Sit Tall in Your Saddle

          The first saddle is said to have been traced back to 365 AD. A tribe called the Sarmations came up with the saddle idea. They used these saddles in battle with other tribes. Through war, the saddle spread to other groups of people. As time went on, the saddle has branched off to fit each activity it is used for. Events such as horse shows, barrel races, and team ropings now have an individual saddle to best fit its needs. Such specialty saddles are show saddles, barrel saddles, English saddles, roping saddles and so on.
           To me, a saddle shows teamwork between a horse and it’s rider. A horse has to trust its rider to allow them to put a saddle on. I have been in a saddle from as far back as I can remember. As I have grown and changed, so have my saddles. I started out riding in a kids saddle, went to a barrel saddle, and I am now riding in a trophy saddle. Each saddle tells a lot about horse wearing the saddle, and the rider in the saddle.
         My brother is a team roper. He has been heeling for ten years. He has won 6 trophy roping saddles. Roping saddles are built more durable and made with heavier material than other saddles. On the horn of a roping saddle, you will find rubber. The rubber is wrapped around the horn for dallying. When a steer is roped the horses turn to the left, and the roper dallies (quickly wraps the rope around the horn) to turn the steer. With the rubber protecting the horn, the horn is not damaged. Roping saddles can be identified by their bulkiness and the rubber wrapped around the horn. Being heavier built, the roping saddle is ideal for roping and turning heavy steers. Roping saddles tend to be a lot heavier to carry than any other saddle, but in my opinion are the most comfortable saddles to ride in.

         My older sister is a barrel racer. Barrel saddles are light weight, and smaller than most saddles. Being built for speed, and having a tall saddle horn, barrel saddles are ideal for a fast timed event. Barrel saddles are not exactly the most comfortable saddle, but perfect for barrel racing. After turning the third barrel and heading home, the tall saddle horn is easy to hold on to and secure yourself for a bumpy ride. The stirrups on a barrel saddle are often thin, which makes for a quick slip in and out of the riders foot.

         The trail saddle is made for comfort. After having been out on the trail for a while, the last thing you want is a sore behind. Most trail saddles now have neoprene padding in the seat. This saddle is designed to keep the rider right square in the middle, So they might be centered in tough situations. The trail saddle is a multipurpose saddle and is light weight.

        The saddle has changed drastically since the first version was created in 365 AD. It has changed and adapted to better fit each and every sport using horses. There are many different Kinds of saddles for every sport on horseback. Saddles create an equal partnership between men and horses. Without saddles, we wouldn’t have the same rodeo that we do today. We would have to ride bareback every time we wanted to ride a horse. All of the timed events would be no more, and we would all have sore behinds! In the words of a wise man, “ No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” - Winston Churchill.