Did you know that each year, around seven million people in the United States go horseback riding?
Riding horses is a great way to get outside and breathe in some fresh air.
If you' re looking for ways to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine, most people think they need
to head to the gym to do that. But, that's not necessarily the case. There are other ways to get your heart
rate up and burn calories.
You might' ve asked yourself, " is horseback riding exercise?" The answer is, yes.
This guide will go over the benefits Health of horseback riding exercise so you can keep doing your favorite
activity while improving your overall health.
Burn Calories
Horseback riding is a great source of cardiovascular exercise. Just 30 minutes of horseback rating is
considered a moderate exercise. For example, Trotting on your horse can burn around 600 calories.
You don't burn calories just when you' re on the horse, either. Burn calories doing some of the following
horse-related activities:
Carrying buckets
Lifting saddles
Move hay bales
Grooming
Riding a horse provides you with a cardio workout that improves your balance and strengthens your core.
The longer and faster you ride, the more calories you' ll burn.Strengthen Your Core Muscles Without Doing a Crunch
Your core muscles keep you upright and support your torso. Your core muscles include:
Muscles along your sides and spin
Lower back muscles
Stomach muscles
A strong core is needed for your posture and balance. They also help reduce and prevent low back pain.
You use your core muscles for a variety of movements and they' re very important when you' re riding a
horse.
When you ride a horse, you need a strong sense of balance. You can only achieve that when you have
strong core muscles.
Your core muscles continually relax and contract while riding a horse to keep you balanced. These
reactions and actions exercise the muscles in your body. The more you ride, the strong your core
muscles will get.
When you have a large number of muscles working, they burn energy in your body. This helps you with
weight loss.
Work Out Your Legs
Your leg muscles work while you' re riding a horse because of something called isometrics. Your legs are
worked by using force against another object.
When you ride a horse, you use your leg muscles to support your weight in the stirrups. In particular,
horseback riding works the glutes and inner thighs the most.
When a horse gallops or trots, the rider will hold up their body weight by pushing down into their stirrups.
This mimics the benefits of a squat.
Riders will also use their legs by pressing against the sides of the horse. They do this to cue the animal
and stabilize themselves.
Tone Your Shoulder and Arm Muscles
You might not realize how much of a workout your arm and shoulders get while you' re riding a horse as
well. Riders need to hold their hands in the right position while maintaining proper posture. Beginner
riders are typically sore in the upper body after spending the day riding.
In addition to steering your horse, you' ll also need to keep tension in the reins. Sometimes your horse will
drop its head to graze on the grass, so you' ll have to pull its head back up. As we mentioned earlier,
another horseback riding workout that' ‘ll strengthen your arms is carrying feed bags and hay bales.
Increase Your Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular exercise is vital to overall good health. Your body's cardiovascular system moves
nutrients and blood to various cells to fight different diseases and keep your body running smoothly.
You want your cardiovascular system running optimally. Exercising helps increase the system's strength.
You can achieve that by sustaining a physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rates.
You can accomplish this with horseback riding but you need to bump up the intensity. Slow walking or
trail riding isn't enough to get your heart rate high enough. You need to make sure your heart rate gets at
least 50% more than its resting amount.
Increase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Horseback riding helps improve your problem-solving and concentration skills. While you're riding, you
have to be alert and stay focused. Horses can move quickly, so you have to pay attention.
Other times you have to make decisions quickly when you' re riding. Obstacles might pop up and you
have to be able to handle them.
Is Horseback Riding Good for You?
In addition to being a form of exercise, horseback riding is beneficial for your mental wellness. Spending
time with horses is through to boost your levels of serotonin. This is good for your emotions, brain, and
body.
Additionally, horseback riding has been shown to improve some people's self-confidence. As riders learn
to work with and ride horses, they' ll start to feel better about themselves.
Horseback riding is also great for socializing. The equestrian community is full of different people that
enjoy horses. It's a great place to build lifelong friendships.
Horses are also amazing companion animals. Interacting and communicating with animals have a positive
effect on people. There are many therapeutic horseback riding programs because of this.
Horses also continually challenge their riders. There are new things to learn whether you're a new or
experienced rider.
While not a traditional form of exercise, horseback riding provides riders with countless health and mental
benefits. If you' re an avid rider, don't be afraid to increase the intensity of your next ride.
So, Is Horseback Riding Exercise?
Hopefully, we' ve answered the burning question of, " Health is horseback riding exercise?" Enjoy the physical and
mental health benefits of horseback riding while you spend more time in nature.
Check out our blog for more lifestyle and exercise articles.
