Horseback Riding as Exercise: What Counts and What to Add

Yes—horseback riding can count as exercise, including moderate-intensity aerobic activity. But a quiet ride and an active lesson are not the same workout. Riding also demands balance and postural control; that does not make it a complete replacement for strength training.

For riders, the useful question is not just “Did I exercise?” It is “What did this ride train, and what should I work on between rides?”

How much exercise does riding provide?

In a study of 16 female recreational riders aged 17–54, a structured 45-minute lesson involving walk, trot, canter and work without stirrups averaged 4.6 metabolic equivalents, or METs. METs describe energy use relative to sitting quietly. That average falls within the moderate-intensity range. The researchers concluded that these riding activities could contribute to physical-activity recommendations—not that every ride produces the same demand or guarantees improved fitness. Read the original study.

A separate study of 20 experienced riders found that reining and simulated cutting were more intense on average than a walk–trot–canter ride, but the longer, 45-minute ride used more energy overall. Intensity and duration both matter. See the riding-energy study.

That also explains why a single calorie figure is not very useful. The latter study’s 45-minute ride averaged about 195 calories, but it used a specific riding schedule and participant group. Treat that as a study result, not a prediction for your lesson or a weight-loss promise.

Count effort, not just time in the saddle

Use breathing and perceived effort as practical guides. On a scale where 0 means sitting at rest and 10 means maximal effort, the CDC’s intensity guidance describes:

• Moderate effort: about 5–6 out of 10; you can talk but not sing.
• Vigorous effort: beginning around 7–8 out of 10; you can say only a few words before pausing for breath.

During a lesson, notice whether you can comfortably answer your instructor while continuing the task. Do not distract yourself with a watch or force a talk test when you need to concentrate.

After dismounting, record three things: total riding time, estimated minutes at moderate or vigorous effort, and whether your position began to deteriorate. Avoid automatically counting the whole booking as aerobic exercise if much of it involved standing for instruction or easy work below moderate effort.

For adults, a useful benchmark is at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes vigorous, or an equivalent mixture, plus muscle-strengthening work on at least two days. Strength work should cover all major muscle groups. These are US adult physical-activity guidelines, not a riding prescription.

For example, if two lessons each provide roughly 25 moderate-intensity minutes, that contributes 50 minutes. Four 25-minute brisk walks at moderate effort could supply the remaining 100. Add two strength sessions separately. If you are currently inactive, build toward that volume gradually.

Do not lengthen or intensify your horse’s work merely to reach your exercise target. Walking, cycling or swimming lets you train your stamina independently; our conditioning workouts offer a practical starting point.

Riding fitness is more than getting out of breath

A rider may finish a lesson breathing comfortably but struggle to keep the trunk upright or control the leg. Conversely, someone with good running fitness may still find riding balance difficult.

The British Horse Society’s rider-fitness guidance identifies cardiovascular fitness, core strength, flexibility and balance as separate priorities. It also notes that fatigue reduces the rider’s ability to maintain posture and balance.

Use that distinction to choose off-horse work. These two simple drills, adapted from FEI rider-exercise guidance, are starting points—not a complete strength programme.

Countertop shoulder taps: trunk control

Place your hands on a sturdy, fixed countertop and step back into an inclined plank, with your feet on a non-slip surface. Keep your body straight. Slowly touch one hand to the opposite shoulder, replace it, then change sides.

Try five controlled taps per side. Move your feet wider or stand closer to the counter if you twist.

Checkpoint: can you keep your pelvis facing the counter while breathing normally? This practises trunk control while an arm moves—a useful capacity to discuss with your instructor if rein use repeatedly pulls your body out of position.

Supported single-leg reaches: side-to-side awareness

Stand beside a sturdy support, with one knee softly bent. Use the other foot to tap short distances forward, sideways and behind you. Repeat three slow rounds, then switch legs.

Checkpoint: compare the sides using the same reach distance and hand support. Note wobbling or leaning rather than forcing the less-controlled side farther. The task practises moving one leg while keeping your trunk controlled; ask your instructor whether you lose that control when applying a leg aid. This is a balance exercise, not an instruction to load one stirrup more heavily.

For broader strength work, use the two-session equestrian workout plan. Start with manageable effort and stop a drill if it causes pain.

Check the result in your lessons

Choose one observable riding priority: maintaining your trunk position later in the lesson, controlling the lowering phase of rising trot, or keeping your hands steadier through transitions. Ask a qualified instructor to help assess it.

Track whether the same task becomes easier across comparable lessons, rather than judging success by soreness or calories. A position fault is not automatically a fitness problem; off-horse work should support mounted coaching, not replace it or prompt unsupervised position experiments.