Western Saddle Tree Size Information

The saddle's bars on each side of the saddle determine the width of the western saddle tree, which is the saddle's skeleton. These bars are angled, and the degree of angle determines the size of the tree. Be aware that even if your horse is a certain breed, the tree width that is named for that breed might not fit, because there is no standardized measure for tree sizes. Trees labeled the same size often vary among manufacturers.

  1. Full Quarter Horse Bars

    • Full quarter horse bars are the widest and are designed for very wide, flat-backed horses. These saddles are too wide for the majority of horses.

    Semi-Quarter Horse Bars

    • The most common tree size is semi-quarter horse bars, or simply quarter horse bars. This saddle fits the average riding horse.

    Gaited Horse Bars

    • These are designed to fit the higher withers and narrower backs of gaited horse breeds.

    Arabian Bars

    • Arabian horse owners often use saddles with full quarter horse bars, but some saddle companies have also developed Arabian bars that fit a narrower topline and wider back than the full quarter bars.

    Draft Horse Bars

    • Saddle trees designed specifically for draft horses are wide and are often proportionately bigger than quarter horse saddles to better fit these bigger horses.