Would riding be a good exercise for me?

[PrettyCandles]

I am very overweight, with chronic lower-back trouble as well as knee and arch-of-the-foot problems. I am very unfit and have very poor core body stability.

I rode a bit in my teens, but did not continue. I've done the occasional hack since then and have always found itto help my back - perhaps the gentle rocking motion mobilises my spine.

Should I sign up for some riding lessons? Would it be a good exercise for me? I get the impression that riding excerises the muscles of your torso - is this so? I really need to improve my fitness and core body stability in order just to be able to start exercising!

I would say that with knee and lower back problems riding isn't for you. And if you're very overweight it is going to take a long time to improve your fitness levels - all you will do is plod around for an hour a week. You need to ride properly every day if you want to use it as exercise.

I would go swimming a couple of times a week - no impact on your knees and it exercises all your muscles. And get a gym ball to sit on at home which will improve core muscle strength.

I think Pilates might be better as an exercise form. Doesn't make you lose weight, but undrneath my flab I now have abs of steel

Yup sorry - one riding lesson a week won't get you fit, and if you are very overweight you might find it hard to find a riding school to take you. I think you are more likely to hurt yourself than get fit. I think the above suggestions sound much more sensible.

Good luck!

I was thinking pilates too. That combined with a few trips to an Osteopath and you should see a significant improvement. Then you will probably be able to enjoy the riding much more.

Well I am inclined to agree with the others that one lesson a week won't really help much and if you are unfit you are likely to fall off quite easily which wouldn't be very good for your back!

On the other hand, I do believe that it's easier to stick to exercise if it's something you enjoy and if things like Pilates don't do it for you then it won't be any good in the long run. Obviously you already know you enjoy horseriding so maybe something like this would be just what you need right now? I would love to have one but I've got nowhere to put it in our little house (my mum and I thought of sharing one but I wouldn't keep it up if I had to go somewhere else to use it iyswim). They are expensive but so are riding lessons (and you could prob get one on ebay anyway). When you do feel a bit fitter and more able to get on a real horse you will have developed muscles in all the right places.

Has anyone actually tried one btw? I saw one at Olympia a few years ago and it looked great fun but I didn't get on it.

I've been on one in a furniture shop. I didn't know how to operate it and just pressed the buttons and ended up galloping along - much to my dh's embarrassment twas alot of fun!

So it bolted with you? ha ha. Why was it in a furniture shop though?

I shouted out - 'It's bolted!'

Don't know why it was in a furniture shop though.

Sorry I haven't been back to the thread.

I understand that riding once a week won't get me fit, but I was thinking more about improving my core body stability as a step towards more strenuous exercise. Of course Pilates would be good, but as Pixel has so accurately pointed out, it's easier to stick with something you enjoy.

I've 'ridden' those toys many times (almost always in furnIture shops LOL) but a real horse is vastly more fun. Besides, if I bought one it would inevitably end up as just another extremely expensive clothes-horse!

A good tip about the birthing ball - I must reinflate mine.

I'm not too overweight for the riding schools, BTW. Though the last time I rode the horse was so high I couldn't get on without a mounting block! Mind you, that also speaks volumes about what has happened to my strength and agility

I did a few riding lessons after not riding for 20 years a while.

When I got off, my legs were so rubbery, I could barely walk! I had to wait 10 minutes before I felt safe to control the car.

What about one of these? The physio recommended them to me after I'd had knee surgery and said they were really good for core stability.

"Though the last time I rode the horse was so high I couldn't get on without a mounting block! Mind you, that also speaks volumes about what has happened to my strength and agility"

Well I've got my own horse on diy so do plenty of riding/pushing wheelbarrows etc/carting hay, yet today I had to use the mounting block to get on my sister's 14hh pony.

As marge2 has said, you may find it difficult to find a riding school that will take you. If you are an inexperienced rider and very overweight it is harder to find your centre of balance in the saddle. Also, novice riders bounce around in the saddle a lot more and can damage the horse.

Good luck.

I always use a mounting block. I ride 2-3 horses a day so I'm pretty fit and I struggle to get on anything bigger than 15.2 from the ground. A mounting block is loads better for the horse's back anyway.

Pretty - maybe use the gym ball and do some walking as exercise? I dog walk every day and it really helps my fitness levels. In fact, as Pixel says, any physical exercise from mucking out to gardening is going to help.

I'm going to disagree with everyone else, and say give it a try. I've just started riding again, and it's really working for me. It's true that I am fairly experienced (from childhood) but never learnt anything really except how to cling on under all circumstances and be the boss. The instructors who take me out are really kind and say how marvellous my seat is etc ; although they also know I go to a gym and dog walk in a long-term bid to improve fitness and lose more weight.

If you really love horses, as I do, just the sight and smell of them gives you a real high. And I have found an hour's walk, trot and canter a pretty good workout to get you used to moving and using/enjoying your body again. Also, it's motivating to think: I must improve my fitness in order to improve my riding.

I do, however, respect the views of everyone else on this thread who have loads more expertise than me. Just giving my VHO.

Ah well, it turns out that I am too fat after all. None of the local stables have a big enough horse for me, apart from one which is rather expensive.

But the trainers I spoke to seemed to think that, because I'm not a complete beginner (20y ago I could walk, trot and canter independantly, as well as trot without reins or stirrups) riding could be a good exercise for me.

Ah that's a shame, but at least now you know how much you need to lose to be able to go riding, and it'll be a great incentive. Perhaps you could offer your services to someone who needs some help with mucking out over the winter. I'm sure it would be just as effective as a trip to the gym and you would feel that you were starting to get involved in the horsey world again.

Mucking out?

Noooo...I don't think so.

It was the riding I liked, not the horsey world!

It's fun once you get going you know...

honest!

I like mucking out and it is great for building core strength.

Oh I love mucking out. My own headspace! Wonderful. Just started back on DIY after 7 year break. I'm getting my 'base of the ring finger callous' back on my left hand. Anyone else got one of those? It's SOO nice to be up the yard every day and seeing my girlie who is a dream to muck out in the stable. I get on with it and she moves around me while eating her hay. I barely even have to cluck at her to get her to move over. I am shifing weight too.

Hi Pretty Candles, I too used to ride as a child/teenager, and have enjoyed watching dd learn and become pony mad whilst harbouring a desire to get back on myself. Couldn't do it though, as weighed 16stone 4 . So, promised myself I would do something about it with the incentive of riding again. And today, I did it!!! First time on a horse for many years - and it felt great. If i can do it so can you ; i power walked and rowing machined for exercise btw. Good luck with whatever you go with :)