Is horse back riding good exercise, or will it end up wearing your body out more quickly?
It is the only activity that I really enjoy other than light gardening.
2 Responses
eponatherapyot
15 Mar 2010
HowrseRyder
15 Mar 2010
Horseback riding is VERY good exercise. It uses lots of leg muscles and core muscles and back muscles although you may not realize it. It depends on the type of riding though. If you ride just walking around in circles, then you won’t get much exercise, but trotting and cantering, you’ll really give yourself a workout.
I’m a serious horseback rider so I do extra exercise to improve my riding other than getting exercise from just riding alone. However, if it’s something that you just enjoy doing, it will give you exercise.
Hope this answers your question! 
Here are the calories burned per hour doing horse care or riding.
130 lb person:155 lb person:190 lb person:
Shoveling 354 cal/hr422 cal/hr518 cal/hr
General Horse Riding:236 cal/hr281 cal/hr345 cal/hr
Riding horse at the walk:148 cal/hr176 cal/hr216 cal/hr
Riding horse at the trot:384 cal/hr457 cal/hr561 cal/hr
Riding horse at a gallop:472 cal/hr563 cal/hr690 cal/hr
Horse Grooming 354 cal/hr422 cal/hr518 cal/hr
Baling hay/cleaning barn:472 cal/hr563 cal/hr690 cal/hr
Shoveling Grain 325 cal/hr387 cal/hr474 cal/hr
Fencing 354 cal/hr422 cal/hr518 cal/hr
Polo 472 cal/hr563 cal/hr690 cal/hr
Hiking, cross country (if your horse is hard to catch…)
354 cal/hr422 cal/hr518 cal/hr
Brisk walking 4 MPH 236 cal/hr281 cal/hr345 cal/hr
Walking, carrying 15 lb load:207 cal/hr246 cal/hr302 cal/hr