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The question of how many calories horseback riding burns comes up regularly – and not just from people looking to lose weight. More and more riders treat an hour in the saddle as a full-fledged workout, not just a pleasure or hobby. And rightly so, because horseback riding engages the body much more intensely than it seems from the outside. The problem is that most answers online boil down to a single number, "200-500 kcal per hour," which doesn't say much. Does it refer to a leisurely walk in the field, or an intense show jumping training session? The difference is huge. In this article, we break it down: how many calories you actually burn depending on the pace of riding, what factors influence it, and how to calculate your own result.
Table of Contents
- Does horseback riding really burn calories?
- How many calories does horseback riding burn - table by pace
- Walk, trot, canter - why pace changes everything
- Calculate your calorie burn - a simple formula
- Not just the saddle - stable work also counts
- What truly affects the number of calories burned?
- Horseback riding as a workout - what research confirms
- How to ride more intensely and safely at the same time
- Summary
Does horseback riding really burn calories?
The short answer is: yes, and more than most people outside the equestrian world realize. From the outside, riding looks like passive sitting, while in reality, it's a continuous full-body workout. Maintaining posture requires constant tension in the deep abdominal and back muscles, pelvic stabilization, and leg work. In addition, you're reacting to the horse's movement every second – your body is constantly adapting, correcting, and balancing.
It's this uninterrupted stabilization work that makes horseback riding burn calories even at a leisurely pace. And the faster the gait and more active the seat, the higher the energy expenditure. In trot, you rise and sit with the horse's movement (rising trot), in canter, you work your hips and entire core – this is an effort comparable to jogging or brisk walking.
How many calories does horseback riding burn - table by pace
Instead of a single average number, below you will find approximate values depending on the pace of riding and body weight. The data is based on MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values used in exercise physiology.
| Activity (60 minutes) | 55 kg | 65 kg | 75 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk / leisurely ride | ~220 kcal | ~260 kcal | ~300 kcal |
| Trot | ~320 kcal | ~375 kcal | ~435 kcal |
| Canter / intense training | ~420 kcal | ~500 kcal | ~575 kcal |
| Stable work (cleaning, grooming) | ~260 kcal | ~305 kcal | ~355 kcal |
The most important conclusion from this table: it's not the hour in the saddle that determines the outcome, but how you spend that hour. A typical recreational lesson is a mix of all gaits, so the actual calorie burn during an hour-long training session usually falls between 250-500 kcal – higher the more trot and canter are involved.
Walk, trot, canter - why pace changes everything
Each horse's gait requires a different type and intensity of work from the rider.
Walk is a four-beat gait, the calmest. You sit deep, but still actively – maintaining posture and following the horse's movement with your hips. This is a good time for warm-up and cool-down, the gentlest in terms of energy, but still engaging postural muscles.
Trot is a two-beat gait, and it's what most often determines how many calories you burn. In rising trot, you perform dozens of repetitions of rising and sitting – it's practically continuous squats performed in rhythm with the horse's movement. Half-seat and sitting trot engage muscles even more differently, heavily loading the thighs and glutes.
Canter is a three-beat gait, the most dynamic. It requires active hip work, strong core stabilization, and full leg engagement. It's in canter and during intense show jumping training that energy expenditure is highest – and interval effort also comes into play, with alternating phases of higher and lower intensity.
Calculate your calorie burn - a simple formula
If you want to estimate your own result, use the standard formula based on MET values:
calories per minute = (MET × body weight in kg × 3.5) ÷ 200
Assuming approximate MET values: walk approx. 3.8 / trot approx. 5.5 / canter approx. 7.3. Simply multiply the result by the number of minutes spent in a given gait.
Example for a person weighing 65 kg, during an hour-long ride consisting of 20 minutes walk, 30 minutes trot, and 10 minutes canter:
- walk: (3.8 × 65 × 3.5) ÷ 200 = approx. 4.3 kcal/min × 20 = 86 kcal
- trot: (5.5 × 65 × 3.5) ÷ 200 = approx. 6.3 kcal/min × 30 = 189 kcal
- canter: (7.3 × 65 × 3.5) ÷ 200 = approx. 8.3 kcal/min × 10 = 83 kcal
Together, this amounts to approximately 358 kcal in an hour. This result is comparable to brisk walking or a leisurely jog – and on top of that, there's all the work with the horse before and after the ride.
Not just the saddle - stable work also counts
Most calculators overlook this, but it's an important part of the equation. Before you get on the horse, there's grooming, saddling, and often bringing the horse from the paddock. After the ride – unsaddling, cleaning hooves, sometimes mucking out the stall. All of this is physical activity of moderate intensity.
An hour of stable work can burn as many calories as a leisurely ride – around 250-350 kcal. Therefore, the actual energy expenditure associated with a visit to the stable is usually significantly higher than the time spent in the saddle alone. This is also one of the reasons why riders tend to be in better shape than their "pure" training time would suggest.
What truly affects the number of calories burned?
The numbers in the table are a starting point, not a definitive judgment. Several factors influence the actual result:
- Rider's body weight - the heavier the rider, the more energy is needed for the same effort.
- Pace and intensity - the proportion of walk to trot and canter is the most important.
- Level of advancement - paradoxically, beginners often tire more because they work less efficiently and are overly tense. An experienced rider moves more economically, but can consciously increase the intensity.
- Discipline - show jumping training or riding in varied terrain with ascents burns more than a leisurely ride in the arena.
- Seat and comfort - when you sit comfortably and stably, you work more effectively and can maintain a higher intensity for longer. A lot depends on well-fitted equipment here – a poorly fitting saddle can disrupt your seat and shorten an effective training session.
Horseback riding as a workout - what research confirms?
This isn't just a feeling riders have. The British Horse Society commissioned a team from the University of Brighton (in collaboration with Plumpton College) to research the health benefits of recreational horseback riding. The conclusions are unequivocal: horseback riding and related activities, such as stable cleaning, require sufficient energy expenditure to classify them as moderate-intensity exercise. Researchers also emphasized that regular segments of trot during a ride increase energy expenditure and the resulting health benefits. The full report is available on the British Horse Society website.
Furthermore, the study showed that over two-thirds of the surveyed riders rode at least three times a week for 30 minutes or more – and this level of activity allows them to meet or exceed the recommended minimum amount of exercise. In addition, there are psychological benefits: contact with an animal and being outdoors are values that cannot be converted into calories, but are of immense importance for well-being.
How to ride more intensely and safely at the same time
Since more trot and canter mean more calories burned, increasing training intensity is a natural step. However, it's worth remembering that with increased speed comes increased risk – faster gaits and riding in varied terrain increase the likelihood of a fall.
Therefore, before you significantly increase the dynamism of your riding, make sure you have the safety basics covered. A well-fitted riding helmet is an absolute must at any pace, and for more intense riding, show jumping training, or riding in varied terrain, it's worth considering a Freejump airbag vest, which protects the spine and chest in case of a fall. Safety is not the opposite of good fitness – it's a condition that allows you to train regularly and without interruptions. If you want to choose your equipment consciously, we invite you to our store and Fitting Center at Oświęcimska 9 in Ruda Śląska, where we will help you match everything to your figure and riding style.
Summary
How many calories does horseback riding burn? Realistically, from about 220 kcal per hour at a leisurely walk to as much as 500-575 kcal during intense training with a lot of canter – plus an additional 250-350 kcal for stable work. The key is not just the time in the saddle, but how actively you spend it. Horseback riding is a full-fledged, moderate physical activity, confirmed by research, which also provides something no gym can: contact with a horse and the joy of riding. And the calories burned are simply a nice bonus.
