The Pommel Horse
The pommel horse is kind of like a vault, except that it has two wood handles, called pommels, on top of the horse. The pommel horse is 3 feet, 8 inches off the floor, and it is about 5 feet long. The pommels are 5 inches upright. The top fo the horse, is usually kept really smooth so that the gymnasts can slide over them. The bottom of the horse is made very heavy, so that the horse doesn't tip when a gymnast is on it. Otherwise it is clamped to the ground for safety.
The pommel horse is said to be one of the most difficult events in men's gymnastics, simply because of all the movements with the hands. A routine consists of many difficult skills linked together, and performed cleanly.
Back
