Barrel racing saddles are one of many types of Western saddles. They are lightweight saddles with specially designed high cantles and wide swells to help the rider stay secure while still maintaining the horse’s performance.
A good barrel racing saddle will give you the best balance and comfort while riding. Also, your horse would be able to perform the fastest sprints, and sharpest turns! In case you don’t know how to choose the best barrel racing saddles for you and your horse, here are some of our recommendations:
Top 5 Best Barrel Racing Saddles Should Buy In 2023
Top 5 Best Barrel Racing Saddles Reviews
#1: Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail – Best Barrel Racer Saddle For Beginners
So, are you new to equestrianism?
If you’re a beginner rider, who has no idea what the best barrel racing saddle is, this Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail will be the right choice for you.
With the price of only about two hundred dollars, these Acerugs racing saddles probably suit the budget of everyone. The product comes in seven colors for you to choose from, for you or your kids. Moreover, it is surprisingly easy to maintain and lightweight for a reliable and comfortable ride!
Why do we say that?
This barrel racing saddle is made of durable synthetic Cordura material with crystal decoration, which is super noticeable and stunning when you equip it on the house!
Besides, the seat is padded with a really soft and bouncy foam cushion that will offer you the most comfortable riding experience. Under the seat is a layer of fleece so that not only you but also your horse could feel good for the long ride. This product also comes with a nylon binding to make sure that your saddle is tear-proof and easy to clean.
Although it’s a synthetic and fleece and Cordura saddle, this piece is still a very lightweight baby that is super easy to handle! Besides, upon receiving, you should find a matching headstall with reins, pads, and breast collar in the supplies pack coming with your saddles.
#2: Wintec Full Quarter Western Saddle – Most High-quality Barrel Racing Saddle
This Wintec Full seat is made of a super comfy and outstanding material: the daisy suede! The much deeper seat and wider stirrups compared to English riding saddles will be able to give you the best comfort while racing with this piece.
The rule here is we all get what we pay for. So firstly, we have to say this premium Wintec Full Quarter Western Saddle is much more expensive than the Acerugs above!
The manufacturer has been making high-quality Western saddles for decades, publishing a great variety of different saddle styles for different activities.
This Wintec Full is not only a high-quality saddle, but its appearance is also indeed stunning! Its traditional look with a fine, smooth, durable leather cover, scalloped jockeys, and contrasting silver fenders will catch the eyes of everyone in the ring.
Western saddles are basically comfortable, and so is this Wintec Full. It is designed with a padded seat to prevent soreness or fatigue during long trail rides.
Even though Wintec Full saddles are a bit too expensive for beginners and tight-budget riders, we still recommend this qualified piece to anyone who wants to get serious with equestrianism!
#3: King Series Synthetic Trail Saddle
One of the best barrel racing saddle not every rider has a budget that is comfortable enough for a King Series Synthetic Trail Saddle. King Series Synthetic Trail Saddle is an affordable alternative to Acerugs’ but still maintains a professional-looking and offers a lot of comforts when riding.
This King Series Synthetic Trail Saddle is made of 100% premium leather to ensure that it will last forever with your horse. The black suede seat is well-padded, and it feels pretty comfortable riding on this piece. Meanwhile, the wood plus fiberglass tree feels super strong yet still light enough for the horse to carry.
If you’re curious about the floral and crossed patterns, then surprise: they are hand-tooled!
This saddle’s beautiful floral is designed for racing competition, but it will still work well for trail riding. The latigo and billet straps are made out of oiled leather so that you can completely rely on your saddle while performing the jumps.
With a price of just above three hundred bucks, this well-designed, lightweight saddle will be a great alternative for high-end pieces of thousands of bucks like the King Series!
#4: Acerugs All Natural Cowhide – Best Barrel Saddle for Short-back Horse
Here we go again, another Acerugs barrel racing saddle!
In fact, Acerug owns almost every low and mid-range barrel racing saddle on the market. Their products are not only affordable but also very much reliable, considering the price.
This chestnut piece is a natural cowhide western leather saddle with a deep and comfortable seat, which will add extra back support for riders. Moreover, thanks to its rounded skirt design, this Acerug can snugly fit any horse, even the shortest-back ones!
Its medium chestnut color might make you feel that it’ll be very sturdy to ride on.
But no!
The seat is padded with foam cushioning, under a quilt stitched suede cover, which can make you feel like riding on a sofa! The underside of the seat is also fleece, the same as the purplish one above.
The hand-carved tooling on cowhide leather can last for a really long time since this material is very durable! If you’re aiming for a cheap and long-lasting fellowship, these Acerugs will do well! Its one of the Best Barrel Racing Saddle to choose
#5: Silver Royal Jameson Barrel Saddle
Silver Royal Jameson is a famous online shopping website that has thousands of new and used horse saddles for riders at any level. Their prices range from a couple of hundred bucks to over two thousand.
This Silver Royal Jameson is about one and a half thousand, pretty pricey. But considering its fine craftsmanship and high-quality material, it’s worth the money!
The product has a full quarter horse barn, and the seat’s measurement is fourteen inches, which can suit any regular horse.
The reason why we say that Silver Royal Jameson has a saddle of the finest craftsmanship lies in its materials and designs. The saddle comes with a roughout seat, side skirts, and a fender. Besides, the tooling on the saddle is the basketweave poinsettia pattern, which feels pretty good when you touch it!
There are a lot more Silver Royal Jameson products available on their site, so if you’re fascinated about it, you can check it out!
What to Look for When Buying the Best Barrel Racing Saddle?
Old or New
Many riders love buying a new barrel racing saddle to enjoy its fresh smell and smooth feeling of new leather. This also makes sure that your saddle is in good condition in the first place.
Some others prefer to seek good second-hand saddles since you can get a higher-quality one at a lower price. Most second-hand saddles appear on the market because their owner quit riding, or just the horse outgrew it.
If you’re going to get yourself a used saddle, make sure to check its condition thoroughly and also beware of fake products!
Synthetic or Leather
The second question you need to answer here is which types of material you want: lightweight synthetic or traditional leather?
Most of the low or mid-range saddles are made of synthetic fabric, and it is relatively good for the price. Traditional leather saddles are more expensive and can last for decades if you take care of them properly!
FAQs about Barrel Saddles
1. What brand of saddles is best?
There are many names in the barrel racing saddles manufacturing industry; each is famous for a particular side. We have shown you Acerugs with the best affordable saddles, Teskey’s with various types of new & used products, and Billy Cook Saddlery’s high-end pieces!
There’re also many more brands such as Martin Saddlery, Dakota, Reinsman, Tex Tan, etc. that you can check out to see which products you’ll prefer!
2. Part of a barrel racing saddle
A barrel racing saddle is broken into many parts, and you should know all of this.
Or at least, you should know the basic components such as the saddle seat, the cantle, skirt, billets, and pommel so that you can choose a suitable saddle for you and your horse.
3. How should you clean your racing saddle?
Cleaning a leather product is not an easy task. If you’re unfamiliar with it, we recommend you having a professional show you how to clean it: maybe your trainer, or the shop owner.
A simple process includes taking the saddle soap mixed with water and using a soft sponge to gently clean the cover. After that, let it dry completely then apply the conditioner for better maintenance.
Conclusion
Have you had the best barrel racing saddle in your mind yet?
For us, it is the Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail Barrel Racing Saddle that is most suitable for any rider of any level!
It is strong, comfortable, durable, most importantly, budget-friendly to everyone! Although it might not be as high-quality and last not as long as other high-end brands, this Acerugs is still the go-to choice!
