The number of calories burned while horse riding varies widely, but generally, a person weighing about 150 pounds can expect to burn between 200 to 400 calories per hour, depending heavily on the gait, intensity, and rider skill level.
Horseback riding is often seen as a leisurely activity. However, it involves significant physical effort. It works muscles you might not even know you have. Deciphering the horseback riding calorie expenditure requires looking beyond just sitting on the saddle. This guide will help you find a clear number for your equine exercise energy use. We will explore the physical demands of horse riding and how different activities change how many calories you burn.
Grasping the Basics of Calorie Burn
To know how much energy you use, we need to look at the main components of energy use during riding. Your body burns calories for basic survival—this is your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Riding adds energy use on top of this.
Energy Output During Horse Riding
The energy output during horse riding comes from two main sources:
1. Riding Effort: The work your muscles do to stay balanced, steer, and maintain posture against the horse’s movement.
2. Horse Movement: The effort your body makes to absorb the bouncing and swaying motion of the horse.
The faster the horse moves, the harder your body works to keep up. This means gait is the biggest factor in estimating energy expenditure on a horse.
Factors Affecting Horse Riding Calorie Burn
It’s not a simple fixed number. Many things change the total calories you use up. These variables are key to truly mapping calorie burn horseback riding.
Rider Weight and Build
Body weight is a crucial factor in any physical activity. A heavier rider requires more energy to move and stabilize themselves on the horse. Think of it like pushing a heavier object; it takes more muscle power.
Horse Gait and Speed
The speed and type of movement (gait) make the biggest difference. Different gaits require different levels of rider engagement.
| Gait Type | Description of Movement | Relative Calorie Burn (Estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Walking/Halt | Slow, rhythmic motion. Mostly passive balancing. | Low |
| Jogging/Easy Trot | Small, bouncing movements. Requires core engagement. | Moderate |
| Working Trot/Canter | Faster, more pronounced up-and-down motion. Requires active muscle control. | High |
| Gallop | Fastest speed. Very challenging to absorb motion. | Very High |
Skill Level and Experience
Beginners often burn more calories than experienced riders. Why? New riders use many small, unnecessary muscles trying to stay balanced. They grip tightly with their legs and tense their core too much. Expert riders move with the horse, making the effort look effortless but remaining efficient. Inefficient movement wastes energy.
Tack and Terrain
The equipment and the ground also play a role. Riding uphill or on uneven, rough ground forces the horse (and rider) to work harder. Riding western versus english tack can have minor differences based on posture, but the gait remains the primary factor.
Comparing Calorie Burn by Gait: Cantering vs Trotting
To give you a clearer idea of calories burned cantering vs trotting, let’s look at estimates based on activity intensity. These figures are approximations for a 150-pound individual over one hour.
Walking (Halt)
At a walk, the rider is mostly absorbing the horse’s steady rhythm. This is similar to a very slow walk on foot.
* Estimated Calories Burned: 150–200 calories per hour.
Trotting
Trotting involves more bouncing. The rider must actively use their seat and core muscles to absorb the impact and maintain stability.
* Posting Trot (Up and Down): This rhythmic rising and sitting engages the leg and glute muscles more directly.
* Sitting Trot: This requires strong core stability to remain seated against the momentum.
Estimated Calories Burned (Trot): 250–350 calories per hour.
Cantering and Galloping
The canter is a three-beat gait, and the gallop is a fast, four-beat gait. These require constant engagement of the core, hips, and thighs to maintain balance and effectively communicate with the horse. This sustained effort significantly increases the equine exercise energy use.
Estimated Calories Burned (Canter/Gallop): 350–500+ calories per hour, depending on how vigorously the rider must work to stay balanced.
Mapping Calorie Burn Horse Riding: Detailed Estimates
We can use the concept of Metabolic Equivalents (METs) to provide more structured estimates. METs measure the energy cost of an activity compared to resting. A MET value of 1 is resting.
MET Values for Horseback Riding Activities
| Activity | Approximate MET Value | Calories Burned per Hour (150 lb Rider) |
|---|---|---|
| Horseback Riding, slow trail ride (walk) | 2.5 – 3.0 | 190 – 230 |
| Horseback Riding, trotting (posting or sitting) | 3.5 – 4.5 | 270 – 350 |
| Horseback Riding, fast trot or canter | 4.5 – 6.0 | 350 – 460 |
| Horseback Riding, vigorous riding (jumping/reining) | 6.0 – 8.0 | 460 – 620 |
Note: These estimates increase proportionally with body weight. A 200-pound rider will burn roughly 33% more calories than a 150-pound rider for the same activity.
Comprehending the Physical Demands of Horse Riding
Many people underestimate the physical work involved. Horse riding is a full-body workout that builds specific types of strength and endurance.
Core Strength is Essential
The core muscles (abdominals, obliques, and lower back) must work constantly to stabilize the rider’s torso. This prevents the rider from being thrown forward or backward by the horse’s powerful stride. This stabilization is a key part of horseback riding calorie expenditure.
Leg and Thigh Engagement
Riders use their inner thigh muscles (adductors) and outer thigh muscles (abductors) to maintain a secure leg position around the horse’s barrel. These muscles are often weak in non-riders, leading to fatigue quickly.
Arm and Shoulder Work (Especially Jumping)
When jumping, the arms and shoulders engage significantly to maintain contact with the reins and allow the horse freedom of the head and neck movement. Even during flatwork, holding the reins correctly requires isometric muscle contraction.
Fitness Benefits of Horseback Riding
Beyond calorie burning, the fitness benefits of horseback riding are substantial. It offers low-impact cardio coupled with resistance training.
- Improved Balance: Riding constantly challenges the rider’s center of gravity.
- Enhanced Posture: To ride well, you must sit tall and straight, which strengthens postural muscles.
- Cardiovascular Health: Sustained cantering or galloping elevates the heart rate, providing a good aerobic workout.
- Muscle Tone: Consistent riding tones the legs, glutes, and core like no other activity.
Comparing Horse Riding to Other Exercises
How does spending an hour in the saddle stack up against traditional gym workouts? Comparing horse riding to other exercises shows it’s a unique blend of cardio and strength.
For a 150-pound person:
- Brisk Walking (4.0 mph): ~270 calories burned per hour (MET 3.5)
- Horseback Riding (Cantering): ~400 calories burned per hour (MET 5.0)
- Jogging (5.0 mph): ~550 calories burned per hour (MET 7.0)
- Cycling (Leisurely): ~400 calories burned per hour (MET 5.0)
Riding at a fast pace (canter/gallop) is comparable to cycling or taking a fast-paced aerobics class in terms of immediate calorie burn, but it also incorporates strength stabilization that cycling lacks.
Practical Tips for Maximizing Energy Use on a Horse
If your goal is to increase your energy output during horse riding, focus on engagement rather than just speed.
Focus on Active Riding
Passive riding relies on the horse to do all the work. Active riding means using your seat, leg, and rein aids precisely and constantly.
- Engage Your Core: Don’t just sit on your seat bones. Keep your abdominal muscles lightly braced.
- Light Contact: Maintain steady, light contact with the reins. This prevents relying on your hands for balance.
- Riding Transitions: Constantly asking the horse to move between gaits (walk to trot, trot to halt) forces your body to rapidly adjust muscle tension, significantly increasing muscle work and calorie burn.
Incorporating Hill Work
Riding uphill forces both horse and rider to exert more power. This simulates strength training for the legs and glutes, boosting the overall caloric cost of the ride.
Fathoming the Intensity: Beyond the Saddle
Sometimes, the work done before and after the ride contributes significantly to the total energy expended for the session.
Barn Chores and Tack Up
If you include the time spent grooming, tacking up, cooling down, and washing your horse, the total energy expenditure for the “horse activity session” rises considerably.
| Chore Activity | Estimated Calories Burned (30 Minutes for 150 lb person) |
|---|---|
| Grooming (Vigorous Brushing) | 120 – 150 calories |
| Mucking Stalls | 180 – 220 calories |
| Lifting Hay/Feed Bags | 150 – 200 calories |
These preparatory tasks add real value to the overall fitness calculation associated with the sport.
Data Collection and Accuracy in Estimating Energy Expenditure on a Horse
How can riders get more accurate data? Traditional heart rate monitors (HRMs) work, but specialized technology is emerging.
Using Wearable Technology
Some modern fitness trackers or specialized equestrian heart rate monitors can estimate calorie expenditure based on heart rate, movement patterns, and sometimes even the horse’s recorded speed. These offer a personalized estimate superior to generalized charts, as they account for your actual heart rate response.
Heart Rate Zones
For peak equine exercise energy use, aim to keep your heart rate in the moderate to vigorous zone (60-85% of your maximum heart rate) for sustained periods during the riding session. If your heart rate is too low, you are likely riding too passively or the horse is moving too slowly to generate a significant cardio effect.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Does riding bareback burn more calories than riding with a saddle?
A: Yes, generally. Riding bareback demands intense engagement from the inner thighs and core to maintain a stable seat because you lack the structure of the saddle. This slight increase in muscle recruitment leads to higher calorie burn.
Q: Is 30 minutes of cantering enough for a good workout?
A: Thirty minutes of consistent cantering is excellent! It qualifies as moderate to vigorous cardio exercise. Coupled with the muscular effort of stabilization, it provides a significant energy boost.
Q: Do dressage riders burn more calories than trail riders?
A: It depends on the intensity. A highly technical dressage session involving constant transitions and demanding collection will likely burn more calories than a leisurely, steady-paced trail ride at a walk or slow trot. The engagement in dressage is more precise and isometric.
Q: How does horseback riding compare to swimming for calorie burn?
A: Swimming often has a higher potential peak calorie burn rate, especially competitive swimming. However, riding, especially at a canter, rivals moderate swimming laps while offering unique benefits for core and leg strength development that swimming does not emphasize in the same way.
Q: What gait burns the fewest calories?
A: The walk, especially if the rider is completely relaxed and balanced, burns the fewest calories, closely approximating slow walking on land.