Here Jessie is working on her equestrian vaulting basic seat on Irish Draught horse Shakespeare. She twists to the left (to the inside of the circle) and to the right (to the outside of the circle). While remembering to keep her hip bones pointed forward. This is more difficult than it sounds.

Vaulting is definitely a thinking sport. Also a wonderful way to develop the rider's seat. Also a great way to boost confidence and inner strength.

Shakespeare is the ultimate vaulting horse. This handsome horse is used to gold-level vaulters, and when our newbie vaulters lean forward, falter, or lose their place, he gets concerned and slows down or stops. He really takes care of those kiddos in his charge.

So about my vaulting horse in training... My percheronX horse Toby lets me stand on his back on my knees, and he will tolerate the mill and all kinds of arm waving and other ridiculous stuff I make up during our training sessions. I think I could stand on his back all the way up, and he wouldn't mind. I just have to get an experienced longer out here to try it with. I can lay flat on his back with my feet draped off of his ample hindquarters. I can sit sideways and backwards, and drape my legs along the length of his neck, swing them back and forth, and he's OK with that. We can run alongside the big boy at a trot on the longe line, and he will tolerate it, with a bit of talking to. He's still trying to figure it all out, and expresses only a bit of concern, not resistance so far. I've done a bit of Roman Riding on him in my round pen. He has given me a few tiny bucks when he's nervous about something, but doesn't seem adverse to strange antics on his back.

And the PercheronX horse has a lovely round trot and canter, with lots of lift. I swear, I could stage a chorus line up there on that broad back of his. I think he's really going to be a vaulting horse.

I am hoping someday for the type of grace and confidence that Jessie's vaulting coach has. Marcy is a truly elegant horsewoman. She and Irish Draught Shakespeare are a fine match.

I'm hoping that eventually we'll be able to give this experience with horses to lots of kids. Maybe kids who have never had a chance to be around horses before, but who would love to. That's the cool thing about vaulting--its accessibility.

To give horses to kids. Now that's a big dream of mine. Toby fits in there somewhere. And gaining the skills to be able to reach the kids who could benefit from it is something I'm going to have to figure out.

Well, I'm working on it.