Do I really have to be physically fit to ride a horse?

When I began to take riding lessons, I thought "how hard can riding be?"

After so many injuries in just over a year of riding, I decided its time to get in shape. But horseback riding is not about strictly muscle strength. An often used description of horseback riding is the equivalent of walking, texting, chewing gum, rubbing your stomach, and talking all at once. Whew, talk about multi-tasking.

Good riders often make it look incredibly easy to sit on a horse. Most of the professional and Olympic riders spend as much time in the gym as on the horse. But physical fitness for riders is a little different. Riding requires the ability to isolate each body part. The arms must act independently from the legs, the thighs must act independently from the calves, knees, and ankles. To top it all off the hands also need to act independently from the arms and from each hand. Sounds a little overwhelming, doesn't it?

I spent hours of research trying to learn how to achieve such independence of my body and the ability to isolate certain muscle groups. Some general exercises that helped were yoga, exercise ball routines, and stretching. But that wasn't enough. There are thousands of programs available for riders but how should one choose what's best for their individual needs? So in order to find the best program one may want to make a list of known ailments such as bad knees, arthritis, etc. Another consideration is time, how much time does one have to spend working out? How often do you ride? What type of riding do you intend to do? One final thing, before embarking on any fitness program one should consult with their private physician.

Why should riders also be in good physical condition? Horses are inherently dangerous to be around because of their size and the potential for spooking. By nature most horses are peaceful and rarely does a horse intentionally try to hurt a person. However, strength and good balance are critical if a horse spooks under saddle, especially out on the trail. Finally, good physical condition in the rider will make life easier for the horse.

Horseback riding is a wonderful activity but just like any other activity one should be prepared for the unexpected. Physical fitness helps riders react when the unexpected occurs and can not only prevent rider injury but also horse injury. So, go ride, have fun and always wear a helmet!