Calories Burned Horseback Riding
Calorie Calculator
About horseback riding
The old line is that the horse does the exercising, and the Compendium disagrees by a wide margin. General riding is coded at 5.5 METs, about 387 calories an hour for a 155 lb rider, the same rating social badminton gets. Sitting a trot pulls 5.8 out of someone doing it properly, and a course of jumps rates 9.0, level with running at 5.2 mph. Only a plain walk down a trail drops toward the bottom of the scale at 3.8, and even that is close to three times what sitting in a chair costs.
Calories Burned by Body Weight
Calories burned per 30 minutes of horseback riding at moderate intensity (MET 5.5)
| Body Weight | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | 150 cal |
| 140 lbs (64 kg) | 175 cal |
| 155 lbs (70 kg)Reference | 193 cal |
| 170 lbs (77 kg) | 212 cal |
| 185 lbs (84 kg) | 231 cal |
| 200 lbs (91 kg) | 249 cal |
| 220 lbs (100 kg) | 274 cal |
Calories Burned by Duration
Calories burned at 155 lbs body weight, moderate intensity
| Duration | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 97 cal |
| 30 minutesReference | 193 cal |
| 45 minutes | 290 cal |
| 60 minutes | 387 cal |
| 90 minutes | 580 cal |
Calories by Intensity
Different intensities burn different calories. MET (Metabolic Equivalent) measures exercise intensity.
Food Equivalent
30 minutes of horseback riding burns enough calories to offset:
Based on 193 calories burned (30 min at 155 lbs)
Tips for Horseback Riding
- Heels down and a straight line from ear to shoulder to hip to heel, most position faults trace back to that one
- Post from the thigh rather than shoving off the stirrups, your legs will last twice as long
- Breathe out through downward transitions, holding your breath stiffens your seat and the horse reads it immediately
- Ride different horses when you get the chance, a new one finds the holes in your position within a lap
Frequently Asked Questions
Track Your Workouts & Calories
Log your exercises and meals with Calvin's AI. Just snap a photo of your food to track calories automatically.
