| What kind of saddle do you ride? Does it have a | | | | length of these horns is somewhere between a |
| horn? If so, how do you use the horn? | | | | roping horn and a cutting horn, long enough and |
| In the riding environment I live in, western-style | | | | thin enough to give a female rider's hand a full |
| saddles far outnumber any other style of saddle. I | | | | grip. These horns have a cap on top. |
| occasionally see an Australian stock saddle or an | | | | Many endurance and trail saddles do not have a |
| endurance style saddle, but the default mode is a | | | | horn. English-style saddles do not have horns. |
| western-style saddle with a horn. Even some of | | | | Military saddles such as the McClelland do not have |
| the Aussie stock saddles come equipped with a | | | | horns. How does the rider stay on without a horn |
| horn. | | | | you ask? Well, except for cutting saddles and |
| A good number of riders in my region actually | | | | barrel saddles, the horn is not really there for the |
| need a western-style saddle with a horn for their | | | | rider to hang onto. Moderately skilled riders can |
| recreational roping activities. The heavily-built | | | | maintain balance without a horn. For those |
| saddles with horns are necessary for anchoring | | | | instances when additional stabilization is needed, |
| the rope after the animal is roped. Nobody in | | | | the rider can grab the pommel on those saddles |
| these parts actually needs to rope and brand their | | | | without horns. I have had a few times when I |
| cattle. Cattle in most areas of the U.S. are in | | | | was pitched forward by an unexpected move by |
| fenced pastures and readily come into pens when | | | | the horse and wound up wishing the horn wasn't |
| feed is offered. It is true that some large ranches | | | | there as sensitive areas contacted the horn. This |
| are on open range or something similar and | | | | is the reason why the saddles used by |
| roundups are an annual event utilizing working | | | | saddle-bronc riders in the rodeo don't have horns. |
| cowboys with roping saddles. | | | | As a casual trail rider (as opposed to a |
| Cutting-horse riders use the horn for stabilization | | | | competitive trail rider), the most common use I |
| while the horse dances side-to-side executing | | | | see for a horn is to grip while mounting the horse. |
| radical changes in directions. These horns do not | | | | The second most common use is to hold a |
| resemble the horns for roping events. Horns for | | | | pommel bag. Pommel bags are designed to fit |
| cutting-horse saddles are tall, thin handles, long | | | | over the horn. These are handy for carrying a |
| enough for the rider to grip with both hands. Most | | | | water bottle or a few beverage cans or some |
| do not have a cap on top to prevent the rope | | | | snacks or whatever small items the rider needs. |
| from slipping off as no ropes will be used. These | | | | Many riders don't feel comfortable without a horn |
| horns would probably separate from the pommel | | | | up there on the pommel. |
| if a roped animal suddenly jerked on it. | | | | That about does it for horns on a saddle. If you |
| Barrel racers use the horn for stabilization as the | | | | can think of additional uses, please let me know. |
| horse leans low turning the barrel and as the | | | | Meanwhile, thanks for reading this article and look |
| horse accelerates away from the barrels. The | | | | for Saddle Up! - Part 2 which will discuss cantles. |