Horseback Riding for fitness

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  • Kimegatron
    Kimegatron Posts: 772 Member
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    I love bareback riding! I haven't done it in years, but it made my legs like hulk sticks.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited August 2015
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    popcorn7225 wrote: »
    I wear a HRM while riding every day. I expend approx 350 to 425 in an hour. I am in the zone for 45 out of the 60 minutes. I don't count the extra things I do like tacking up, bathing, cleaning etc. and I only eat back half of the exercise calories. I've lost 40 lbs in 4 months. This is the only exercise I do and I do it 5 days a week without fail. I also show and clinic on the weekends which burn a ton of calories. So it def burns way more calories then just sitting as we all know we don't just sit on the horses.

    A HRM is not designed to track things like horseback riding and shouldn't be considered accurate.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    popcorn7225 wrote: »
    I wear a HRM while riding every day. I expend approx 350 to 425 in an hour. I am in the zone for 45 out of the 60 minutes. I don't count the extra things I do like tacking up, bathing, cleaning etc. and I only eat back half of the exercise calories. I've lost 40 lbs in 4 months. This is the only exercise I do and I do it 5 days a week without fail. I also show and clinic on the weekends which burn a ton of calories. So it def burns way more calories then just sitting as we all know we don't just sit on the horses.

    A HRM is not designed to track things like horseback riding and shouldn't be considered accurate.

    Indeed horse riding is more strength exercise than cardio
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    But opinions are divided about it...
  • charlieandcarol
    charlieandcarol Posts: 302 Member
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    kkenseth wrote: »
    You will gain some strength in your legs and core if you're engaging throughout the session. That's about it. Your calorie burn is going to be pretty much what you normally burn sitting.

    If you are doing a dinky tourist trail ride at a walk maybe but if you have ever had a proper individual riding lesson or ridden and trained for competition you would not be saying this....

    Its great exercise but I never figured out a way to count it so didn't and treated it as a "bonus" activity.

    Pilates is great strengthening exercise for horse riding, good for core strength, good for balance, good for being aware of your body in space which is particularly important for riding well. Body control is very important for riding rather than brute strength as such.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    BWBTrish wrote: »
    But opinions are divided about it...

    Either way, it's not steady state cardio (maybe for the horse) which is what HRMs are formulated to track somewhat accurately.
  • Becky_charles29
    Becky_charles29 Posts: 125 Member
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    It's definitely good for the core and the thighs!

    In terms of burn, I do an hour of canter and rising trot and it barely registers at 200 cals but definitely keep it up. Not only is it good for strength, it's also great for the mind! I feel so much happier after a horse ride
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    BWBTrish wrote: »
    But opinions are divided about it...

    Either way, it's not steady state cardio (maybe for the horse) which is what HRMs are formulated to track somewhat accurately.

    It will always be guessing..is my guess ;)

    We had our team monitored for weeks and that data was not even correct lol How i know??? One of the members lost a lot of weight over 2 up-training weeks. You could see it, in the face the hands etc Pants almost dropping off after a week ( because hydration according to me, he didn't drink enough) However the data didn't match up in a long way i remember ( talking about a long time ago)

    But we found it funny and strange of course. And it was something that stood out of all the other data.

    But all doesnt matter horse riding is exercise...which level and how much you burn...hard to tell lol

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