Horse riders?

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kimlee1807
kimlee1807 Posts: 10 Member
in Motivation and Support
Any fellow horse riders on here on their weight loss journeys? Whether you ride every day or once a week, would love to hear How you're doing and motivate each other. Could do with some more friends on here.

Also wondering how you track your riding calories... take off the fitbit so it doesn't count steps ?? Track manually? How do you do it :) thanks !

Replies

  • greyparks206
    greyparks206 Posts: 165 Member
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    Hi! There was a thread about this not too long ago. I’ve forgotten the title now, but you might be able to find it with a search. I added a handful of friends from there.

    I’m also a horse person, though I don’t get to do much riding right now (my current horse is only about 9 months old). However, I work with horses daily (I’m an equine nutritionist/university faculty member). When I do get a chance to ride, I just leave my Fitbit alone. It usually logs the ride as a “walk”, which I figure is probably pretty close calorie-wise (I ride western).

    Feel free to add me as a friend! I’m always looking to meet more horse people, and my diary is open. I’ve lost 60 pounds in the last 13 months - only about 10 more to go to reach my first goal, a healthy BMI!
  • SummerSkier
    SummerSkier Posts: 4,805 Member
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    I ride daily but usually only for about 30 minutes or so. I keep my fitbit on like greyparks does and just accept the steps because I can tell my HR is raised and I am working out. In maintenance now. You just have to choose one way or another how you track I think and stick with it. Also I get a LOT of activity from being at the barn - esp in the summertime so in addition to riding there is the added NEAT benefit you get just from being out and active around the critturs. I think there are a lot of horse riders here also but most of my friends are actually more a fit as far as age, weight, height etc.
  • kellie7850
    kellie7850 Posts: 50 Member
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    Hi
    I ride usually weekly feel free to add me
  • laceyf53
    laceyf53 Posts: 110 Member
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    I have 3 horses but haven't been riding as I'm too heavy. I'm down around 25 pounds still have around 10 to go to start riding.

    I have a Garmin and created a custom exercise using GPS but not the step counter to track my heart rate, route, and calorie burn. Feel free to add me fellow riders!
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    I'm not a horse rider, but I did go riding for the first time since I was a child a couple of weekends ago on vacation. Because I've lost 20 pounds so far on my weight loss journey, I was able to ride them. Otherwise I would have been over the weight limit for the place that I rode them at.
  • Mrsindepenant1
    Mrsindepenant1 Posts: 196 Member
    edited February 2019
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    n7kt7qe7iyzw.jpeg
    I haven’t ridden in a while since I’m studying and working on a stud. Every riding style is different. I have done them all. Flatwork, jumping and cross country can be very good workouts depending on the level of horse your schooling and how much effort you have to put into them. A quiet old plod along/ do everything won’t work you out much. Trackwork can be very intense but again depends on the horse. Some will pull your arms off and others will tuck in nicely and be very relaxed and light. Trekking and walking don’t really do much for myself workout wise so I don’t count that.
    The above image is something I found online however from experience I disagree with the grooming and shovelling unless your going insane with a curry comb non stop or shovelling at a slow/ moderate pace.
    When I ride if I’m on a green/strong horse that’s making me sweat good then I log it as a cardio workout and log 2/3 of the time spent riding. This works well for me and I’m loosing at a good rate.
    If I am on a quiet horse then I would log it as cardio at 1/4 the time spent riding.
    I use my phone for tracking so it doesn’t pick up steps riding. A fit bit may be different and show different results. I hope this helps.
  • teemix1
    teemix1 Posts: 18 Member
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    I used to ride but since I have gained back so much weight of the 112 I lost 5 years ago I dont ride anymore. I have a question to you all that do ride what do you think the weight limit should be for someone wanting to ride. I have friends that keep asking me to ride with them but I feel way too insecure to ride and I feel I am hurting the horse. I am 234 pounds right now (was at 158 3 years ago after losing the 112) but now I feel too fat to ride a normal horse. (by normal I mean a 15-15.2 quaterhorse) what is your opinions, should I just ride (like I said I am afraid to hurt the horses) or should I wait until I lose weight and how much to you think is a good amount until I start riding? Thanks and good luck in all your weight journeys
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,272 Member
    edited February 2019
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    Hi all...

    I am a rider (dressage ... but don't hold that against me :smile: ). Riding was a major reason I started on this weight loss journey 6+ months ago. I earned my Silver medal in 2016. I really wanted to go for the Gold, but knew I needed to be much fitter if this was to be a goal and not just a fantasy.

    I reached goal last week (135 pounds, starting weight was 183). I have also been working very hard at the gym, in addition to riding 6x per week. I am super pleased in the differences I'm seeing in my riding. We will debut Intermediate 1 this summer and hope to do the Grand Prix and earn the Gold in 2020.

    BTW, I am 74 years old ... so it is NEVER too late!

    Would live to keep this thread going!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    kimlee1807 wrote: »

    Also wondering how you track your riding calories... take off the fitbit so it doesn't count steps ?? Track manually? How do you do it :) thanks !

    I track manually ... riding drives my fit bit crazy. I also use the rowing machine (GREAT cardiovascular for riders, btw ... really works core), and Fit bit doesn't like it either.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    @teemix1 a lot of the weight question depends on the weight of the horse and the riding balance of the rider. A heavy rider who is stable and balanced is less of an issue for the horse than a poorly balanced rider. What I have heard is that rider +tack should be no more than 20 % of horse weight.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    @greyparks206 Congrats on your weight loss! Getting to a healthy bmi is great (that was my first goal when I started too)
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Just posting again to move this thread up and see if there are more of us out there :-)

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