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Horseback Riding
I would venture to bet that you would not guess what this one great full body workout is. I will give you three guesses. Swimming? Nope.
Yoga? Nope.
Jump Rope? Nope.
Would you believe me if I said horseback riding? No? Well, it is. I have ridden horses multiple times but never did it occur to me that I was getting a workout in at the same time that I was having some fun.
Strength Training
When we think of strength training, most of us think of lifting weights. I am sure you are shocked just like I was when I first heard that horseback riding is a way to strengthen muscles. So how is this considered strength training? Let’s take a look.
When you are horseback riding, you are required to use several muscle groups. “We fully engage our core and stabilizer muscles in order to stay upright and in the saddle”. (1) Horseback riding is considered an isometric exercise because, although most of your effort is in your legs and core, other muscle groups throughout the body are also working so you can maintain good form.
If you have ever gone horseback riding, I bet you will recall how sore you were the next day. Let’s go through the muscle groups that can benefit from riding.
Your Core
“Anything where you are keeping yourself from being bounced off is going to primarily use your core and your legs,” explained Kelly Turner. Your core strength includes your abs, lower back, and obliques. When you are balancing on the back of a horse, you must engage these muscles. I would say that this is a great benefit to keep your stomach toned!
Lower Body
Legs
When someone tells you this … horseback riding can be as good as leg day in the gym! Do you want to know why? Think of when you ride a horse. When you ride, you are holding a position for an extended period of time. You are not doing a constant motion like you would if you were doing a set of squats. Instead, riding becomes an isometric workout.
I know when I have been riding for 30 minutes or so, my legs burn like I had been in the gym doing a leg day! In case you do not know what isometric exercises are, they are exercises where you contract a muscle or muscle group and hold it in the same position for the duration of the exercise.
Thighs
When you are riding, you use your thighs to squeeze against the horse to hold on. Again, this is a great isometric exercise. Your thighs will get stronger the more you ride.
Glutes
This next one is especially true for experienced riders whose horse is trotting or running. When your horse is trotting or running, you will be in a perpetual squatting position. When you are riding like this, you almost stand and sit consistently ( this helps you to absorb the impact of the horses steps). This contracting of the muscles focuses on your glutes.
Upper Body
Arms
While the lower body and core workout may seem logical, the upper body workout may not seem as straight forward. But think about it. You have to “steer” the horse. When you hold the reins, you are holding the steering wheel of the horse. Steering engages your arms and shoulders.
And here is a fun one… horses are notorious for wanting to stop and get a mouthful of grass while you are riding. Working to get his head back up is definitely an upper body workout.
Cardio
In addition to strengthening and toning, riding gives you a great cardiovascular workout. Now the harder your ride (like galloping, trotting, etc), the more your heart rate and blood oxygen levels increase. The logic behind this is that the harder your horse works, the harder you have to work to maintain your balance and control the horse.
When you are working to maintain your balance, and you are engaging key muscle groups as well, it only stands to reason that you will increase your cardio. The intensity level of the cardio session depends on the intensity level of your ride. What do I mean by this?
We know that cardio is “exercise that keeps us around or under the 70% HR of our full capacity”. (2) Cardio can be anything from walking, light jogging, dancing, swimming and bike riding .
Just as you can change up the intensity of your cardio session, you can change up the intensity of your ride.
Mental
And I bet you thought that horseback riding only helped with your body. It turns out that horseback riding is also good a good mental workout as well. You have to have patience when riding. You also need to have balance and coordination. “Balance supports neuromuscular coordination and a strong core, which combined can help you to burn more calories” (3) Not only does it help with your balance, but it is also good for lifting your mood.
Let’s face it. We all go through times when we feel down in the dumps – especially this year – 2020! Horseback riding can be therapeutic. When a horse trots there is a natural rhythm. Some of a horse’s gaits have a gentle bouncing motion that acts like a massage which in turn helps improve circulation and relaxation. Not only does riding have this effect, simply being
outdoors helps to improve moods and your health overall.
Another benefit of horseback riding is that it can build your confidence. I remember the first time I went riding, I was very intimidated. I was not sure how to handle a horse. The stable that we went riding at gave me a very gentle horse. Stables have varying levels of horses – some are for newbies (like I was), some are for intermediate riders, and others are for advanced riders.
We really enjoyed our ride. We went on a trail ride and down to a beach. The ride was exhilarating and calming all at the same time. When we returned to the stable, I felt so relaxed. It made the rest of my day so much better.
When you schedule a ride, always be honest with your experience level. I have seen people who say they are experienced and get a horse that is clearly for an experienced rider and end up having a stressful ride. This completely defeats the purpose. And you tend to be so sore that you say to yourself that you will never ride again. So start slow, learn the in’s and out’s of riding.
Flexibility
Surprised? When you ride a horse, you are straddling it. You are also sitting/squatting in this position for an extended period of time. Because your flexibility is improved, your range of motion is improved.
Final thoughts
There are so many benefits to horseback riding. It truly is a total body workout – mind, muscles, mental and physical. If you have never been horseback riding, I highly suggest putting in on your list of things to do. I have forewarned you that you will be sore after you have ridden but that soreness is well worth it. Let me know your experiences.
