People who think riding is not physical and/or a sport..grrrr

[Huntertwo]

From the Bike Forum:
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Oh yeah. Tell this to your horsie forum friends. Quit pretending riding horses is a sport. You use very little physical energy when riding (I've ridden horsies and such) a horse. I often wonder how much your horse likes having 100-200+lbs on the back of it. Maybe you can throw on 30lbs of weights on your back and then go for a casual hike through the trails and tell me how it feels.
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http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=551137

[JulesGirl]

Hurr. Bike riding isn't a sport either, all you do is roll along and the bike does all of the work.

[xeroxchick]

I can't help but think that people wouldn't say this if there weren't so many obese riders.

[Laurierace]

I personally don't care whether other people think its a sport of physical activity. I would get great enjoyment out of them putting their money where their mouth is and taking a few laps around the ring though. When they couldn't walk for a week they might think differently. Pity the poor horse carrying them around though.

[Sunsets]

Ah, the Advocacy and Safety subforum - second only to the Road Cycling subforms for machismo and idiocy on bikeforums.net. Don't let them get under your skin. If you really want to get them rolling, discuss the relative merits of bike lanes vs. vehicular cycling.

I did reply (it's Sunday, I've had a couple of beers, and I couldn't help myself), but don't expect any rational responses.

[huntergirl007]

Come on, guys. They are right. We are torturing our poor horses! Don't you think that they should be out, running free? Fend for themselves? With no fresh water, no treats, no loving and no hugs? Like...what were we THINKING? :confused:

After all, bike riding is THE sport. I mean....the way you can talk to the bike when everything else in your life is falling apart? How the handlebars just soak up your tears? We are so naive to think that horses could ever be better than THAT.

;)

Thank god bikes don't have a mind of their own...

[4Martini]

I kinda wish that were true. Then I wouldn't feel like such a noodle now that I've been off my horse for 9 weeks... Where oh where have my muscles gone (being preggers could contribute some - but definitely not riding 4-5 days a week is having a huge impact.)

[MistyBlue]

Depends on the type of riding whether it's a physical activity for the human or not. :winkgrin:
However, I rarely feel a need to want to flip off horse riders on the road and almost always fight the urge to flip off road bikers. :eek: :D :sigh:
Plus they look fruity in those spandex suits and aerodynamic helmets.
As opposed to us in our fruity britches and mushroom head helmets. :lol:

[cnvh]

It's easy to say if all you've ever done is gone on a pokey guided tourist trail ride. We all know they'd change their tune after a lesson without stirrups, but since that would get them killed, it would never happen... but until then there's no point in arguing. :winkgrin:

[billiebob]

Sort of related.....

My brother (who is an occasional cyclist) is super pissed off that riders in Rolex and other high profile competitions can have 2 rides. He says he completely lost all respect for them.....but at least jumping is better than that "fancy feet crap" (aka dressage--his words, not mine!).

I didn't read many of the replies on the bike forum because I think bikers look ridiculous when they're whizzing down the road in all their gear. Spandex should be a priviledge, not a right! So says the woman who proudly wears those oh-so-flattering Kerrits tights that show everything.

[tcgelec]

Spoken no doubt by a very experienced veteran of many pony rides at Disney World. If I didn't think the horse might get hurt I would love to put them out on a BN XC course for three minutes...but it wouldn't last that long.....

This is one of those situations where the only ones who will truly understand are the ones who already know it, and the ones who don't never will. Save your breath...and your frustration...I won't even get started about cyclists on the road who demand "vehicle" status... except when it comes to stopping at lights and yielding and not obstructing traffic....

[2Jakes]

...and those bike riders *pay* premium prices to wear the names on their jerseys and shorts! They are so brainwashed that they provide free advertising to their bike, helmet, water bottle, chafe preventative companies.

You don't see "Anti Monkey Butt" powder ads on the breeches of dressage riders (or trail riders for that matter) Thank Heavens! :lol::lol::lol:

[redkat]

I ride a road bike and horses. I think they're both difficult, but in different ways. I actually prefer horseback riding for the feeling of partnership with the horse. But that's just me. I've also never been a fan of bikeforums at all.

I think, if anything, that the two sports have a lot in common...we all wear tight pants and can go off for hours on saddle fit!

[RoyalTRider]

I read the first page of the thread on the bike forum, then quit because I didn't want to hunt for the relevant material. However, the quoted post on the OP leads me to believe that a COTHer went over there, made some reference to a horse forum, and tried to argue our POV. Not that that's a bad thing, but... I can only imagine what our reaction would be on COTH if that went the other way. It would probably make some of those posts seem quite tame. :lol:

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

I'd love to have one of them get on my boy. They'd do a lot of physical activity to try and get him to go, and because they wouldn't know how, he'd get pissed. REAL pissed. Then we could see if they're really in that good a shape, although they might not be after they land in the dirt.

Not that I would do that to my horse.

Today, because it was a heat index of 105-110 (yes, you read that correctly), I didn't ride. I hosed him off, cleaned all his fly boots and fly masks, picked out his stall, and helped feed. Lots of going to and fro. In that heat. I consider that "minor" physical activity relative to riding. After leaving work, and before going back (I'm meeting a deadline). And with a bicycle, as I understand it, the only time you do any physical activity is when you get on and ride. As opposed to horses, when riding is but one aspect of the whole physical effort.

[AngelBites]

Spandex should be a priviledge, not a right! .

:lol::lol: Well said!!!!

[Guilherme]

From the Bike Forum:
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Oh yeah. Tell this to your horsie forum friends. Quit pretending riding horses is a sport. You use very little physical energy when riding (I've ridden horsies and such) a horse. I often wonder how much your horse likes having 100-200+lbs on the back of it. Maybe you can throw on 30lbs of weights on your back and then go for a casual hike through the trails and tell me how it feels.
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http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=551137

PLONK.

G.

[RoyalTRider]

I'm not sure if it's more illogical to argue that riding isn't a sport or that riders should not be shut off from trails because riding our horses is relaxing for us.

[MunchkinsMom]

Just wanted to share this story.

Years ago, when I was single, I was at happy hour with a man from work (also single). He was a weekend cyclist, and went to the gym at least 3 days a week. He was in good physical shape, and about twice my size.

He made the typical remark about how horseback riding is not that physically demanding.

Instead of trying to reason with him, I said "put your leg out". So, he did, and I gripped it with both thighs and gave it a good squeeze. And I said nothing.

He said "well, I guess I was wrong about that!"

He also knew that riding and barn chores were my only physical activity (no gyms or bicycles in my life).

The funny part was that I ran into him years later, and we went to lunch, and he told me that he never forgot that lesson that I taught him that night in the bar.

[vacation1]

Cyclists are masochists. They revel in pain, in exertion, in finding hills to climb. They're mostly male (quel surprise). Their thoughts on horseback riding can be safely filed under "Bellicose Posturing" and forgotten.

I can't help but think that people wouldn't say this if there weren't so many obese riders.

Horseback riding, on the other hand, seems to attract a female crowd with a different style of aggression .:rolleyes:

He made the typical remark about how horseback riding is not that physically demanding. Instead of trying to reason with him, I said "put your leg out". So, he did, and I gripped it with both thighs and gave it a good squeeze.

:lol: Cyclists loooooove people to grab their legs. All those muscles from suicidal climbs up torturous hills while angry drivers tried to hit them with their SUVs.

[Huntertwo]

I read the first page of the thread on the bike forum, then quit because I didn't want to hunt for the relevant material. However, the quoted post on the OP leads me to believe that a COTHer went over there, made some reference to a horse forum, and tried to argue our POV. Not that that's a bad thing, but... I can only imagine what our reaction would be on COTH if that went the other way. It would probably make some of those posts seem quite tame. :lol:

It heats up on the last couple of pages and appears that it is more than one horse person on the post.

[Huntertwo]

Just wanted to share this story.

Years ago, when I was single, I was at happy hour with a man from work (also single). He was a weekend cyclist, and went to the gym at least 3 days a week. He was in good physical shape, and about twice my size.

He made the typical remark about how horseback riding is not that physically demanding.

Instead of trying to reason with him, I said "put your leg out". So, he did, and I gripped it with both thighs and gave it a good squeeze. And I said nothing.

The funny part was that I ran into him years later, and we went to lunch, and he told me that he never forgot that lesson that I taught him that night in the bar.

After that demonstration, I'm surprised he didn't ask you out then and there... If you know what I mean. ;)

[LisaB]

I was having dinner with friends after 2 phases of an event. One person was wearing a calorie counter watch type of thing. It takes your pulse and I guess figures out how many calories you've burned based on that. And then she inputs her food intake and all. Pretty nifty gadget.
Anyway, the activity of the day was:
Get up and go feed
Braid
Do dressage test
walk x-c course (preliminary level)
do x-c
take care of horse.
Guess how many calories she burned?
3550!
Now tell me it's not a physical activity. And she didn't even do sj yet.

[KnKShowmom]

Spoken no doubt by a very experienced veteran of many pony rides at Disney World.

I was thinking more of a 5&10 store pony -

This is the root of many a battle with DD's school nurse - DD didn't feel well after running the mile in gym, goes to the nurse and the nurse asks her what sports she does outside of school and DD says "I ride". Nurse tells her that isn't a sport so she needs to find something else to do to get into shape! :mad:

So school nurse and I end up having a little chat, well actually, I talked and she listened - told her that she was welcome to come check my daughter's vital signs before and after she rides her horse for an HOUR to verify the aerobic benefits, then she could get her out of shape butt on a horse and jump around a course or two and see how many parts of her body still worked the next day and finally she could check the list of Olympic sports, and yup, riding is on the list and is a co-ed sport no less!

[RedTahoe]

I ride a road bike and horses. I've also never been a fan of bikeforums at all.

I bike and ride as well, and I like both equally. They are kinda similiar as far as "cliques" go as well: with cycling, you have the people that spend high $$$$ on only the best gear, the best jerseys, etc. that cycle down the busy rush-hour highway, in the middle, because they not only think they have sole right of way for the whole road, but also act as though they're riding in the Tour de France.....................then you have the Joe Shmo with still a nice bike, plain jerseys, courteous to other cyclists and other persons on the road/trail.

I also think that people that claim horseback riding isn't a sport/exercise are the same ones that ride on the 30 min- 1 hour trail rides (at a walk) on deadbroke grandpa horses that wouldn't bat an eye if a tractor trailer zoomed in front of them.

Funny enough, on exercising websites, they list horseback riding as burning some of the most calories out of all of the "exercises."

[MunchkinsMom]

After that demonstration, I'm surprised he didn't ask you out then and there... If you know what I mean. ;)

Actually, so was I! Maybe he was a bit intimidated? We did become good friends, which in hindsight turned out for the best for both of us, we would not have been compatible in the long run.

[poltroon]

Riding is just like skiing, where the hill does all the work.

[equest]

I was having dinner with friends after 2 phases of an event. One person was wearing a calorie counter watch type of thing. It takes your pulse and I guess figures out how many calories you've burned based on that. And then she inputs her food intake and all. Pretty nifty gadget.
Anyway, the activity of the day was:
Get up and go feed
Braid
Do dressage test
walk x-c course (preliminary level)
do x-c
take care of horse.
Guess how many calories she burned?
3550!
Now tell me it's not a physical activity. And she didn't even do sj yet.

That's a cool device - I want one!

[arabhorse2]

Riding is just like skiing, where the hill does all the work.

Snerk! :lol:

Yep, after riding both Saturday and Sunday, then helping to muck out a 20 stall barn, and feed/water 75 horses all weekend, I felt just like a lady of leisure! Since, y'know, riding and barn work aren't exercise! ;)

[LoriW]

[QUOTE=vacation1;4180559]Cyclists are masochists. They revel in pain, in exertion, in finding hills to climb. They're mostly male (quel surprise). Their thoughts on horseback riding can be safely filed under "Bellicose Posturing" and forgotten.



Horseback riding, on the other hand, seems to attract a female crowd with a different style of aggression .:rolleyes:



Thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking.

[Whisper]

Unless I've had time off from riding for at least 3 weeks, or do XC, or the horse is naughty, riding doesn't usually get my heart rate up or make me out of breath. It's very physically demanding, but more like Yoga or Tai Chi or some such - working on greater flexibility, core strength/isometric strength, coordination, and balance. It's more difficult for me than running 2 miles, but burns fewer calories. However, fat gets burned at lower heart rates more effectively (as opposed to cardio), so riding may very well be good in that aspect. Vaulting (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82782698@N00/2176253364) is much more physically demanding for me than regular riding. We run a few laps, do some yoga, stretches, chinups and handstands (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82782698@N00/2651531860), then practice moves both on the horse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82782698@N00/2698628437) and on the barrel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82782698@N00/185312418).