How to Put a Barrel Racing Saddle on a Horse

Barrel racing saddles -- like all rodeo saddles -- are designed to stay atop a horse through bursts of speed, quick stops, tight turns and horizontal movements even as the rider shifts her weight forward and back and from right to left. Mounting the saddle in the proper place on the horse's back is a crucial part of the process. Tightening the cinches and breast collar properly are equally important. Saddling a barrel horse takes about five minutes.

Things You'll Need

  • Curry comb
  • Brush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Curry and brush the horse. The purpose is to remove dirt and debris from the horse's coat. If you put a saddle on a horse without doing so, the animal develops saddle sores. Curry and comb from the withers of the horse to the croup -- lengthwise -- and around its entire croup. Be careful about the horse's flank. Even the most broke horse is not privy to you touching its flank.

    • 2

      Do everything from the front of the horse or its left side when saddling it. There is no need to be on the right side of a rodeo horse unless you are calf roping or bulldogging. While it is fair to say this is just tradition, there is reason behind it. For one thing, it saves time and energy. If you saddle a horse from both sides, you inefficiently move back and forth from side to side walking around the horse each time. Secondly, the simpler you keep a task, the more comfortable a horse remains. This is particularly important for young or rank horses.

    • 3

      Put the saddle blanket on the barrel horse. Slide it up to the withers. A horse's back bows and then climbs up to the withers. The withers flatten out, and then the horses neck ascends to its head. Place the front edge of the blanket in the center of the withers. Center the blanket on the sides; make sure there is an equal amount of blanket on each.

    • 4

      Put the saddle on the horse. Center it right to left on the blanket. Place the front edge of the saddle tree directly in line, vertically, with the back of the horse's scapula bone -- its shoulder. Run your hand from the withers of the horse down its shoulder and under its belly. Touch the horse to make it aware of your movements. Do not just reach under its stomach.

    • 5

      Grab the front cinch on the right side of the horse and pull it under and up to the cinch strap on the left side of the horse. Run the cinch strap through the buckled D ring on the cinch and pull it back up to the D ring on the saddle, back down and through the cinch D ring and back up through the saddle D. Pull the cinch tight and push the tongue of the cinch D through the closest hole in the strap.

    • 6

      Put your hand on the horse behind the saddle and run it down the animal's side and under its belly and grab the rear cinch. Keep your hand well in front of its flanks. Put the rear strap through the buckle of the rear cinch and tighten it.

    • 7

      Run your hand from the shoulder of the horse around its chest and grab the breast collar. Put the strap of the breast collar through the front strap D ring and buckle it to the breast collar. Walk the horse around 30 paces and tighten the cinches again. A savvy horse will suck in air and flex as you saddle it to prevent you from properly tightening the cinches. The practice of walking the horse around forces it to relax so you can cinch the saddle properly.