Kendal A. Daiger is a marketing strategist and entrepreneur with 24 years of professional experience in marketing, hospitality, and real estate. She is the director of marketing at Spruce Peak Realty and the founder of OneL Marketing, a Vermont-based marketing agency that provides brand development, project management, and operational consulting services. When she is not working, Kendal A. Daiger engages in outdoor adventures that include traveling, biking, skiing, horseback riding, and barrel racing.

Like other equestrian sports, barrel racing requires the right equipment to aid success and ensure safety for both horse and rider. The barrel saddle is the most relevant piece of equipment in barrel racing. A properly fitting saddle enables riders to sink or climb out of fast, tight turns. Attached to the barrel saddle is a small saddle horn that helps riders keep their position in rapid turns.

Bits are also important. Some barrel racers do not use the same bits for the same purpose. The ideal bit should keep the horse comfortable and sensitive to the slightest movement of the reins.

Boots are compulsory racing accessories for horses that help protect the horse from injury. Three common types of boots cover different parts of the hoof. Splint boots protect the splint bone, tendons, and ligaments from external impact by acting as a barrier. Support boots brace the fetlock joint and prevent joint hyperextension. Bell boots protect the pastern and the top of the hoof from impact.