Introduction:
Hello and welcome back to: Becoming a Skinny Legend with Claire! This week, I decided to horseback ride. Now, I must admit that I actually do this sport competitively, so I am not starting from a beginner level like I did with the other disciplines I’ve explored. However, I’ve always been curious about whether it is truly a good workout. I focus in showjumping, which is guiding the horse around a course with jumps. When competing, the goal is to go as fast as possible without knocking any poles down. According to HorseNetwork, showjumping has technically existed for millenia, with riders and horses jumping over natural obstacles in activities such as war and hunting. However, showjumping as a sport did not exist until the late 1800s. Today, showjumping has become relatively popular, with competitions being held all around the world. I began showjumping around eight years old because I was obsessed with animals, and riding horses seemed like the best way to get close to them. I fell in love with the sport, and have been doing it ever since.
Experience:
To standardize the workout, I decided to measure it for the duration of one competition round, including what is called “schooling,” which is the 20-25 minutes you practice in a warm-up ring before actually having your round. An actual round in the ring is only about 80 seconds in total. So, I first got on my horse in the warm-up ring. Here, I “flat” the horse, which is when focus on movements of the horse that do not involve jumping in order to loosen up and get in sync. Next, I rode over a one jump in the ring, going up in height to get ready for competition. After going over the course, I entered the ring. Competing is more taxing on both the rider and the horse, because you follow a course of jumps, aiming for speed and precision, requiring adrenaline and focus. I had a relatively good round, having one pole down, which is considered four faults. From getting on to getting off, I was on the horse for about 35 minutes.
Criteria:
Calories burned: I burned 215 calories, which is actually more than I expected. However, it is important to note that competing is more strenuous than practicing, which is what I do the majority of the time. So in terms of horseback riding, this would be a higher impact workout due to the fact that I was competing.
Quality of the workout: When I don’t ride for awhile and then resume, the first day I am incredibly sore and tired. When I’m riding consistently, I no longer get sore because I am constantly working the same muscle groups. You primarily use your calf, arm, and back muscles. Additionally, balance is key, because if you are off-balance you make the horse off-balance. It definitely is not incredibly strenuous, but I believe that overall showjumping is a quality workout.
Fun: For me, nothing beats the adrenaline rush after having a good round. Coupled with the fact that I’ve met so many friends through riding, I would say it does bring me a lot of joy and is a very fun sport. That being said, there are certainly times where it quite frankly sucks, especially when I fall off.
Would I do it again?: This one is a given, but I’m definitely hoping to always have horses in my life at some capacity!
Looking Forward:
I would recommend showjumping for anyone who is adventurous, loves being outdoors, and loves animals. It has brought so much happiness to my life over the past years, and I hope that you decide to look into it! I accidentally missed a post along the way, so you guys get a double feature this week – tune in to my other post for the finale: pole dancing!
Becoming a Skinny Legend with Claire 