I am trying to figure out if my current saddle has Full 1/4 bars or Semi 1/4 bars. I'm thinking Full. Please look at these pictures of measurements and tell me where the correct place to measure is. The saddle is a 26 year old Billy Cook Roper.
Measurement 1: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/kent...el/PICT0488.jpg
Measurement 2:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/kent...el/10bf1227.jpg
Measurement 3:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/kent...el/7f0a6e2e.jpg

Thanks, Phillip

[ March 06, 2006, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: Kentuckydiesel ]

Phillip;

It is very hard if not impossible to tell what the tree measurements are with the skirts on the saddle. From the looks of your saddle and by the type and year of the saddle I would guesstimate that it is full quarter horse bars, but there is no way for me to tell for sure with out having a look at the tree in person..
Trees are measured very different between production trees (like in your Billy Cook) and custom trees. Production trees are only measured at the points where the bars and swell meet. This is a very inaccurate way to measure as there are way to many variables to be constant between different tree styles. The thickness of the swell stock (front to back of the swell) can vary between tree styles, ( a wade is 5” stock, a Weatherly has 3 ¾” stock) this will affect the measurement at the point of the bar/swell as these points will be on different positions in the gullet. For this reason custom tree makers now measure at the handhole, 3 ¾”, 4”,4 ¼” etc, this measurement will be constant on different tree styles, also the angle of the bars can be changed with or without changing the hand hole width.
With these combinations the saddle and tree maker can figure out the right fit for your horse, more importantly the type of horse you like to ride, any saddle maker worth a #&*@ will not build you a saddle to fit one horse alone as your saddle will by far outlive your horse. I hope this has helped you a little, it is difficult to express this in words without at least some photos and drawings of better yet to show you in person, and to top it off I’m just a dumb saddle maker not an author. If this does not clear things up for you I could send you some photos of where to measure a tree. But as I said the measurement that comes from you tree will not relate well to a custom tree, you must trust your saddle and treemaker to do their job and build you a rig that fits your horses.
Steve