6 Health Benefits of Riding a Horse
Horse riding is more than just a fun hobby for the weekend; it can provide several health benefits you may never have been aware of. To an observer, it may appear as though the rider is simply sitting there and not doing much, but there is a great deal of work that goes into training a horse to ride, which can positively impact the mental and physical health of an individual.
If you have an interest in horse riding or are considering taking up the hobby in your spare time, here are the most common health benefits it can provide.
1. Core strength
To prevent slipping around in the saddle and losing balance while sitting on the horse, you’ll have to make use of your muscles. Horse riding makes you work your chest and back muscles to stay in position. Otherwise, there is a very good chance you could fall off. Another common issue of imbalance during a ride is horse bucking, which can be dangerous. After a session, you are likely to notice a difference in your pelvic, abdominal, and back muscles, which feel much stronger and stable as a result of the workout.
2. Coordination
Coordination is one of the main benefits of horse riding, as it is an essential skill needed to carry out the activity properly. To get the horse to follow commands, it is up to the rider to coordinate their movements accordingly and lead the horse in the right direction. Studies have shown that horse riding can particularly improve the coordination of children with Down syndrome.
3. Exercises the mind
While it is easy to get roped into watching TV or playing games over activities that challenge the mind, it is easy to become lazy. Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, which can help you retain a sharper mind for the future. Horse riding is a suitable hobby for exercising the mind. Simply by communicating with the horse and training them to carry out movements, you are exercising your mind. As you continue to learn new techniques, your brain will store the information so you can improve next time around.
4. Keeps your mental health in check
Psychologists have discovered that horse riding can help combat the symptoms of anxiety and depression due to being a therapeutic activity. Horse riding releases the stimulator, serotonin, which is a natural mood-enhancer and has been proven to relieve stress and tension in the body and mind.
5. Burns calories
If you’ve tried every workout in the book with no luck, one regime you might not have considered is horse riding. When you’re focusing on building muscles and improving core strength in any workout, you’re going to be burning calories. Studies have shown that while trotting or cantering that you could burn as much as seven calories per minute.
6. Getting out in the fresh air
With balancing work and your personal life, you may find it difficult to get out outside and enjoy the fresh air. There are many benefits of getting fresh air, such as boosting the immune system, improving energy levels, and aiding respiratory conditions.