Horseback Riding for fitness

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tlblake84
tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a beginner horseback rider. Just started lessons about 6 weeks ago. Now that I'm getting through the basics, How do I make the most of riding? I'd like to know tips or advice to burn the most calories, tone the most muscles, and overall give myself the best workout.

Does anyone else horseback ride to improve weightloss? I'd like to find other horseback riding friends.
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Walk your horse, LOL
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
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    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.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I used to ride then time and money got in the way

    post, focusing on your thighs. depending on the style. when standing in the stirrups again focus on the thighs.
    concentrate on your core and your posture.

    I would be so tired after bareback rides. I would be barely able to stand. and then there was the no reins, no saddle classes *shiver* if you keep it up, you can probably look forward to that.

    horseback riding is already added to the MFP exercise tracker
  • jenmckane86
    jenmckane86 Posts: 50 Member
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    What type of riding are you doing. English or western? For both disciplines- loping/ cantering will really work all your muscles, plus your horse. Typically, if I haven't ridden for awhile and spend about 30 minutes loping I am sore the next day, especially in my legs and core.

    English- Jumping. If you are not that advanced you can do transitions in 2-point. Walk in 2 point. Sit. Trot. Go back down to a walk and sit 2-point. Do that over and over and your legs will REALLY feel it.

    Western- Bareback riding will give you a good leg/ core burn. Roping will really engage your shoulders and arms.

    Since you are a beginner, I really recommend bareback riding. It will really engage your leg muscles and core and it will significantly help you find your balance and seat. Then you can start progressing to the harder stuff.
  • starling01
    starling01 Posts: 81 Member
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    I used to ride hours a day, rode cross country and showed at 3 day events, trained, etc. I would not consider riding a weight loss exercise. Mucking out stalls, hauling hay bales around, dragging heavy buckets of water across a field, trudging through hip deep snow to get to the barn, and walking miles in boots because the horse is injured/unrideable for some reason can be pretty intense exercise. I was always thin and fit when I rode but not because I rode. Ask if you can help around the stable - usually the offer is gratefully accepted - and you'll get some exercise and learn a lot you don't find out about from the back of the horse, too.
  • jenmckane86
    jenmckane86 Posts: 50 Member
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    starling01 wrote: »
    I used to ride hours a day, rode cross country and showed at 3 day events, trained, etc. I would not consider riding a weight loss exercise. Mucking out stalls, hauling hay bales around, dragging heavy buckets of water across a field, trudging through hip deep snow to get to the barn, and walking miles in boots because the horse is injured/unrideable for some reason can be pretty intense exercise. I was always thin and fit when I rode but not because I rode. Ask if you can help around the stable - usually the offer is gratefully accepted - and you'll get some exercise and learn a lot you don't find out about from the back of the horse, too.

    I agree with this. I think you actually have to have a pretty good level of fitness to begin with in order to ride well...meaning you are balanced and aware of your various body that communicate with the horse.
  • starling01
    starling01 Posts: 81 Member
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    I want to add I hope you stay with it. Riding is such a fantastic experience - it's good for you mentally and it helps with your balance, your confidence, and just your overall happiness. It will encourage you to improve your fitness in general. If you want a (former but very enthusiastic) horseback riding MFP friend, I volunteer.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 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.

    Due to the amount of balance needed and the amount of core muscles used, it actually burns a lot more than just sitting. Through several calculators I figure I burn about 300 calories per session as I ride now.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
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    jenmckane86 wrote: »
    What type of riding are you doing. English or western? For both disciplines- loping/ cantering will really work all your muscles, plus your horse. Typically, if I haven't ridden for awhile and spend about 30 minutes loping I am sore the next day, especially in my legs and core.

    English- Jumping. If you are not that advanced you can do transitions in 2-point. Walk in 2 point. Sit. Trot. Go back down to a walk and sit 2-point. Do that over and over and your legs will REALLY feel it.

    Western- Bareback riding will give you a good leg/ core burn. Roping will really engage your shoulders and arms.

    Since you are a beginner, I really recommend bareback riding. It will really engage your leg muscles and core and it will significantly help you find your balance and seat. Then you can start progressing to the harder stuff.

    I love your advice on trying Bareback riding. I would love to give that a try and I'm sure it would challenge me. I do ride Western and have only done it for two months, but if I post when I trot, I always feel sore for two days after. I'm still working on balance so bareback would really help with that.
  • ColinsMommaOC
    ColinsMommaOC Posts: 296 Member
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    As an alternative to bareback riding - If you are using an English saddle, cross the stirrups over the mantle but keep your form. If you are using a Western saddle, drop the stirrups. This will give your Calves and Thighs a work out. But riding itself will not elevate your heart rate too much.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
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    ColinsMommaOC wrote: »
    As an alternative to bareback riding - If you are using an English saddle, cross the stirrups over the mantle but keep your form. If you are using a Western saddle, drop the stirrups. This will give your Calves and Thighs a work out. But riding itself will not elevate your heart rate too much.

    I ride Western and will drop the stirups like you suggested. I ride with them quite high so that's great advice. Riding does elevate my heart rate as I'm usually out of breath, sweating, and ready for quick break halfway through my trotting portion.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    tlblake84 wrote: »
    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.

    Due to the amount of balance needed and the amount of core muscles used, it actually burns a lot more than just sitting. Through several calculators I figure I burn about 300 calories per session as I ride now.

    Then there's an error somewhere, or your sessions are a couple of hours long.

    I used to ride for hours a day six days a week. I had four horses of my own that I worked, plus helping to train horses for the lesson program, as well as catch-riding whatever else needed work that the regular trainer didn't want to bother with. No doubt I burned a bit more than just sitting on my rear, but not much or I would have gained weight like a son-of-a-gun when I stopped because I sure did not start eating less.

    Only times I ever lost weight in connection to riding were a) when I went to riding camp and if we weren't riding we were walking horses cool, catching them in the pasture, grooming them, or tacking them; and b) when I decided to get in shape for the World Championship show and started a stupidly severe diet and weight training program.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
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    It depends on what kind of riding. Jockeys consistantly measure as one of the most fit athlete groups. I was at my lowest adult weight (no diet whatsoever) when riding 5 days a week, but it was combined training with a pretty demanding instructor.

    Beginners work very hard, as you increase skills you will burn less doing the same thing. A bareback lesson will both benefit your skills and your calorie burn! Get some epsom salts for a soak afterward! ;)
  • AlyM725
    AlyM725 Posts: 158 Member
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    I started riding when I was 11 (over 20 years ago). I was slightly over weight. I didn't notice a big difference with just weekly lessons. After about a year, my instructor decided I was good enough to lease one of the horses. When I started riding 4 times a week, the weight slowly started to drop off. When I started mucking stalls on the weekend to help pay for some of my lease, the weight just started dropping off. I was only like 20 pounds overweight, but by the time I hit high school, I was probably a little underweight. But I was no longer being teased for being "fat".

    You just started 6 weeks ago, so give it time. Ask if there are any chores you can do around the barn (mucking, tacking school horses, hauling feed or hay). Are you riding english or western? If you're riding english spending some time in 2 point (jumping position) would be a good way to increase the burn. Posting when trotting too.

    I don't know a lot about western, but it seems there were some good tips further up in the thread. But, don't take on too much at once, or burn out will happen (it caused me a 3 year break!) but I'm sure your barn would be happy to let you muck out a few stalls. Feel free to send a friend request if you'd like to talk more!

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    tlblake84 wrote: »
    jenmckane86 wrote: »
    What type of riding are you doing. English or western? For both disciplines- loping/ cantering will really work all your muscles, plus your horse. Typically, if I haven't ridden for awhile and spend about 30 minutes loping I am sore the next day, especially in my legs and core.

    English- Jumping. If you are not that advanced you can do transitions in 2-point. Walk in 2 point. Sit. Trot. Go back down to a walk and sit 2-point. Do that over and over and your legs will REALLY feel it.

    Western- Bareback riding will give you a good leg/ core burn. Roping will really engage your shoulders and arms.

    Since you are a beginner, I really recommend bareback riding. It will really engage your leg muscles and core and it will significantly help you find your balance and seat. Then you can start progressing to the harder stuff.

    I love your advice on trying Bareback riding. I would love to give that a try and I'm sure it would challenge me. I do ride Western and have only done it for two months, but if I post when I trot, I always feel sore for two days after. I'm still working on balance so bareback would really help with that.

    You can also purchase a bareback pad - it's like a thick saddle pad designed to be used without a saddle - to give you a bit of a cushion when riding bareback. Equestrian sports (other than just sitting on the horse while it grazes) burns more calories than most people think, because an active rider isn't just sitting there while the horse does all the work. ;)
  • jenmckane86
    jenmckane86 Posts: 50 Member
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    Yes, bareback pads are great, especially in the summer when you don't want your butt getting all sweaty from the horse. Also, if you have a horse on the thin side, or with a prominent back bone it makes it a lot more comfortable.

    OP, last summer I wore my heart rate monitor while riding. On 90-120 minute trail rides with hills and water crossings and trotting, it said I burned on average 175 calories. This was throughout the summer, so about 12 trail rides all together. On days I did flat work which involved a lot of loping I burned on average 280 calories. On days we worked cattle, I averaged about 220 calories...not a bad calorie burn at all IMO...especially while doing something you love. Now this year, I've actually been going to a gym and increased my level of fitness. Riding is much easier (so is falling) but I don't have as big of a calorie burn.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    umayster wrote: »
    It depends on what kind of riding. Jockeys consistantly measure as one of the most fit athlete groups. I was at my lowest adult weight (no diet whatsoever) when riding 5 days a week, but it was combined training with a pretty demanding instructor.

    Beginners work very hard, as you increase skills you will burn less doing the same thing. A bareback lesson will both benefit your skills and your calorie burn! Get some epsom salts for a soak afterward! ;)

    Because they are required to keep their weight as low as possible. It isn't the type of riding that makes the difference so much as constant watching what they eat and the exercise they get outside of riding.

    You'll notice similar trends for stadium jumping vs dressage, or barrel racing vs riding on the flat. In the former events, the weight of the rider makes a bigger difference in the horses' performance so those riders tend to be more fit. It gets more obvious at the top levels of competition.
  • popcorn7225
    popcorn7225 Posts: 29 Member
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    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.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    edited August 2015
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    stealthq wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    It depends on what kind of riding. Jockeys consistantly measure as one of the most fit athlete groups. I was at my lowest adult weight (no diet whatsoever) when riding 5 days a week, but it was combined training with a pretty demanding instructor.

    Beginners work very hard, as you increase skills you will burn less doing the same thing. A bareback lesson will both benefit your skills and your calorie burn! Get some epsom salts for a soak afterward! ;)

    Because they are required to keep their weight as low as possible. It isn't the type of riding that makes the difference so much as constant watching what they eat and the exercise they get outside of riding.

    You'll notice similar trends for stadium jumping vs dressage, or barrel racing vs riding on the flat. In the former events, the weight of the rider makes a bigger difference in the horses' performance so those riders tend to be more fit. It gets more obvious at the top levels of competition.

    I meant fit in the athletic & conditioning sense, riding (and other sports where balance plays a large role) is a great workout in multiple ways.

    Jockeys do some disordered eating to get to required weight, but that is a separate concept from conditioning and total body fitness.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    Horse riding can vary highly in burning calories
    Some creative horse riding into woods trails etc or some serious training

    My average burn was over 300 to 650 depends how heavy my training was. i trained daily 7 days a week and was a teacher/judge and competitor and coach
    The high differences all depends what kinda training like i said before and for example an hour of light training which is for most beginners is totally different from a high level training which i could do for 40 minutes were my horse and i pored down in sweat and my muscles were hurting for the next 2 days lol

    This kinda training you dont do for hours a day.. i was riding about 8 horses a day and their training levels were different so you schedule your training... You can not do this for 8 hours the full day.

    Besides that i ate over 4K calories a day....because i burned a lot
    I mugged out stables, walked the whole day feeding etc etc

    lol i was young ;)

    A normal session on beginners level will be any were between 175 to 250 is my wild guess. But dont let people mistake you wont burn a lot....They have never rode a horse and got a good training in apparently.

    The level i was on was (inter)national high dressage level so professional athletic in my days.

    Now for weight loss...start in the kitchen...weigh all your food on a food scale......than eat back about half your burned calories and see how it goes for some weeks :)

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