It is crucial to have the appropriate equipment in sports, not just to secure victory but also for safety purposes. For instance, playing football without a helmet and adequate padding, or boxing without gloves and mouth guards would be unthinkable. Likewise, in barrel racing, having the right gear ensures the safety of both rider and horse, enabling them to perform at their highest potential.
Barrel Racing Equipment
Barrel Saddle
Your barrel saddle holds utmost significance as it is essential for your equipment. If you use a saddle that doesn’t fit properly, both you and your horse may experience discomfort. Therefore, ensure that you select a saddle that fits your horse’s back and your seat appropriately.
Bit
The bit is the next piece of equipment in a barrel run that can either make or break it. It is important to have the correct bit so that your horse can respond to your reins’ slightest movement, the bit fits well without causing discomfort to the horse’s mouth, and it allows for a great run. Many barrel racers keep a variety of different types of bits in their barn because one bit is not necessarily the best for every horse. Different horses may require different bits for different situations. Barrel racers often use specific bits for training, exercising, competition, and pleasure riding, depending on what bit the horse responds to. It is common for most barrel racers to try out numerous bits before finding the perfect one for their horse.
Boots
Boots are essential when running barrels because the horse’s legs experience a significant amount of stress while running and making sharp turns. The appropriate type of boots can help reduce this stress and minimize damage to the horse’s legs. Front boots are also beneficial in preventing the horse from injuring itself with its rear legs during turns. Many barrel horses often sustain injuries to their front legs due to contact with their back hooves. While some injuries occur during running, most happen during the turns around the barrels. Rear boots are important for protecting the fetlocks from hitting the ground while setting and turning the barrel. Bell boots are not mandatory for every horse, but they are a precautionary measure. They provide protection to the bulb of the front hooves, preventing them from being stepped on or torn by the rear hooves.
Reins
Many manufacturers offer barrel racing reins in various colors, but they are essentially identical. These reins are short and round, with knots on the sides for easy grabbing. They are highly favored in barrel racing. Although leather round reins can also be utilized, they are not as secure as the knotted ones due to their slipperiness. Split reins are not appropriate for barrel racing as they may loosen during a run and pose significant hazards to the horse.
Tie Downs
Tie downs are utilized in barrel racing despite claims that they impede the horse’s performance by restricting their natural balance. On the other hand, some argue that a loose tie down aids in better turning as it assists with balance. Ultimately, the decision whether to utilize a tie down or not depends on the individual rider and their horse. Certain horses require a tie down as they tend to throw their heads around and lose focus. To determine the impact on your horse, it is advised to practice the pattern both with and without a tie down.
Whip
Whips are utilized by numerous barrel racers as another piece of equipment. Almost every barrel racer has used a whip at some point, ranging from bats and crops to an over and under. The most popular type of whip among barrel racers is the over and under, which is a rope attached to the saddle horn. During a run, it can be laid over the thigh and kept within reach between barrels and during the run home. To determine if your horse responds favorably to a whip, the best method is to film a run with and without using the whip. While riding, you may not notice, but from a video, it becomes apparent that many horses actually slow down when they are whipped.
Before purchasing the latest trend, consider what suits you and your horse when selecting equipment for barrel racing, as it is available in a variety of styles, colors, and materials.
BONUS: Six Barrel Racers’ Favorite Tack Pieces
We all have that one essential piece of tack that we cannot do without. Six successful barrel racers share their must-have items. Similar to a comfortable old pair of boots, certain equipment can give us a familiar and secure feeling. Considering the high speeds, tight turns, and significant prize money involved, it is crucial not to rely on any random piece of tack for your success. Discover the preferred items of six renowned trainers and competitors.
JANE MELBY — G Bar G Barrel Saddle
According to clinician, trainer, and three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Jane Melby, her saddle is the most crucial piece of equipment she possesses. Melby both rides and endorses the G Bar G barrel saddle, which is designed by Dennis George from Riverton, Wyoming. Melby’s first encounter with George occurred in 2012 at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming. At that time, George inquired about Melby’s preferences for a barrel saddle, leading to a conversation where Melby described her requirements. Following this discussion, George constructed a saddle for Melby to try. While Melby enjoyed the feel of the saddle, she realized that it only fit her 2-year-old horses and required a wider tree. George accommodated her request, and the rest is history. Eventually, George sold his bronc-saddle-making business to his son and began manufacturing barrel saddles himself. According to Melby, the saddle’s ground seat is its most outstanding feature, allowing the rider to sit directly in the middle of the saddle. Additionally, if a rider loses a stirrup, they can quickly regain control due to the design of the fender. In contrast, many saddles have flat-hanging stirrups, making retrieval difficult. Melby prefers to ride in a roughout or inlay seat and avoids materials that may be slick. For stirrups, she chooses the Nettles brand. Melby acknowledges that many individuals cannot afford to purchase a new saddle or tree for each horse, so she aimed to create a saddle that would work comfortably for a wide range of horses and riders.
SUE SMITH — Three Forks Saddlery Sue Smith Barrel Saddle
Sue Smith, a two-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association circuit champion and NFR qualifier, considers her saddle to be her favorite piece of tack. She believes that balance is crucial during a run, knowing when to sit and when to get up over the horse. Smith values how her feet are positioned and how the saddle allows her to maintain the correct position without any struggle. If she finishes a run without thinking about her saddle, she knows it’s the right one for her. Currently, Smith primarily rides a barrel saddle from Three Forks Saddlery, which she played a role in designing. The collaboration came about unexpectedly during a conversation with Nancy Peterson from Three Forks Saddlery. Smith honestly expressed her dislike for their existing barrel saddle. Although she had a different sponsor at the time, she made the switch for fun, thinking it would be easy to adjust to the new saddle. However, it turned out to be a lengthy process to fine-tune the fenders, seat, stirrup leathers, and overall balance. Apart from customizable features like leather color, tooling, and conchos, the only variations in the saddle are seat size and tree. The tree comes in standard and wider fits. Smith keeps returning to Three Forks Saddlery, even when experimenting with other brands, because their saddles provide comfort and security. She trusts the saddle to perform well when she needs to give her best during a run.
CHEYENNE WIMBERLEY — Cowboy Classic Saddlery Saddle
Similar to Melby and Smith, Cheyenne Wimberley, a five-time NFR qualifier, places great importance on the saddle. She is a co-owner of Cowboy Classic Saddlery in Stephenville, Texas, a business that was established 28 years ago by Cheyenne and her parents, ML and Christi. Though ML has passed away, Christi and Cheyenne continue to lead the company. The idea for the venture originated from the family’s belief that there was a dearth of saddles that truly fit the horse. Due to variations in gullet width and flare, Cheyenne uses different saddles for different horses. However, all Cowboy Classic saddles share a common feature: a wood rawhide tree. Despite the fact that a fiberglass tree is lighter, Cheyenne finds it to be an unforgiving structure. She believes that fiberglass does not have any flexibility and once it is set, it remains fixed. Cheyenne prefers a tree that can expand as needed with weather and use. Additionally, the tree is designed with flare in the bars to provide complete shoulder relief for the horse. When it comes to the seat, Cheyenne favors hard leather. She prefers a low profile seat, similar to that of a calf roping saddle. Over the years, the demand for deep seats has increased. However, Cheyenne believes that higher cantle and swells, which result from a deeper seat, shift the rider’s center of gravity further away from the horse’s withers. She considers anything that keeps the rider closer to the horse to be advantageous. In terms of stirrups, Cheyenne opts for a slightly wider base for her foot and chooses the Cowboy Classic typical 2.5-inch bell stirrup, which is covered in leather to match the saddle.
