They’re like cowgirls dressed in burglar black, with figure skater hairdos.

“We have stuff that literally says on the bottom ‘bomb proof’,” laughed Charlotte Galbraith, her perfectly hair-sprayed ponytail bobbing.

Mounting a horse while it’s moving should appear a daunting task, yet the Manestream Vaulters appear at ease as they literally vault onto Sierra’s back in mid-walk. Sierra, a draft cross, is a new horse to the sport, but quickly catching on.

“It’s just so much fun,” said Galbraith. The 12-year-old, who’s been vaulting since she was six, is dressed in her black one-piece competition outfit. One day she showed her horseback coach — yes the North Saanich middle school student loves horses — that she could do the splits. That coach suggested she have a look at vaulting, a combination of gymnastic-like moves aboard a moving horse.

There are, of course, three obvious steps to vaulting competition on horseback: walk, trot and canter, each with different levels. The girls (Manestream which trains out of Fforest Mere Equestrian Centre in Saanich currently has only female members) also train and compete on a barrel. There they have an opportunity to push themselves, performing more difficult moves while on a stationary object. In competition, they perform on both the horse and the barrel for combined scores. There’s also duets and group categories, all performed to music.

“My favourite thing would be competition, when you get to go up in front of the other teams and have fun,” Galbraith said.

“You get marked and you can see improvement,” added Courney Cook, who also enjoys competition. At 14, Cook has already been at it for four or five years, since her grandmother introduced her to the sport. “It’s fun. I just enjoy doing it,” the Stelly’s secondary student said. The girls gather for practice once a week at Fforest Mere plus Cook has the luxury of a barrel to practice on at home. She’s a Walk C level. “I’m working on my trot,” she added.

Kara Wick started vaulting when a friend of her mom told her about it. “I enjoy horses,” the St. Margaret’s school student added.

“I’ve ridden since I was about one (year-old) because my mom stuck me on a horse,” she said with a grin. “I like the sport, a bunch of my friends are here … I enjoy gymnastics and horses.”

Also a Walk C competitor, Wick too loves the competition.

“I enjoy the thrill of everyone watching you and judging you,” she said with a grin.

In competition they perform a series of compulsory moves aboard the horse, as well as perform their pieces to music. That love of competition has paid off; the Manestream team successfully hauled home a plethora of ribbons at the recent provincial competition in Chilliwack.

Though it looks like a dance on horseback, and Wick professes a love of gymnastics and horses, gymnastics isn’t critical to the sport, explained coach Stella French.

French started coaching the sport in Metchosin five years ago before moving to the Saanich equestrian centre four years ago.

“I was introduced to vaulting at summer camp,” French said. “I was working at a summer camp where it was an elective.”

The sport combines balance, coordination, teamwork and disciplines as well as working on planning and motor skills, “all in a fun environment,” she said. The social atmosphere, obvious in the girls cheering each other on at Fforest Mere, is also important — all the girls work together, regardless of their skill level.

“I recommend it to anyone who is just starting out,” she said.

“You don’t have to control the horse,” she explained. The coach herself has the lead, walking Sierra in a circle as each team member takes turns vaulting on, practicing their moves, then dismounting. “To learn to vault before you learn to ride is great.”

reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com