I just ordered a Fitbit Flex and I’m curious how reliable/accurate it will be for riding. In the past I’ve had pedometers that go crazy while riding, and 15 minutes of trotting is equivalent to running a marathon. Has anyone had success with the Fitbit while riding?
Also…I’m writing this post with a jar of cookie butter and a spoon, so I’m hoping my model of Fitbit is able to shock me when I made such terrible decisions! Darn you Trader Joes!
My fitbit always went nuts while I was riding. Adding like 10,000 steps and 40 flights of stairs. I always took it off (mine was a ‘one’ so very easy to take on and off) when I rode and just logged the riding manually.
My fitbit logs riding time but not crazy. Normally I get about 1/2 my steps walking the dog in the morning and then on days when I ride I get the other 5000 steps about half way through my ride. Usually on riding days I end up with about 20000 steps. On non riding days about 12,000. Hope that helps.
I wear a jawbone wristband and it still takes quite a bit to get your 10,000 steps on it.
That said yesterday I lunged two horses, rode two horses. Visited 5 different shopping centres and had to walk from the car park to find the shop I wanted and back (My job) and then I had an hours riding lesson, before going to another shopping centre and walking the store.
It came to nearly 30,000 steps and I don’t normally get that amount. Normally 20,000 steps for working 3 horses and that included a 10 minute walk down to work them and a 10 minute walk back. It also included riding them in the heat which to me is a lot more than sitting doing nothing in the air conditioning!!!
It does not seem to register doing anything using the mouse or keyboard on the computer.
My Charge HR does a decent job with riding. It overestimates a bit, but not too bad.
I just got a FitBit Zip, and have been wearing it to ride. It does count riding as “steps” but not in a way that seems crazy inaccurate to me; it’s been something like 2-3000 steps for a half hour of dressage work, which is probably about the equivalent activity level, if I’m thinking about how hard I work schooling versus going for a short hike. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens during my lesson tomorrow, it’ll be my first lesson since getting it!
I bought it mostly to track my general activity level, and for when I got hiking, so I’m not all kinds of crazy about it being totally exact, though.
I’ve got the Charge HR which is great for recording my heart rate during riding. It doesn’t over estimate, and just goes off what my heart rate is doing.
My Fitbit Charge gives me about 5000 steps/horse. The stairs is a little off, as Saturday I ‘did’ 72 flights, Sunday 20 flights…
Sadly, the days I ride are the only days I hit 10k, stupid desk job…
[QUOTE=Gorgonzola;8003215]
My Fitbit Charge gives me about 5000 steps/horse. The stairs is a little off, as Saturday I ‘did’ 72 flights, Sunday 20 flights…
Sadly, the days I ride are the only days I hit 10k, stupid desk job…[/QUOTE]
Mine is more basic, and doesn’t have the stairs counter function, so that may be why it doesn’t seem to be “off” to me the way others experience it.
I try try try to walk at work, but I work 12 hour shifts that pretty much require me to be seated while working, so hitting 10K is almost impossible 
Days I don’t work, I’m well over, easily, without trying. I figure it all balances out, as long as I’m averaging more than 10K.
[QUOTE=JenEM;8003236]
Mine is more basic, and doesn’t have the stairs counter function, so that may be why it doesn’t seem to be “off” to me the way others experience it.
I try try try to walk at work, but I work 12 hour shifts that pretty much require me to be seated while working, so hitting 10K is almost impossible Days I don’t work, I’m well over, easily, without trying. I figure it all balances out, as long as I’m averaging more than 10K.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I have to be at my computer. I have a standing desk, but marching in place doesn’t affect my ‘steps’ unfortunately. My weekends usually get me over 25k steps, so for the week I average 40-50k… not where I want to be, but with longer days comes more riding and that means more steps!!
I have been using a Fitbit for years. Some are more accurate than others. I replaced my first FB original with a Zip but it was brand new technology and not very accurate. I ended up with the One and it’s very accurate. I trail ride a lot and my sis in law uses her Nike app with gps and another gal uses her gps. The Fitbit is extremely close to the gps in distance and altitude.
I can burn a lot of steps cleaning pens, mowing the lawn and pasture. Doesn’t show anything in the car or a plane. Shopping in a big box store is a way to get a bunch of steps too. 
I have had my Flex for just over a year.
Yes… it does add steps when riding, but not a lot.
It’s not like every time you post it adds a step…
If it did, I’d be up to 50k easily, as I ride a 13 hh pony
I have no problems getting 10k without riding… barn work, walking dogs and just ‘life’, they do add up pretty quickly.
And like others, I figure riding IS work and I don’t consider it ‘cheating’ to get my steps in.
I have not ridden since December 29 and my daily average is still 15k.
I take mine off before I ride. It’s a Zip.
I also wear mine grooming. If you groom properly you should feel like you have done an aerobics session!
Today I went on a trail ride. My sis in law’s Nike App said exactly 6 miles. My Fitbit said 6.5. I figured it was pretty darn close. My sis in laws horse was super lazy and slow and this was my mare’s trail ride out for 3 months. She did a a lot of jiggy joggy stuff, trotted around sagebrush and even backed her up a few times to wear her out a bit. Didn’t matter but I still covered more ground than my SIL.
Pretty darn accurate.
I have a Zip and believe it’s pretty accurate. At least it gives me some relative ideal how active i am. Thinking about upgrading to the HR. I get no credit from the Zip for walking up the stairs at my condo. Waaah.
Fitbit one user
I have a FitBit One.
Is not one of the reasons that equine therapeutic riding can be so successful for some people is the motion your body makes while riding very closely mimics what you do if you are walking on you own feet? So Fitbit will track steps while you are riding. I do not think it overcounts steps but if you are doing posting trot it may effect number to stairs climbed. Your decision if you think this is “cheating” or not.
The software-either on your computer or on your phone will let you specify exactly what activity you were performing during certain time periods. And it can get very specific. Such as: horse grooming, horse riding-walking, horse riding-trotting, horse riding-galloping. This will have an effect on the calories burned portioned. I have never compared what setting where before and after I made activity adjustments.
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