A study commissioned on behalf of the British Horse Society found that horseback riding is indeed a good cardiovascular workout. Even just a half hour of riding is considered “moderate exercise,” said BHS PR executive Megan Hawkins, “while trotting exerts more energy than playing badminton.” Core strength.
Core strength
Natalie says: “Riding physically strengthens the body, especially the core. It's a full body workout and helps to increase our balance and improves our posture. It's likely that your posture out of the saddle will improve the more regularly you ride.”
That's right, riding a horse supports core strength, which includes your abs, lower back, and obliques. In order to ride well, or comfortably, the rider must keep her core engaged, thus protecting the spine and keeping herself upright. Horseback riding requires as much patience as it does balance and coordination.
Recent study results have shown that after only eight weeks of riding sessions, women gained considerable dynamic muscle tone in their thighs, hips, and torsos, said Yong-Seok Jee, PhD, at Hanseo University's Research Institute of Sports and Industry Science, in Seosan, South Korea.
For a person weighing 150 lbs, riding at a walk burns approximately 136 calories in a 30 minute session. If you increased the horse's speed to a trot, that same person would expend 72 additional calories over that same 30 minute period of time (208 calories). Galloping a horse burns 261 calories per half hour.
As you're riding, you'll burn as many calories as you would by going to the gym or playing certain team sports (think football or netball). Even at walking speed, you can burn over 200 calories per hour on a horse, while if you get up to galloping you can burn up to 650 per hour.
“Riding is a total body workout. Your legs, arms and core work together to control and communicate with the horses. Really, riding is a partnership sport; the rider and the horse support and guide each other. Just like dancing or ice skating with a partner, horse and rider communicate through body language and touch.”
Riding a horse releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals that make you feel good. If you're having fun (and we bet you will!), these euphoric chemicals will be released by the brain, reduce your stress, and make you feel better.
The researchers conclude that, assuming a similar riding ability between riders, there is no fundamental difference in a horse's stress responses elicited by male and female riders.
A Mirror of Emotions
For those who struggle with emotional outbursts or have difficulty pinpointing their emotions, horseback riding can be extremely beneficial. This is why many rehab facilities use horseback riding with youth and teens. A horse acts as an incredibly accurate mirror of emotions.
Generally, your legs and bum will tone but not get bigger from horseback riding, but each person is different. Overweight people may trim their legs and bum, while skinny people could develop muscles through riding.
Horseback riding can strengthen the pelvic floor (PF), reduce risks of PFD.
Often jockeys and endurance riders have this body type, but ectomorphs (and generally any body type) can do well in any discipline if they train to their anatomical and physiological strengths. Mesomorphs are your “classic” athletic frame: larger boned and with defined musculature.
"If you're going out, and feeling sluggish, and you can't complete the session you want to complete, that's an obvious sign. Listen to your body, the sensations and how you feel. I'd say anybody riding their bike six or seven times a week is probably riding too much.
Riding can cause hip pain for some people. If your core is weak and you rely on your hips for balance, you'll strain your hip flexors, which can also cause lower back pain.
Many experts agree that horses do, in fact, remember their owners. Studies performed over the years suggest that horses do remember their owners similar to the way they would remember another horse. Past experiences, memories, and auditory cues provide the horse with information as to who an individual is.
If a horse is grazing in a field and they come towards you when you are around you can be sure they like you. Horses that follow your movements in their presence show they are focused on and give you 100% of their attention. If your horse follows you around when they see you, they consider you as a friend.
Are they really as gender-neutral as we've come to believe? Research has so far failed to find any differences in the way horses respond to male and female humans — not just during ridden work, but also when handled.
Properly fitting tack is also important. If the bridle, saddle, or girth is pinching or rubbing, riding will only increase that discomfort. Horses are just like people in that they can get sore if overworked or asked to do too much, too quickly.
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.
Horseback riding has many benefits, both mental and physical. Horseback riding reduces stress, builds confidence, and exercises your brain. Horseback riding also builds a variety of muscles, provides a workout for your heart, and forces you to adopt a better posture.
A horse rider needs to be physically fit to do their job well. A tired rider becomes an unbalanced rider. As you tire, your ability to maintain your posture and balance in the saddle is decreased, along with your reaction rates, which means your horse must constantly adjust his movement and balance to compensate.
If you're looking for the ultimate six pack, the horse will have you targeting your obliques, rectus abdominis, and your serratus anterior. Whether you're trying to or not, you do engage all the right muscles. This will also translate across to other fitness activities, and yield improved balance and stability.
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.
While your friends will work their butt off in the gym, as a horse rider you'll undoubtedly already have beautifully toned legs and glutes; great for those fitted jeans and no need to dread 'leg day'. Toning and muscle building while having fun.