Does horseback riding count?

cbratthauer

So I grew up on a farm and used to have a horse and man were my legs nice and toned in those days!!! So does horseback riding count as exercise? I know it's not really cardio but it does work your leg muscles pretty good... I guess I'm just feeling really bummed, it's been 6 years since I sold my horse but I miss her like crazy. Once we start having kids we're going to move out to the country and I'll be able to get a horse again, but boy I wish I could afford boarding. But it's just so crazy expensive!!! It costs as much a month to board a horse as it does for our house payment. I wish I lived closer to my dad I'd just keep the horse there, but that's why I had to sell mine to begin with... Just feelin down today and wishin I had a place I could go horseback riding!

jenhenning219

i would count it as exercise, i count cooking dinner and prepping as burning calories because i move around as i do it

ltf304

Hell yeah it counts! If you're on the horse and just walking around, then no, but trotting (I burn 300 in 30 minutes) can burn serious calories. It is in the exercise database also. If this is what you love then I suggest doing it as a cardio exercise and incorprate some strength training at least 3 days a week. Have fun!

cgd67

Sure. Check local stables and see if you can get out and ride!

ltf304

Just read your post again and noticed you can't afford a horse. My suggestion is to look for a horse rescue in your area and volunteer. You can work around and horses and ride the volunteer horses to help them become adoptable. Hope this helps!

cbratthauer

Sure. Check local stables and see if you can get out and ride!

There are only 2 stables where I live and in order for you to ride their horses, you have to take lessons... I don't need lessons I've been riding since I was 8... And I also can't afford lessons, so I'm pretty much stuck

aclark6818

Yes it does!! It's actually in the database under aerobics. Hope you get to ride soon.
:flowerforyou:

cbratthauer

Just read your post again and noticed you can't afford a horse. My suggestion is to look for a horse rescue in your area and volunteer. You can work around and horses and ride the volunteer horses to help them become adoptable. Hope this helps!

That's a good idea! I haven't heard of anything like that around here but I'm definitely going to research and see if I can find something.

TrainerRobin

Absolutely, riding counts. Especially if you're actively riding ... it will work your legs, your butt and your core big time. Calories burned depend upon the pace. For 150 pound person, for one hour of riding: walking = 177 calories; trotting (posting) = 422 calories; galloping = 544 calories. Even grooming and saddling up burn about 238 calories an hour.

Hmmm. Maybe I need to get out today and ride some. I've got eight of those hay burners here. If you lived closer, that might keep you busy!

BigClaire88

Rather than pay for lessons could you perhaps offer to muck out, groom and be a general help on the yard for a couple of hours at weekends in return for lessons? I can appreciate you don't need lessons but it's probably for the owners peace of mind that anyone riding their horses is an able and safe rider.

Different places have different ways of doing things.. for example, my mum is an experienced rider but had not ridden for a few years, so I paid for her to hack out with the riding school. My mum was use to a rising trot but the stable owner preffered people to stand in the stirrups as it's easier on the horses, so my mum did this. There were a couple of other things the stable owner felt they could help with so they suggested one or two lessons just to really get her use to riding 'their way' as appose to the way she was use to riding.

mountainmare

I'm a dressage rider and wear a HRM--a good forward trot session really burns calories and works your core like crazy. For me trot burns more than canter (even sitting trot) but my mare is a big warmblood and takes alot of core to ride.

BioQueen

Hello! I'm working as a horse back riding instructor this summer (I've been riding since I was 4), and I definitely log it! I don't log all the barn chores I do, but the actual riding I will count!

ltf304

Just read your post again and noticed you can't afford a horse. My suggestion is to look for a horse rescue in your area and volunteer. You can work around and horses and ride the volunteer horses to help them become adoptable. Hope this helps!

That's a good idea! I haven't heard of anything like that around here but I'm definitely going to research and see if I can find something.

I volunteer for an equine rescue and they allow the volunteers to help train the horses if they are an experienced rider. Try this website. http://www.iaeral.org/What_you_can_do_.html
It looks like it may be a drive for you but it might be worth it. Take a look around the area and I'm sure you can find somewhere to volunteer.

ltf304

Rather than pay for lessons could you perhaps offer to muck out, groom and be a general help on the yard for a couple of hours at weekends in return for lessons? I can appreciate you don't need lessons but it's probably for the owners peace of mind that anyone riding their horses is an able and safe rider.

Different places have different ways of doing things.. for example, my mum is an experienced rider but had not ridden for a few years, so I paid for her to hack out with the riding school. My mum was use to a rising trot but the stable owner preffered people to stand in the stirrups as it's easier on the horses, so my mum did this. There were a couple of other things the stable owner felt they could help with so they suggested one or two lessons just to really get her use to riding 'their way' as appose to the way she was use to riding.

This is a good idea too!! If you have a lot of experience then you maybe can get hired to give horse lessons in trade for riding or work for the barn in trade. So many options for you!

cbratthauer

Just read your post again and noticed you can't afford a horse. My suggestion is to look for a horse rescue in your area and volunteer. You can work around and horses and ride the volunteer horses to help them become adoptable. Hope this helps!

That's a good idea! I haven't heard of anything like that around here but I'm definitely going to research and see if I can find something.

I volunteer for an equine rescue and they allow the volunteers to help train the horses if they are an experienced rider. Try this website. http://www.iaeral.org/What_you_can_do_.html
It looks like it may be a drive for you but it might be worth it. Take a look around the area and I'm sure you can find somewhere to volunteer.

This is actually the closest equine rescue around my area I do believe... Only a 45 minute drive to Cedar Rapids from here and definitely worth it for me!

LilRedRooster

Well, I count it as exercise, but I don't always log it, because it's so varied that it's hard to know the ballpark calorie output, but I totally know what you mean about the legs! After a day of trail riding, there are muscles in my inner thighs that I didn't even know existed that are sore! It's amazing how much leg strength you have to use, especially bareback for an hour or so. I love it!

I'm sorry you can't have a horse right now, though, When I was a kid, I used to go to the local stables or shelters and offer to muck out stalls in exchange for time with the horses. Don't think I could get away with it now, but that was my horse fix when I couldn't have one as a kid. We have two Quarter Horses that we use for roping/reining and trail riding, but we live in a smaller city that actually has a lot of property within the main part of the city that's zoned for animals, so we rent a house within the town and keep them in the pasture right next to the house. They're such wonderful animals, and it's awesome that we get to have them so close, and yet still live within the city.

Hope that it works out for you soon that you can have them again!

craftykimmer

Yes it counts! It's in the database too. I get 113 calories burned for 30 min of general riding. I also get 87 cal. for 20 min of grooming. I know it doesn't feel like exercise tho, LOL. Except.... When my horse is being a goofball and spooking at everything and I'm trying to stay on LOL.
I wonder if you checked at your stable you might be able to lease or half lease a horse?

cbratthauer

Thanks everybody!!! I found a place in town that will let me do a lease or half lease on a horse, just waiting to hear back on how much. I so hope I can afford it. If not, I'll see if I can work for it instead! I'm definitely getting excited!

aehartley

I am so sure it counts...

I ride saddle seat equatation and OMG I sweat and burn calories and work parts of my body that I can't get too when I am just doing cardio and strength training...

horsiegall

Hell yeah it counts we ride on the beach down here in south texas every Monday and I don't mean a Lil walk sometimes were out there for 2-3 hours . Tell me that's not exercise

amoffatt

It sure does, you have to have the balance and muscles to stay on and keep up with the horse. My sister in law barrel races and trains horses and shes a bigger gal, but the Dr. stated when she has her C-section she had the most strongest stomach muscles he has seen. She would have had at least a 4 pack if she was thinner. My legs and core get a work out when I ride, so yes, it is a great strength workout..:bigsmile:

_Khaleesi_

I have been riding since I was a young kind and I worked on a ranch for 7 years... It drives me CRAZY when people say that riding isn't exercise. They obviously don't know anything about riding!! Maybe if you sat like a lump of poatoes and did nothing on a horse it would do nothing... but even then you are using your core to stabilize yourself on a gaited beast!! If you weren't gaining anything from it, professionals wouldn't be using it as therapeutic modality (see: hippotherapy).

This has just kicked me in the *kitten* and made me want to ride tonight. I have really only been a weekend rider on my greenie, but who says that it has to stop there. BEST CARDIO EVER. Time to get my *kitten* in gear.

Sullivanwilson

I did a search for horseback riding and came up with this thread. I was curious if there were serious riders out there, and wondering if there was better data about calories burned when you do more than sit there like a sack of potatoes.

I know I'm sweating and out of breath after a jump course, or a training session, not to mention the strength and balance that's required.

Nicola0000

I wear my HRM when riding. When I ride for a hour in a jump lesson, I burn 600-700 cals. (im 5'7", 131 lbs). So yes, it does count!!

Sullivanwilson

Now why didn't I think of a HRM- that is brilliant! Your calorie data is much more on line with what I suspected. Heck, I can get a good sweat going just by doing a hard curry for 10 minutes! Thanks for your input!

WildFlower7

So I grew up on a farm and used to have a horse and man were my legs nice and toned in those days!!! So does horseback riding count as exercise? I know it's not really cardio but it does work your leg muscles pretty good... I guess I'm just feeling really bummed, it's been 6 years since I sold my horse but I miss her like crazy. Once we start having kids we're going to move out to the country and I'll be able to get a horse again, but boy I wish I could afford boarding. But it's just so crazy expensive!!! It costs as much a month to board a horse as it does for our house payment. I wish I lived closer to my dad I'd just keep the horse there, but that's why I had to sell mine to begin with... Just feelin down today and wishin I had a place I could go horseback riding!

US TOO! My horse was sold 4yrs ago and I too miss her dearly. I'm with ya, it is an incredible leg workout and sometimes it can wind you. I'm sure it counts, but enough to track, not sure, We'll have to wear an HRM when riding to find out, THAT you can track!!

inuit

I was always fit and never really needed to be over careful about what i ate, like i do now, it is a great workout, riding, cleaning the stable, field maintence etc etc. It has been 10 years since i have owned a horse and it is the main reason I am on here trying to lose weight and get fit as i want to buy a horse in the spring, my weight has piled on since i sold my last horse. I plan on losing another 30lbs and i will start looking for my new horse.

WildFlower7

Just read your post again and noticed you can't afford a horse. My suggestion is to look for a horse rescue in your area and volunteer. You can work around and horses and ride the volunteer horses to help them become adoptable. Hope this helps!

Ahhh, Love this ^. I personally don't have room for horses right now or time for them with all of my little one's. But eventually we hope to again. In the meantime that sounds like a blast!!

jjteddy1982

I'M SURE THAT FOR THE HORSE IT DOES!!!!

nbingham

It absolutely counts! After I had my first daughter, I lost 35 lbs in two months from riding my horse hard every day. Not that I would recommend losing weight that fast to anyone. (I was having problems with my then husband and riding helped burn the stress.)

If you can't afford your own horse, I'd suggest seeing if there are any people near you who need someone to exercise their horses for them. Sometimes kids go away to school or people go on vacations and need someone who'll keep their horse in shape. Another thing you can do is lease one. I leased a horse for a while and it was much less expensive than owning my own had been.

Good luck!

WildFlower7

Even grooming and saddling up burn about 238 calories an hour.

Now that I believe lol. I actually would have thought it'd b e more then that though, how about cleaning stalls? lol