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You can in fact use Vital Strike from the back of a charging mount. When a mount is charging, it is the one taking the charge action, you just gain the benefits.
See this clarification from Sean Reynolds:
"If YOU are mounted, the MOUNT is making the charge, YOU are NOT making a charge."
Also, see this post for some elaboration on why this works.
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So I have a PFS Gnome Shining Knight Mounted Paladin at level 5. I was updating his stuff and found that, after this weekend, I am one game away from level 7. Time to make sure my feat choice will work.
What are your traits, stats and armor?
What is your mount, and what feats does it have?
1- Mounted Combat
3 - Ride by Attack
5 - Spirited Charge
7 - Vital Strike
9 - Power Attack
11 - Toughness
Take Power Attack at 7th and two-hand that lance for -2/+6 damage (tripled to +18 on a Spirited Charge) -- as you're doing Ride By (and therefore not taking too much rebound) and as a CON-bumped paladin with Lay-on swift healing, you shouldn't need a shield much (but see below).
At 8th, you'll be -3/+24 on every Power Charge.
Vital Strike is awesome for frequently Enlarged infantry with big swords, but there are arguably better things a mounted PC with scarce feat slots could be picking up than another 4.5hp damage on standard-action move-and-hit (also, the rules mess). ...I'd rather take Quick Draw and pick up a nice MW STR bow in the BAB6+ zone; in conjunction with a quickdraw shield, it'll give you extra attacks.
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But the FAQ negates any discussion on this.
But for now, the decision should be Power Attack before Vital Strike. If I can use both at the same time, Vital Strike will add, on average, 3.5 points of damage to every hit with a small-sized lance. On the flip side, Power Attack will add 12 points of damage to every hit, no rolling, while charging.
Except it doesn't tcharles. The FAQ states:
"Vital Strike: Can I use this with Spring Attack, or on a charge?
No. Vital Strike can only be used as part of an attack action, which is a specific kind of standard action. Spring Attack is a special kind of full-round action that includes the ability to make one melee attack, not one attack action. Charging uses similar language and can also not be used in combination with Vital Strike."
As noted earlier, when you are on the back of a charging mount, you are not charging. The FAQ itself supports Vital Striking from a mount by specifying that it is the action economy involved that would prohibit it. If you read my earlier link, you'll note that Mounted Skirmisher specifies that normal when attacking from a mount is that you can only use an attack action, the exact action necessary for Vital Strike as specified in the FAQ.
All of that being said, I would select Power Attack before Vital Strike as it'll be more beneficial at that level, then Vital Strike, then Devastating Strike since that damage is multiplied by the charge, then the progressive Vital Strike feats. Alternatively, build towards Mounted Skirmisher at 14th level by picking up Trick Riding at 11th, and for an easy damage boost grab Arcane Strike at 9th. It's not a huge damage boost, but your gnome will be counting his total hit die as his arcane caster level as long as you didn't trade away his SLA's, and all of your Arcane Strike damage is multiplied on a charge and would apply to all attacks in a full attack with Mounted Skirmisher.
**EDIT*** Forget Mounted Skirmisher since it's PFS and you may never hit that level, unless you're running in an AP. Arcane Strike is still a decent choice, along with Vital Strike, Devastating Strike, and Improved Vital Strike.