Types & Styles of Western Saddles

Western saddles come in a number of varieties. Each type of western saddle is designed for a particular specialty, and its unique design allows it to function well in that role. For instance, barrel racing saddles are designed to provide the rider with security while allowing the horse to run its best. Trail saddles are designed to be easy to clean and easy to ride, while roping saddles are designed to help cowboys do their jobs more effectively.

  1. Trail Saddles

    • As the name implies, trail saddles are designed primarily for trail riding. Trail saddles need to be well made but also lightweight. Many riders prefer synthetic saddles for trail riding, since those synthetic materials can withstand mud and water better than their leather counterparts. Riders can simply wipe the mud and dirt off the saddle at the end of the ride and wipe the whole thing down with a damp cloth.

    Roping Saddle

    • Roping saddles are designed for use by both working cowboys and the rodeo variety. The most prominent feature on a roping saddle is its large, tall and leather-wrapped saddle horn. That horn is designed for hard use, so it has to be sturdy and well built to withstand the weight of the calf after it is caught. Roping saddles also tend to be quite heavy, with sturdy trees and well-made stirrup leathers.

    Show Saddle

    • Show saddles are predominantly found in judged events like Western Pleasure, Western Riding and Western Horsemanship. These western show saddles are distinguished by a number of factors, including ornate tooling and silver accents. Some show saddles have hundreds of dollars of silver, including silver accents on the front swells, silver plates on the cantle and even silver conchos on the stirrups.

    Barrel Racing Saddle

    • Barrel racing saddles are designed for speed. As such they are typically lighter in weight than other saddles. That lighter weight allows the horse to run that much faster and score a better time. Barrel racing saddles also tend to have deeper seats than other western saddles. These deeper seats help the rider stay in position as the horse twists and turns around the barrels and runs at high speed. The stirrups on barrel racing saddles are sometimes rounded to help the rider's feet stay in the proper position.