Tracking Exercise: Horseback Riding - Horse Riding - Equestrian

I know it's perhaps not the most common exercise, but common enough and it's incredibly difficult to gauge what kind of calory burn and value this kind of exercise has, because - well the horse does most of the work! There is a huge difference in riding styles and how this effects my own exercise level: trail riding can be just walking - where the rider has little exercise, but if you trot it's quite the exercise for the rider too. Then there is the distance aspect, which is invalid when you do dressage or arena riding... Finally jumping has quite a different impact again. 

 

Since I work for a digital agency, I know that you must have business logic to build out expensive new features both for the sensors, the logic/algorithm and how you present it on the web. I know it's a huge effort. But with an equestrian tracker, you will have a captive audience and a weathy niche market who will be loyal customers. You'll need to do little marketing as this is definitely an industry/audience who are all interconnected and exchange ideas, infos and new products readily. 

And if you want to go all out, you could combine it with a FitBit for the horse - because most horse owners also want to monitor the stress on their horse as well as their horses' fitness. 

 

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity and labels.

202 Comments
Status changed to: Not currently planned
SantiR
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum
Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs located at the top right box of the Feature Suggestions Board screen. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.
HorseladyMia
Recovery Runner

From what I can tell the function to have horse riding as an exercise has been asked for quite some time ago.... about 2 yrs. Horse riding will never go, people will still be doing this for many many years to come. Fitbit is 1 of the biggest names and they dont seem to actually want to do anything about adding this as an exercise. If several apps are able to calculate how many calories burned etc how can fitbit not. Fitbit would be more accurate as heart rate is picked up. We can't even change the name from bike to horseback riding, yet workout let's me change the name to horse grooming as it's linked to my fitness pal app?...

Sheharizaade
First Steps
Please post the link to the voting button as I have looked but can't find
it.
LaurelSayer
Recovery Runner

The voting button is to the top left of the original message at the top of this string of responses

Danaaz08
First Steps

I just bought the Ionic for the fact that it is waterproof. My surge had problems with me washing horses and to much sweat when riding my horses. I noticed on my new fit bit that it has an app for exercises. Horse back riding is not one of the choices. If you think horse backing is easy ride a horse for one hour. If you are not sore the next day you are full of it. Riding horses you use your legs, core, arms and back muscles. I ride English cross country . So there is running, jumping and fighting my horses not to run. It is very hard to stop a 1200 lb animal from running. So fit bit you need to add horse back riding to the exercises. PLZ

AnOwlInATopHat
First Steps

As a horseback rider, I would love to have a heart rate track for my horse that I can sync with mine own and watch in real time on my watch. While there are a few on the market, they are expensive, bulky, and can only be reviewed afterwards. Being able to easily look down and see both of our stats and make adjustments according would be fantastic.

Odyssey13
Community Legend

Hi @AnOwlInATopHat

 

Quite an interesting idea you have. Since you said there are several on the market currently, then I doubt Fitbit would be making one at this time. They don't have devices for dogs right now and I'd think there are more who would wish to track their dogs, than their horses.

 

 

 

 

Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator
MarcelBK
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

That’s an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing this suggestion. We look forward to hearing what other community members think.

Status changed to: Not currently planned
SantiR
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

Status changed to: Not currently planned
LizFitbit
Premium User
Fitbit Moderator
Fitbit Moderator

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

shaikhaFaqihi
First Steps

I'd like to suggest a horse riding tracking possibility plus a customization feature for the workout and programs. Moreover, an opportunity to sell workout subscriptions.

Status changed to: New
AlexandraFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hello @shaikhaFaqihi ! Thanks for sharing this suggestion, I moved it to this similar post so you can add your vote to it. Please keep sharing your ideas with us! Woman Happy

Please add Horse Riding to the list of exercises Shortcuts the Charge 3 tracks. 

Spending my day at the barn is more of a workout than the others listed in the shortcuts, and a more regular activity for horse owners and enthusiasts. We need to press an easy shortcut button, not stand there and custom type it in with a massive animal in our hand.

Thank you!

NT9
Stepping Up

Please can we add horse riding to exercise list please 🙂

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @NT9, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. At the moment it is not planned to implement it. Nonetheless you can still add your vote.

Judith71
First Steps

There are so many sports to choose but horse riding isn’t 

i ride a lot and it is very sad that my Versa can’t track it.

i think there a a lot of people who agree with me. 

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @Judith71, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. At the moment it is not planned to implement it. Nonetheless you can still add your vote.

Alison2016
Stepping Up

For 4 years users have been asking for horseriding to be included in the sports.  When will fitbit listen to its customers????????????????????. 

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @Alison2016, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. At the moment it is not planned to implement it. Nonetheless you can still add your vote.

VickWills
First Steps

It would be so fantastic if there were an app which allowed for the tracking of horse riding. 

Obviously horse riding can take multiple forms, be it dressage, show jumping, hacking etc. so it may be difficult to produce but it would be fantastic! 

 

There is an app which I currently use on my phone, Equilab, which monitors horse riding and it really is a fantastic app - maybe Fitbit could work with Equilab to allow them both to be used together? 

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @VickWills, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback regarding horseback riding with us. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. At the moment it is not planned to implement it. Nonetheless you can still add your vote.

Cjsunshine
Jogger

We need a short cut for horseback riding. I know lots of people with watches and horses! We need an easy accurate way to track our horse activities!

LuciaFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @Cjsunshinethanks for taking the time to share your feedback regarding horseback riding with us. This feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here. At the moment it is not planned to implement it. Nonetheless you can still add your vote.

FancySassy80
Jogger

Fitbit needs to make an option on their main system for Equestrians to be able to log rides before the rides start, not just an option to edit afterward, We Equestrians are missing out on this lovely device because it will not allow us to track our riding from the start, instead we have to put in either "running" or "biking" which doesn't take the same calorie burn.  Then we have to go into the app afterward and Edit it to "Horseback Riding"  After the fact if it allows us.. Please Please, make Fitbit compatible to the equestrians, its a huge nitch in the market that you guys are missing out on. Or at least make an app that will track it on the Newer watches like the Versa! and Versa Lite! I'm sure my fellow equestrians would thank you to the mountain and back for this!! The same goes for Auto-Detect, make that an option to Auto-Detect horseback riding! 
Thanks for Reading!!

YojanaFitbit
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @FancySassy80, thanks for explaining why you would like to have this option on the Fitbit app. I've moved it into a similar suggestion which has a lot of votes. As the more votes and comments an idea has the more visibility and momentum it gains. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.

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