Saddle Up for a Calorie-Torching Workout: Calories Burned While Horseback Riding
Horseback riding offers a fun, rewarding way to burn major calories while building a powerful bond with your equine partner. Unlike stationary gym workouts, activities in the saddle challenge your muscles dynamically while introducing vital cardiovascular exercise.
The Many Benefits of Riding
From arena lessons to trail adventures, time spent on horseback provides both physical and mental health perks:
- Builds core, leg, glute and upper body strength
- Bolsters balance, coordination and reaction times
- Enhances aerobic endurance and cardiovascular fitness
- Relieves stress through outdoor nature immersion
- Fosters confidence, leadership and responsibility
Calorie Expenditure Variations While Riding
The intensity level of your ride will determine exactly how many calories get torched during your equestrian workout. In general:
- Light intensity (walking): Burns about 100 calories in 30 minutes
- Moderate intensity (trotting): Burns around 150-200 calories in 30 minutes
- Vigorous intensity (cantering): Burns roughly 250-300 calories in 30 minutes
Factors That Increase Calories Burned
Several variables impact rate of calorie expenditure during your rides:
Pace of the Ride
Faster gaits like trotting and cantering burn more calories per minute than walking.
Terrain and Trail Conditions
Challenging trails with varied terrain recruit more muscles and energy.
Lessons vs Trail Rides
Frequent transitions between gaits and focused training in lessons maximize caloric burn.
Rider Weight and Effort
More rider mass and exertion required to post and move with the horse torches extra calories.
Calories Burned with Different Riding Styles
Type of riding makes a major impact on energy expended:
English Horseback Riding Calories Burned
- Trotting: Burns about 224 calories per hour
- Cantering: Burns around 298 calories per hour
- Jumping: Burns approximately 372 calories per hour
Western Horseback Riding Calories Burned
- Light riding: Burns roughly 140 calories per hour
- Faster riding: Burns about 210 calories per hour
- Fast trotting/loping: Burns around 280 calories per hour
Dressage Riding Calories Burned
- Training at walk: Burns around 150 calories per hour
- Training at trot: Burns approximately 200 calories per hour
- Advanced transitions: Burns roughly 300 calories per hour
Equipment Choices That Boost Calories Burned
Certain riding equipment and aids leverage extra energy:
- Saddles: Lighter saddles require more rider effort and balance.
- Stirrups: Riding without stirrups engages core and glutes more actively.
- Reins: Riding one-handed improves coordination and torso control.
- Terrain: Varied outdoor terrain like hills and mud challenges muscles.
Recovery After an Intense Ride
Fuel and refuel your body around riding sessions to maximize calorie burn after:
- Hydrate before, during and post-ride to replenish fluids.
- Consume protein pre-ride to maintain muscle stamina.
- Have carbs pre/post for energy and to help muscles refuel.
- Allow muscles adequate rest between intense rides.
Saddle Up and Feel Your Best
Beyond torching calories, nothing rivals the magical connection built between horse and human while riding. Find your perfect equine partner and explore all the rewards of this empowering sport.
FAQs
How many calories does horseback riding burn?
Light riding burns approx 100 calories per 30 minutes. Moderate riding burns 150-200 calories per 30 minutes. Vigorous riding burns 250-300 calories per 30 minutes.
What factors impact calories burned while riding?
The pace, terrain, type of riding, equipment used, and rider's weight and exertion level all contribute to calories burned during horseback riding.
Which style of riding burns the most calories?
Jumping while English riding has the highest calorie burn, torching around 372 calories per hour. Other top calorie burners are faster trotting/loping during Western riding and advanced dressage training.
How can you maximize calories burned per ride?
Ride at vigorous paces, vary terrain, take intense lessons, use challenging equipment like lighter saddles, ditch your stirrups, and ride one-handed to amplify your equestrian calorie expenditure.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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