Beginning a career in barrel racing is a great challenge for young as well as older horse riders.  Getting the right saddle and tack is just the first step.  As with all saddles, finding a good balance between quality, price and style requires research. 

A barrell racing saddle is distinguished for the most part by it's size and weight.  It is built for speed, so being smaller and lighter than any other western saddle is a must to this end.  The outer skirts are minimized in size and the tree is small and lightweight on a barrell saddle.  Often these saddles result in an under 30 pound rig, making the horse work less and move faster. 

The racing saddle seat is constructed with a relatively flat seat, which provides the rider ease of movement to balance the horse in tight turns around the barrel.  The cantle however and the pommel are high so as to give the rider a more secure ride.  The barrel saddle horn is made tall and narrow so the racer can grab on to it for lightening speed sprints to the gate at the end of the race.  It is easier to keep a boot in a stirrup that is narrow, thus the barrel saddle has a more narrow tread to keep feet tight in.  Also, because of possible brushing against or hitting barrels in tight turns, the stirrups are often covered with rawhide, which is more resistant to scrapes than softer leather.  To produce the most balance for the rider, the fenders on this rig are free-swinging for ease of movement so the rider can keep his or hers legs directly under their bodies at all times.

The summary of the barrel saddle is simple.  It is a tough built rig to withstand the rigors of speed, tight turns and possible scraping against obstacles while being as light as possible.  This saddle also must keep the rider feeling balanced, safe and secure so as to maximize confidence in the competition.