ALEXIS RYAN LOVES HORSE VAULTING

By Maggie Hill, 7th Grade, Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School

Horse Vaulting? Yes, gymnastics on a real live, breathing, and moving horse. The sport of horse vaulting has grown so much in popularity it is becoming an Olympic sport. The sport has made it to our area in recent years. 

Alexis Ryan, one of South Charlotte’s own horse vaulters loves the sport. Alexis is the daughter of Bob and Cindy Ryan. She is in the fifth grade at Community House Middle School. The Ryan’s recently moved back to Charlotte from Richmond, VA where they had lived for three years. Alexis used to give all of her attention to both gymnastics and horse back riding. She went to a horse back riding camp  and they taught her how to vault and she has loved it ever since.

To most everyone’s surprise, horse back riding has been known to be more dangerous than vaulting. Some precautions that you take with vaulting are that you never vault before your instructor knows that you are ready. When you start vaulting you stat a slow pace and then when you progress you progress to a trot. Once you become an advanced vaulter you canter. When you are vaulting there are handles on the horses sattle incase you feel unstable and need to hold on to prevent yourself from falling off.

The athletes are very skilled at falling, curious a skill as that may seem. During competition on June 30, one vaulter dismounted with a bit too much momentum and simply tossed herself into a graceful forward roll to remedy the situation. When you fall off your horse while vaulting the vaulter try to stay as graceful as possible so they do not points slashed off there score.

Alexis fell off her horse one time and one time only. After she fell off she is careful to make sure she is doing everything right.

“I love vaulting it is the perfect combination of the two sports that I enjoy,” said Alexis.

 Horse vaulting is a big commitment, with practice two or three times a week, and vaulting competitions on the weekend.

Alexis loves the sport and loves hanging out with her friends and family. Alexis has high hopes to eventually participate  in the Olympics one day.