Before you hop on a horse, you need the appropriate saddle. While ancient peoples often rode bareback, specialized saddles greatly improve comfort as well as riding performance. Select the right saddle for you with help from this informative guide.

Which Riding Saddle Is Right for You?

1. General Purpose

General purpose saddles, also sometimes called trail or pleasure saddles, are designed with the riders’ comfort in mind. These popular saddles help promote a correct riding posture, making it an ideal choice for beginner and intermediate riders or those who plan to journey long distances. These handy saddles range from children’s to adult sizes and come in traditional or lighter weight synthetic versions.

2. Barrel

Designed for barrel racing and pole bending, these saddles are generally shorter and lighter weight so as to aid in speed and performance. Barrel saddles always have a 5” cantle (higher seat back) to help keep the rider secured in the seat. This style is also popular for many people as a trail/ pleasure riding saddle.

3. Roping

Roping saddles help riders chase and rope cows. To support riders, the heavyweight saddle features a sturdy horn and tree as well as suede seats to prevent slipping. The larger, usually rubber wrapped, horns provide the strength needed to hold up to the forces of ropes and cattle.They also feature roper stirrups and rope straps. 

4. Ranch

Those who need to ride and work cattle should choose the ranch saddle. To improve comfort and performance during long days in the field, this style features a deep seat, thick horns, and double-rigging, which means it features a front and rear cinch. Even though these saddles tend to have hard seats, correctly made saddles actually provide a very comfortable ride for every day use.

5. Show

Show saddles feature ornate embellishments designed to appeal to spectators in the show ring. Show horses typically wear saddles with silver trim and intricate tooling patterns on the horn, stirrups, fenders and skirt. While these styles vary widely, they are ultimately designed to impress aesthetically.  

From ranching saddles to pleasure saddles, Liberty Western in Lebanon, OH, has the extensive selection of high-quality options you need. For over 20 years, the premier western wear outfitter has provided the quality selection of cowboy hats, boots, and saddles ranchers and riders rely on. To learn more about what’s in store, visit the local business online or call today at (513) 933-0900.