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What saddle is right for you?
Barrel Racing: A barrel racing saddle is distinguished by its size. The barrel racing saddle is built for speed, being smaller and lighter than any other western saddle.
Skirts are minimized in size and the tree is small and lightweight on a barrel saddle. The result is a saddle often weighing under 30 pounds avoiding any superfluous mass that would cause the horse work harder and move slower. The barrel racer saddle's seat is constructed with a relatively flat seat, providing the rider ease of movement to balance the horse in turns, whereas the cantle and pommel are high giving the rider a secure ride. The barrel saddle's horn is tall and narrow so the rider can take firm hold of it while rapidly dismounting for a high-speed sprint to the gate at the end of the race. As it is easier to keep a boot in a narrow stirrup, the barrel saddle's stirrups have narrow tread. Due to the likelihood of the stirrups hitting the barrels' edge as the horse and rider cut tightly around it, the stirrups on a barrel saddle are often covered with rawhide, which is much more resistant to scrapes and dings than soft leather. To optimize balance the fenders on a barrel saddle are free-swinging for ease of movement so the rider can be keep her legs positioned directly under her legs. In summary the barrel saddle is built tough so as to withstand the rigors and speed of barrel racing while still being safe and secure to the rider. 

Cutting: In a cutting event, a well-made saddle is necessity not luxury. In a cutting event the cutting horse follows the dexterous and cunning maneuvers of a steer on a mission to get back to his herd. Thus, the cutting saddle is designed to correctly position the rider as the cutting horse makes quick, catlike moves, allowing the rider to stay in balance and on top of the action at all times. The seat is flat and the pommel is high and straight to allowing the rider to be in contact with the horse while maintaining a relaxed position and preventing him from slipping forward. The rider pushes the free-swinging fenders forward for balance and to keep leg contact off the horse, since the rider's legs are not actively used to cue the cutting horse. Stirrups on a cutting saddle are typically narrow oxbow style and are ridden snug against the boot heel. The rider keeps one hand wrapped tightly around the tall thin horn as the horse and steer make unanticipated moves. This is done not only as a security measure but also to prevent the rider from interfering with the horse's movement. A cutting horse is trained to work independently when tracking a calf. The rider is little more than a spectator (with the best seat in the house) as the horse is at work. The right cutter saddle design ensures the rider can stay in balance and not interfere with the horse's movements.

Penning: Penning is a team event which has cutters and holders as in the cutting event. Although the objectives are different in penning and cutting events, they both require cutting and holding cows, thus saddles made for penning share design strategies used for cutting saddles. Penning saddles provide the rider with a comfortable and deep seat. The horn, tree and rigging are also built strong. The swells of a penner are often lower that a cutter, but a bit higher than most roping saddles.
Reining: The reining saddle is designed to optimize the horse's balance, agility and freedom of movement. The reining event is designed to show the athletic ability of a ranch type horse, therefore the reining saddle must not impede the horse and the rider must be placed in proper balance while the horse is galloping circles, spinning and sliding. As this an event of precision, a reiner saddle is usually made with cutouts in the skirt to enhance the level of communication between the horse and rider. Also the bars of the tree are trimmed (or "ground down") where the rider sits. This gives the seat a "deep pocket" and makes that section of the seat narrower giving the rider closer contact, which provides better stability in the stops and spins. To improve balance and let the rider's legs move freely, the fenders are hung from the center of the tree. The rigging is dropped in order for the latigo straps to lie flat against the horse's sides, preventing the fenders from being caught in the equipment. To keep the horn from interfering with the rider's hands or getting tangled in the reins, yet usable for light work, the reining saddle horn is narrow and medium in height. A well-crafted reining saddle will sit balanced and level on the horse's back, evenly distributing the rider's weight. All aspects of the reining saddle are fine-tuned stability and performance, as well as comfort. This saddle is an event-specific piece of equipment that facilitates long, effortless slides and breathtaking spins  Trail Riding: Although trail riding may seem like a generic pastime, the trail saddle is far from being generic in design. A trail saddle is designed specifically for trail use to enhance the enjoyment of any ride. Thus comfort is of foremost importance. Hours of riding over uneven trails can be wearing on one's body. With comfort as priority some trail saddles now have cushy neoprene padding and flexible trees. To optimize smoothness of the ride, the design utilizes a close-contact saddle with cutout skirts and a tree tapered in the center to improve the rider's comfort and contact with the horse (called a "narrow twist"). A trail saddle's higher cantle and pommel satisfy the demand for a secure seat that derives from the higher probability of spook or encounter with unstable ground that comes on the trail. While safety and comfort are important, on the trail the rider's balance is also very important. The trail saddle is designed to keep the rider squarely centered, making it easier for the rider to negotiate difficult terrain. The horse benefits by feeling more balanced as well, thus both the rider and horse get less fatigued during the ride. Fenders are well placed underneath the rider's body giving increased balance and security. The stirrup tread is wide for both stability and long-distance comfort. A trail saddle is a multipurpose tool, adorned with leather saddle strings for tying jackets and gear, making it well-suited for many miles of pleasure. For competitive events such as endurance riding, basic trail saddle design is adapted to weigh less, and options often include rounded-off pommel instead of a horn and modified rigging similar to the billets on an English saddle