rider fitness

I wasnt sure where to post this so if its in the wrong section please feel free to move it.

I use to exercise a lot, I used the elliptical, free weights, squats, and lunges. Its been a while. Anyway I got my horse almost a month ago and after riding him 6 days a week I have noticed and felt a difference in my muscles.

I was thinking about exercising agian but since I go see my horse daily with one day off, I don't have the time I use to. So I was thinking of using horseback riding as my exercise.

Does anyone have any exercises for the rider on a horse?
I will definiitly start riding without stirrups, but i'm wondering what other things I could do to tone up my body agian.

Anyone have any ideas?
I'd ask my trainer but she is away on a vacation right now, and Im eager to start. Oh and because my trainer is out of town, she told me I could ride any of her horses if I wanted, so I was thinking about instead of riding for just one hour a day I would ride two horses and ride two hours.

Thanks!

I wish I could get to my horse six days a week, if I could I would also use horse riding as a substitute for the exercises I do now!

A great exercise is “leg ups”. Start at a walk and lift one leg as high as you can, bending at the knee and using your tummy muscles to get it up. Not touching the saddle with the leg you are lifting. Hold for a bit and lower, then the other leg etc. You can hold on to the saddle till you get it right and then try to let go. Then you lift both legs at the same time without falling forward or backward and increase the time you hold for. Then you try it at a trot and then a canter. Great for your tummy and legs! As you said, work without stirrups is great and so is getting into light seat with and without stirrups. If I were in your situation I’d also take my horse for a walk once or twice a week on a halter just to get the benefits of a good walk too.

Does that help at all?

That totally helps, thank you! I will try that today. Thanks :)

Stregthening core muscles always helps me. I do crunches for 30 seconds, then rest, then do more crunches, sometimes side-crunches too.

Riding with no sturrups also helps :P

Has anyone seen the igallop?

http://www.brookstone.com/store/531707.html

I SO want to try some of those while riding a horse!

It looks cool, but kinda funny IMO

yeah it looks odd. No offense. It looks like something I wont say............

I so want one of those!!!! I know my kids would have a blast on it!!!

I could use it as a substitute horse since I can't ride anymore lol.

I would suggest riding a dressage test on a lazy horse sans-spurs hahaha. I get quite the leg and body work out while taking Com through the steps, he is soooooo lazy some day

Bareback riding uses different muscles. And barn chores!!! Like cleaning stalls, grooming, sweeping, carrying tack etc etc