Even a few hours in the saddle can leave your body tired and aching – the leg muscles work hard, the lower back can ache if your core isn't working correctly and if you have a strong horse you can end up feeling like you have wrestled a rhino by the time you get back to the yard.
There's no way around it: horse-riding definitely jostles you around. This can leave you sore and strained afterward, especially if you are a beginner who is still getting used to it. Choosing the right equipment and clothing can definitely help minimize sore spots.
Horses can sometimes feel pain when they are being ridden, it is inevitable. It may or may not be due to the sport of riding itself. Horses that are suffering from back or leg problems may experience some pain when being ridden. As horses age, they will also suffer from arthritis in the same way humans do.
Some general guidelines: Soreness (technical term: Delayed Onset Muscles Soreness or DOMS) should ideally only last up to three days after an intense workout. DOMS is common especially if you've upped your intensity or just started a new workout routine. DOMS, however, shouldn't be a regular occurance.
However, if you just want to keep your horse in a healthy physical condition, riding your horse three times a week for at least 20 minutes at a time can help maintain a good level of health.
“Regular exercise is vital to help well-being with stabled horses. If they are on high levels of feed and stabled for lengthy periods of time, some horses can also be more susceptible to tying up and muscle disorders. Similarly, horses with ongoing osteoarthritis will stiffen up if confined to their boxes.
Considering Weight
There is debate about this percentage, but the general rule is that a horse should carry no more than 20 percent of their weight. 2 Remember that this weight also includes the saddle and other riding equipment, in addition to the rider. An overweight horse cannot necessarily carry a heavier rider.
Actually, horseback riding, an exercise of moderate intensity, has a positive physical and emotional impact. Horseback riding works important core muscles: abs, back, pelvis, and thighs. These stabilize the torso while fortifying coordination, stability, balance, and flexibility.
In full flight (in a gallop) a horse can cover up to just over 3km before it begin's feeling fatigued. However if gaits are varied with canters and trotting, a well-conditioned horse can cover 30 to 50km in a day (while giving the horse multiple breaks in between to regain strength).
On average, a horse can not travel more than 2 miles at a gallop before becoming fatigued.
Because riding is a skill that requires such full body engagement, injuries tend to be varied. Nasty falls can result in injury to the back, shoulders and wrists, and can sometimes include more serious injuries such as dislocations, concussions, fractures, soft tissue damage or head injuries.
It can be tiring
A lot of physical and emotional strength is required to ride a horse and it will wear you out, especially if you are dedicating a lot of your time to the sport. If you lead a busy lifestyle, then you will need to take this into consideration before taking up horse riding properly.
I say “likely”, because while scientists have yet to devise a way to accurately ask large number of horses how they feel about being ridden, there has been research done that looks at horse preferences as it relates to ridden work.
Most horses seem to enjoy companionship and attention from their riders, but some may find being ridden uncomfortable and even scary. It is up to the individual horse to decide whether they like it. There are things you can do as a rider to help your horse feel more comfortable while being ridden.
Even with the best intentions, you can stress out your horse with too much handling. Instead, focus on quality over quantity when you interact with him.
1. Wear a jock and/or jockey underwear rather than boxers to keep everything up close to your body. 2. Fix your riding posture.
Following a trail ride, dressage lesson, or a jumping school, your horse needs time to relax and cool down before you put him away for the day. Make a habit of walking for the last five to fifteen minutes of your ride (less after an hour-long lesson, more after a several-hour trail ride).
Although your horse can be safely left alone overnight, you should never leave your horse unattended for longer than 10 hours. Doing so can have a serious impact on the health or happiness of your equine companion.
Horseback riding requires the use of muscles that do not typically get worked while performing everyday tasks. This is a big reason muscle soreness happens in new riders, since these muscles need to be built up through use.
Many horses willingly and happily opt to work with humans and express positive behaviors while being ridden. On the flip side, some horses run the other way when they look up from the round bale and see a halter in hand.
Horseback riding allows you to take a break from life's stressors and experience the fresh air. Spending time with animals and exercising releases a hormone called serotonin, which can improve your mood and reduce your stress levels.
How much weight can a horse carry? As a general rule, a horse can only comfortably carry up to 15–20% of its own body weight, though this may differ slightly from horse to horse. For instance, a horse that weights 500kg can comfortably carry a load of 100kg.
There is a longstanding unofficial rule of thumb that a horse should bear no more than 20 per cent of its body weight, including rider and equipment. That means a rider, plus tack, on an average 454-kilogram (1,000-pound) horse, should be less than 91 kilograms (200 pounds).
In general, with proper supervision, kids can start riding a (smaller) horse or a pony as young as 2-3 years old. Some schools do offer courses for toddlers as the earlier a child gets introduced to a horse, the easier it becomes to be comfortable around them.
If your horse is standing in a dark barn all day with nothing to look at, he may get a little bored. Ensure he can see other horses, animals or humans at work. And allow plenty of fresh air to drift into the barn, which will bring interesting sounds and smells.