World championship level vaulting combines both gymnastics and dance on a cantering horse. Done to music, vaulting requires not only harmony between the horse and vaulter, but harmony between the horse and several vaulters. Vaulters may compete individually, as pairs (pas-de-deux), or as a team. Vaulting was first recognized by the FEI in 1983. To reach the world championship level, vaulters must compete regionally, nationally and finally worldwide.

There are various components to the routines that the vaulters must perform. All competitions are held over two rounds. The first round requires that seven designated exercises be performed by the vaulter and each exercise is scored by the judge. The second round is freestyle in which the vaulters are able to choreograph their own performance.

Vaulting is judged based on:
Form
Difficulty
Technique
Balance
Security
Consideration of the horse

The horse, the vaulter and the longeur are all considered a part of the team and are a competitive unit. This is reflected in the final score.

In order for the vaulters to perform well, they must have a trustworthy horse. The horse should be a good athlete with an excellent disposition and temperament. The horse should also be well balanced, as balance is 20% of the final score. The horse is longed by a longeur who is responsible for ensuring the horse stays in a stead and true canter throughout the competition and that the circle maintained has a minimum diameter of 15 meters.

There are seven compulsory movements required in vaulting:
Basic Seat The vaulter sits astride the horse with their arms raised at ear level. The legs are wrapped around the barrel of the horse with soles facing rearward. The riders hands should be held palms down with closed fingers. This position must be held for four strides.
Flag From astride the horse, the vaulter hops up to their knees and extends her right leg straight out behind and holds it slightly above her head and parallel with the horses spine. The left arm is stretched straight forward at nearly the height of the leg.
Mill From the astride position, the rider brings her leg over the horses neck and the left leg is then brought over in a full arc over the horses croup. This movement requires that the rider ungrasp and regrasp the grips. This movement must be performed with each leg for four strides each or sixteen strides total.
Scissors From astride the horse, the rider swings into a handstand and then comes down so that she is astride the horse facing backward. The maneuver is then performed again so that the rider is astride the horse facing forward.
Stand The stand requires the rider to move from the astride position and stand on both feet.
Flank From the astride position, the rider swings the legs forward to create momentum and rolls on the stomach in an arch with a full extension of the legs, nearly reaching a handstand. The vaulter then jackknifes her body and turns to the inside and slides down into a side seat. The vaulter then moves from the side seat, brings her body over the back of the horse and pushes off, landing outside the circle facing forward.

Each of these movements are performed in this order without dismounting or pausing. In team competition, each vaulter must perform these movements following one another.