# Will riding make my thighs too much bigger?



## bsms

Being a guy, I can't speak to impact on young ladies' pant sizes. However, riding horses isn't about great strength so much as endurance, and endurance training doesn't build bulging muscles. Riding will tone the legs, but it won't prep you for competitions in female bodybuilding...


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## DancingArabian

No you won't have to buy bigger jeans. Riding won't work you nearly hard enough to give you tree trunks for legs.
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## Dustbunny

You're safe. Go enjoy the ride.


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## riccil0ve

It'll definitely thicken your thighs if you are riding hard enough. Typical riding hard will tone, but if you have a drill Sargent instructor who has you do tons of posting and two-point without stirrups, or posting in super short stirrups as opposed to "just" riding an hour and a half six days a week, they will get bigger. Not beefcake body builder bigger, but bigger. 

But honestly, a Junior size 3 is still tiny, even if you do have to go up a size. You will notice that some brands fit tighter or more loosely than others, so it's just a trial and error. And it would be silly to not take the opportunity because you don't want to be "bigger."
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## aerie

I am a smaller person, only fice foot one and only about 108 pounds, but ibfit into a size 3 to a size 5 jeans in juniors and i am in pretty good shape! Horseback riding shouldn't bulk you up too much, but you will tone your leg muscles enough to have to go up a jeans size. But like riccil0ve said, a size 3 is still little!=) You aren't going to look like some sort of body builder, just a little more athletic! And trust me, that isn't a bad thing =P just have fun and enjoy this opportunity =)


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## hoofprintonmyheart

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate that. I've always kinda been freaked out by too much muscle, so I didn't want that to happen!


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## DancingArabian

It's better long term for you to be more muscled than less.

If its a concern over what the fellas would think, you won't get built up from horseback riding to the point that you're a female bodybuilder. Don't be afraid of being muscled 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Muppetgirl

Jockets are constantly working their thighs riding.....I still see toothpick thighs!! Haha!


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## hoofprintonmyheart

Good points! The point about jockeys was wonderful. Don't think I've ever seen a jockey with large thighs! 

I'm a lot more relaxed now.


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## aerie

When I was younger and did a lot of english riding I had TONS of lessons where my intructor had me in two point for the majority of the lesson, I built a LOT of muscle then but even still had normal sized thighs. They were just VERY toned and beautiful lol =P Have fun with your riding! and I am glad that you feel better about everything now =)


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## ExRider

This is a rather old thread but I wanna address jockeys. The average jockey has to weigh oh about 110 lbs & they've little extra 'meat' to develop big thighs. Even then you can see with some - such as Mike Smith atop Justify in the Derby's winning circle - that they've thicker upper legs/thighs. 

If weight wasn't so critical & jockeys still exercised as much and as hard as they do on horseback, particularly those who work as exercise riders on off days, a number would likely have big thighs. As a former exercise rider I never had to maintain such strict weight and though I've put on some extra pounds the thighs have always been 'heavy' (thick) muscled & big (hence why I could stand in the stirups for a couple hundred feet on a cantering horse bringing it back in). 

Not surprising if you consider that the average jockey may ride two to four or more horses on a race day and then proceed to ride two to four or more horses on an off day accounting for some six or seven days of riding. In comparison, the average hobbiest rider may ride an hour or so in a week (maybe twice or three times a week) and usually don't involve themselves in overly hard or long riding so, in a way, they don't ride anywhere near enough to develop overly thick/big thighs.


So no offense & apologize for reviving this old thread. But yes riding can most certainly make thighs bigger; hence why high level riders such as Zara Phillips (who likely rides more/harder than the average hobbyist) has 'thunder thighs'.


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## waresbear

Will riding make your thighs bigger? Are you kidding? Riding will make your legs toned and shapely if done for long periods of time. Women can't build muscle like men and neither will have bulging thighs from riding.


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## Avna

You know what gives you bulging muscles? Testosterone. Not on steroids? Then it won't happen. Those are the facts. 

The only women who have big bulging thighs are people who work out for hours and hours every single day with a coach -- weight lifters and gymnasts and swimmers aiming for the Olympics. Not you, and not any other women riders. Even Olympic women riders.


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## MNgirl

I’ve been riding 6 months now. The last few 2x a week and my inner thighs are not only stronger but smaller and I expect they get a bit smaller even yet as I time them more and ditch fat.


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## AtokaGhosthorse

I kinda feel it's like weight lifting: Less reps + more weight = bulk muscle mass; More Reps + less weight = lean and toned muscle mass.


I've not seen a single very fit rider that has thunder thighs from too much muscle gains while riding.


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