Many people wonder if riding horses can help with weight loss and fitness. Riding a horse provides exercise that works various muscle groups in the legs, back, abs and arms. Like any exercise program, riding a horse can contribute to weight loss if done consistently and paired with a healthy diet. Let’s explore the calories burned, muscles worked and weight loss benefits of equestrian activities.
Calories Burned Horseback Riding
The number of calories burned while riding a horse depends on the intensity and duration of the activity. Here are some estimates:
– Light horseback riding (trotting): 298 calories per hour for a 155 lb person
– Moderate horseback riding (cantering): 372 calories per hour for a 155 lb person
– Vigorous horseback riding (galloping): 498 calories per hour for a 155 lb person
So in an one-hour trail ride at a moderate canter, a 150-pound woman would burn around 372 calories. Riding faster or for longer periods would burn even more calories.
This compares favorably to other exercises like cycling (292 calories per hour) or swimming (423 calories per hour). The variable intensity of riding, from walking to trotting to cantering and galloping, allows you to customize your workout and burn more calories.
Muscles Worked During Horseback Riding
Here are some of the major muscle groups strengthened through riding a horse:
Core Muscles
Riding requires constant use of core abdominal and back muscles to maintain proper posture and balance on the horse. You have to engage your core while sitting upright and keeping your spine aligned. The effort of balancing naturally strengthens and tones these core muscles.
Legs
The legs get an intense workout while riding. You use your thigh, hip, calf and ankle muscles to grip the horse and control its movement. The hips and knees flex as you post up and down at the trot or canter. This builds strength and endurance.
Arm and Shoulder Muscles
You engage your arm and shoulder muscles to hold the reins and control the horse’s head. The arms help maintain balance through subtle shifts in weight distribution. With certain riding disciplines like polo or roping, the arms get an even bigger workout.
Back Muscles
The back muscles, like the abs, have to work constantly to maintain proper upright posture on the horse. This improves strength, alignment and endurance in the back muscles.
Weight Loss Benefits
How effective is riding a horse for weight loss? While calories burned are moderate, there are several advantages that make riding ideal for losing weight:
– Riding works the entire body – it’s like a full-body workout.
– The activity engages both large muscle groups (legs, glutes) and smaller stabilizer muscles. This leads to high calorie burn.
– With varied intensity like trotting, cantering and galloping, you can customize your workout and continue challenging your body.
– Being outdoors in nature makes the workout go faster so you burn more calories in less time.
– Riding requires intense focus and engagement. This distraction helps the time pass quickly.
– Caring for a horse adds additional physical activities like grooming, saddling up and cleaning the stall.
– The social nature of riding with a group or taking lessons can motivate you to stick with the exercise routine.
While evidence is limited, some studies suggest equestrian sports may aid modest weight loss:
– A 6-month study in overweight children found horseback riding led to small but meaningful weight loss.
– Among overweight women, 8 weeks of therapeutic horseback riding resulted in lower BMI, waist circumference and improved fitness.
– A meta-analysis concluded horseback riding moderately improved physical fitness in children. But findings were mixed for adults.
So while riding a horse can support weight loss, it is important to have realistic expectations. Riding 3-4 times per week, paired with a calorie-controlled diet, provides the best scenario for losing a modest 1-2 pounds per week. It takes consistency and patience – there are no magic bullets for dropping lots of weight quickly. But as an enjoyable form of exercise, horseback riding can be part of an overall healthy, active lifestyle.
Tips for Maximizing Weight Loss
To get the most fat-burning benefit:
– Ride at least 3 times per week for 45-60 minutes to raise your heart rate and burn calories.
– Mix up your speed with intervals of trotting, cantering and galloping to vary the intensity.
– Take challenging trail rides with hills and speed variations.
– Consider high intensity interval training on a horse with bursts of intense work mixed with recovery.
– Practice exercises like posting trot, two-point position, and half-seat canter to engage your core.
– After riding, care for your horse doing chores like brushing, feeding and cleaning the stall.
– Watch your diet by reducing calories, eating more protein and filling up on fruits and vegetables.
– Track your rides, pace, mileage and calories burned with fitness apps.
– Join group trail rides or take riding lessons to stay motivated.
– Combine riding with strength training 2-3 days per week to boost metabolism.
The bottom line is consistency – make riding part of your regular routine and partner it with healthy eating habits to shed excess weight over time. While no exercise can produce dramatic weight loss on its own, horseback riding can contribute to your overall calorie burn and fitness.
Potential Weight Loss Pitfalls
It’s important to have realistic expectations about riding a horse for weight loss. Here are some potential downsides:
– Riding only 1-2 days per week may not lead to significant weight loss, especially for larger individuals who need a substantial calorie deficit. You need to ride frequently to see results.
– Some horses provide a bumpier, more active ride that burns extra calories. Older, extremely smooth horses may not challenge your body enough. The specific horse matters.
– Beginners walking or only doing light trotting will burn fewer calories than experienced riders cantering, galloping and jumping for long periods.
– Any exercise can spur increased eating after burning calories. You have to keep your diet in check and not overindulge.
– Novice riders expending lots of mental effort to control the horse may burn fewer calories than expert riders on auto-pilot.
– Individuals with certain physical limitations may not be able to ride vigorously or utilize optimal form to maximize calorie burn.
– Riding uses muscles differently than exercises like running, biking and swimming. It should complement other aerobic activities.
– Some health conditions like arthritis or back pain may prevent riding vigorously enough to burn a lot of calories.
While riding can support weight loss through calorie burn, it depends on your consistency, effort level, skills and the horse itself. Combine riding with reduced calorie intake, strength training and other exercise for optimal results. Be realistic about how many pounds you can healthily lose per week.
Additional Health Benefits
Beyond potential weight loss, horseback riding provides numerous health upsides:
Improved fitness – Riding improves cardiovascular health, endurance, flexibility, strength and balance similar to other aerobic sports. Your stamina and overall fitness levels increase.
Muscle toning – The all-body nature of riding tones your muscles, especially your core, legs, back and arms. You’ll get in better shape and look more toned.
Stress relief – Something about being outdoors with a majestic animal instantly lowers stress levels and induces calm. The rhythmic motion of riding is relaxing.
Lower anxiety & depression – Studies show therapeutic riding programs significantly reduce anxiety and depression. Biochemicals released while riding may play a role.
Self-esteem & confidence – Mastering riding skills and controlling a powerful animal builds self-confidence. The sense of accomplishment transfers off the horse.
Social benefits – Group trail rides, lessons and horse events provide social interaction and friendships that support mental health.
Youth development – Horseback riding teaches young people patience, empathy, responsibility and self-awareness. It builds character and discipline.
Brain stimulation – The coordination challenges of riding may improve cognitive abilities, concentration, memory and decision making.
Fun and recreation – Few activities provide the pure enjoyment and adventurous recreation of riding through nature on a beautiful horse.
While modest weight loss may occur, these additional mental and physical health benefits are powerful reasons to take up horseback riding if you are able. There is little downside to this activity.
Conclusion
Does riding a horse lead to weight loss? Research and calorie burn data suggests horseback riding can moderately contribute to weight management through full-body exercise. However, the amount of calories burned through riding varies substantially based on frequency, intensity, expertise and the horse itself. Combine riding several times per week with dietary changes, strength training and other aerobic exercise for optimal fat loss. But the mental and physical health benefits of riding extend well beyond just losing pounds. With discipline and patience, horseback riding can be part of an overall active lifestyle leading to successful, long-term weight management.
