Horse riding can be life enriching

Horseback riding is an activity for all ages and abilities and can improve your life in so many ways. More and more adults are taking to the sport for its exercise benefits and as a relaxing means to enjoy the great outdoors.

Studies have proved that animal lovers enjoy significant health benefits such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels — and may even live longer. The research includes a paper published by psychologist Dr Deborah Wells from Queen’s University, Belfast and an Australian study involving 5,700 participants. 

This, coupled with the proven feel-good effects of outdoor exercise, makes horse riding seem an obvious choice if you fancy trying out a new sport. The main health benefit of riding is that it really helps core body and lower leg strength, and general co-ordination.

So who can learn to ride and why would I want to?

The majority of children start from the age of five to six-years-old but it’s never too late to learn. For the mature rider, trails are often a good way to start and after experiencing the fun of exploring on horseback you can always put in a little ring time with an instructor to learn the finer skills of being a rider.

It’s a workout

The unique combination of the horse and its movement with the rider produces an extraordinary effort on all the systems of the body. As the horse moves the rider is constantly thrown off balance, the rider’s muscles contract and relax in an attempt to re-balance. This exercise reaches the deep postural muscles of the trunk and pelvis and the adductor muscles of the thighs. Also, depending on the speed of the horse, other sets of muscles are working strongly such as the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutei’s during rising trot. Horse riding, especially trotting and cantering, increase both the respiratory and circulatory systems therefore it is considered to be cardiovascular exercise. Indeed, in an article obtained through the Internet (Calorie control Council - Fit Facts) the total calories used per hour by a 150 pound person during horse riding were similar to those used during jogging (6mph) and cycling (9mph) (315-480 calories per hour).

Riding a horse requires a great deal of co-ordination in order to get the desired response from the horse. Repetition of the patterned movements required in controlling the horse aid to quicken the reflexes.

As well as improved co-ordination and relaxation, riding stimulates the vesibular system by the movement of the horse and it’s changes in direction and speed. Proprioception has also shown to increase due to activation of the proprioceptors in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint. 

Although riding is a strenuous exercise, it is perceived as enjoyment, therefore the rider has increased tolerance and motivation to lengthen the period of exercise.

Are there other benefits to riding than being a Great form of Exercise?

The psychological benefits can be of equal importance to riders as the physical benefits.

Simply being out and about and enjoying the great outdoors will boost your general wellbeing and act as a great stress buster. There is a real sense of exhalation and freedom when you ride, a feeling that is second to none.

Furthermore, developing a relationship and sense of trust between yourself and your horse is highly rewarding. Learning to control and care for an animal much larger than yourself can have a profound effect on your confidence and is a great feeling.

Caring for a horse gives humans experience of relationships, responsibility and friendship - bonding with the noble horse is the best stress buster you can find.