems.
Specialized Care for Performance Partners
Horses engaged in vaulting and trick riding require specialized care to maintain their physical and mental well-being throughout their careers. Their fitness programs must develop the specific strength needed to carry unbalanced loads while maintaining proper movement—typically including hill work, cavaletti exercises, and targeted strengthening of core and back muscles. Regular bodywork, including massage and chiropractic care, helps address the unique physical stresses these disciplines place on equine partners. Mental management proves equally important; successful vaulting and trick horses benefit from varied work that prevents mental burnout from repetitive lunging sessions. Many programs incorporate trail riding, ground liberty work, or other activities that provide mental stimulation while maintaining the horse’s specialized training for their performance duties.
Conclusion: Finding the Perfect Equine Partner
While certain breeds demonstrate natural affinities for vaulting and trick riding, the perfect equine partner ultimately transcends breed categories. The ideal horse combines the right physical attributes—size, strength, and quality of movement—with the exceptional temperament these disciplines demand. Whether a massive Percheron carrying a competitive vaulting team or a nimble Paint Horse executing high-speed trick riding maneuvers, these special equines share a remarkable capacity to remain steady amid chaos. For those seeking their own vaulting or trick riding partner, focusing on individual temperament and trainability rather than breed alone will yield the best results. The extraordinary bond formed between performers and these uniquely tolerant horses creates the foundation for the breathtaking displays of trust and partnership that define vaulting and trick riding at their finest.
