What Is the Difference Between Full Quarter Horse Bars & Semi?

Quarter horse bars form part of the tree of a Western saddle. The word "tree" relates to the frame on which the saddle is built. Western saddles are more forgiving in fit than English saddles, but should still be correctly sized to fit horse and rider. A Western saddle tree consists of four main parts: the fork or pommel (the front), bars, seat and cantle (back). The bars are weight-bearing runners that are attached to the fork and cantle, and help to distribute the rider's weight comfortably over the horse's back. The width of the bars should be matched to the width of the horse for a good fit.

  1. How the Bars Work

    • The bars on a Western saddle are shaped to come into as close a contact as possible with the horse's back, so that weight is distributed evenly. A horse's back is angled so that the area where the neck meets the shoulders is the narrowest part of the back. At the base of the neck is a pony protuberance called the withers, and it important that the bars do not place any pressure in this area. To accommodate this, the bars join the pommel area at an opening called the "gullet." There is also a channel separating the bars to give clearance for the horse's spine. The bars should not put pressure on either of these areas.

    Semi and Full Quarter Horse Bars

    • Whereas the height and width of the gullet are measured in inches, the angle between the bars is measured in narrow, medium and wide settings, known as quarter horse bars, semi quarter horse bars and full quarter horse bars. The narrowest fitting was popular in the 1960s when horses were narrower and is less common today. Many modern horses are fitted with a semi quarter horse angle, equivalent to a medium fitting. Full quarter horse bars are the widest fitting and are sometimes referred to as Arabian bars. It is also possible to get special width fittings for draft horses.

    Measuring a Horse

    • Although the terms quarter horse, semi and full are the standard terms, some saddlers also refer to standard bars or semi-full. To avoid confusion, it is always best to measure the horse before fitting a saddle. Using a flexi-curve (available from office stationers) or a specialist saddler's measure, press the measure across the horse's withers. Look at the measure and move 2 inches down vertically from the highest point of the curve. Measure the distance across from that point to find the width of the gullet, as there should be no pressure on the top 2 inches of the withers.

    Fitting the Saddle

    • Once you have selected the correct fitting for the bars, check the fit of the whole saddle. Check that you can slide the flat of your hand under the saddle at the withers on both sides. There should also be a little space under the horn at the saddle at the pommel. With the rider mounted, there should be about 4 inches of space in front of them. The rider's back should be comfortably, but not tightly, against the cantle. When trying out a new saddle, work your horse in it for a few minutes to allow it to settle before carrying out the checks again.